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Motherwell FC is today delighted to confirm defender Stephen McManus has signed a new two-year contract at the club.

McManus, who joined from Middlesbrough last summer, was a virtual ever-present for the side during the 2013/14 campaign, playing 42 times, missing just one (the Boxing Day win at Pittodrie).

He also scored vital goals against Hibs, Aberdeen, Partick Thistle and St Johnstone, which helped the Steelmen into a second place finish.

And the 26-times capped former Scotland skipper spoke of his delight at extending his stay in North Lanarkshire saying: “Last season couldn’t have gone any better for me personally.

[pullquote]I wanted to come here at the start of last season, play as many games as possible and, hopefully, bring something to the team.[/pullquote]

“I wanted to come here at the start of last season, play as many games as possible and, hopefully, bring something to the team.

“I’ve really enjoyed it and the decision to extend really was a no brainer.”

‘Well boss Stuart McCall added: “On the pitch, Stephen is a rock for us at the heart of the defence as well as a real influence in the dressing room and around the club.

“He played more than anyone at the club last season, missing just one game, so we’re thrilled he has extended his stay.

“We hope to be in a position to confirm new deals for other players in the very near future too, with preparations for next season already well underway.”

-WATCH STEPHEN’S INTERVIEW EXCLUSIVELY ON MFC TV–

Good afternoon ‘Well fans,

It has been too long since I penned my last mail to fans and I felt today was a good day to bring it back. I will endeavour to return to a more regular email next season, as it’s something people often ask me about.

Some of the staff and I are just about to enjoy a short break so I’ve put this down before I go.

Needless to say, it has been an incredible twenty-four hours for everyone involved at the club. The players, staff and everyone at Fir Park really deserve everything they got yesterday and don’t let anyone, anywhere tell you different.

It has been a monumental effort this season, to win 22 games from 38 has been absolutely fantastic and something I am extremely proud of. It has certainly been our greatest achievement in my three and a half years at the club.

The game yesterday was a battle but, in many ways, typified what has worked for us this season: hard work, determination, focus and a real desire to win. We had a game plan to keep things tight until the closing stages then go for it, and that’s exactly what the players did and we got our rewards.

Yes, there was an element of luck attached to it, but it’s luck we have very much deserved, particularly if you look back at some of the previous matches against Aberdeen this season, where it has been us on the end of contentious calls.

That brings me onto this summer and your input as supporters. The backing we’ve had this season has been fantastic and you can sense the real bond we have between the lads, the club and the fans. The colour and noise is a huge positive and I thank you for that.

The club currently has Season Tickets on sale now and I am personally asking each and every one of you who can, to consider buying one. It’s a vital part of the year which helps us plan budgets for various areas of the football club.

We’ve seen a steady rise over the last few years and it would be brilliant if we could keep that trend going. Next season is going to be another test, but we’ve got great foundations to kick-on. Together, we can carry on this fantastic story.

Cheers

Stuart McCall
Manager

CLICK HERE FOR ALL THE 2014-15 INFORMATION AND PRICES

Extended highlights from Pittodrie as Craig Reid’s late strike stunned The Dons to send The Steelmen into second place in a dramatic climax to the season.

-WATCH THE HIGHLIGHTS EXCLUSIVELY ON MFC TV–

Action pictures from this this afternoon’s incredible 1-0 win over Aberdeen at Pittodrie.

Snaps courtesy of SNSPix.

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Stuart McCall couldn’t hide his delight as his side took all three points to secure second place in a dramatic showdown against Aberdeen this afternoon.

‘Well went into the encounter knowing only a win would do for them to take second place and with a goalless draw on the horizon, Craig Reid popped up with the crucial strike to send Motherwell into dreamland with only seconds left on the clock.

“It was an incredible finish and I have to pay tribute to the staff, the players and the supporters; it’s a fantastic day for everyone connected to the club.”  said a proud McCall to MFC TV after the match.

“This season we have had criticism, and rightly so. We have had some poor days on the park but what we’ve always managed to do is bounce back. Last season everyone saw us as a really good team when we got eighteen victories but this season we have won twenty-two games.

[pullquote] To win the last three games, which we needed to do, is fantastic. We knew we could do it but we knew we would all have to be in it together and we were. [/pullquote]

“We’ve lacked a slice of luck for the majority of the season but we got our share today. The goal may have been given as a foul but whatever we got today, we have deserved over the course of the season.

“I’m delighted and what a fantastic way to end what has been a fantastic season.”

-WATCH STUART’S INTERVIEW EXCLUSIVELY ON MFC TV–

[tab:Match report]

Gavin McCafferty at Pittodrie

Motherwell snatched second place in the SPFL Premiership in the most dramatic circumstances after Craig Reid scrambled an injury-time winner against Aberdeen at Pittodrie.

The visitors had rarely threatened to get the win they needed in a cagey encounter but they stole a 1-0 victory with almost the last kick of the ball after Keith Lasley’s free-kick from just inside his own half caused chaos in the Dons box.

Aberdeen goalkeeper Jamie Langfield appeared to be impeded by Motherwell striker John Sutton, and the ball bounced over him and off the crossbar. An almighty scramble ensued with Fraser Kerr denied on the line but Reid followed up to force the ball home.

The goal punctured the anticipated celebrations for the majority of the 17,016 crowd but sparked wild celebrations among the Motherwell players and their 1,500 fans.

Both teams had already qualified for Europe but there was plenty at stake other than the prestige of runners-up spot. The difference in prize money is £240,000 while there was extra time off available for the players, with a third-place finish meaning a July 3 start in the Europa League rather than July 17 for second spot.

Despite their need for a win, Motherwell manager Stuart McCall brought in defender Kerr for forward James McFadden and played with a 3-5-2 formation rather than the more typical 4-4-2.

Lionel Ainsworth, who scored the only goal when the clubs last met at Pittodrie on Boxing Day, was employed in a central role alongside Sutton to provide pace on the counter-attack but he lasted only 17 minutes before being replaced by Henri Anier after taking an early kick from Jonny Hayes.

Ainsworth had been controversially flagged offside after being sent through but Motherwell otherwise sat back for most of the first half-hour, surviving without major scare.

Hayes caused problems with an early run and cross which Lee Hollis pushed away but the goalkeeper was otherwise untroubled, saving a deflected Niall McGinn shot. Barry Robson had a free-kick blocked by the wall and Scott Vernon just missed a Ryan Jack cross.

Motherwell did not really threaten on the break although Anier got their first shot on target in the 42nd minute after Lasley played the ball into the left channel, Langfield making a comfortable save at his near post.

Motherwell were the first on the attack after half-time and Jack tripped Lasley right on the edge of the box, but Iain Vigurs hit a weak free-kick straight at the wall.

Mark Reynolds glanced a Robson free-kick wide at the other end and Shaun Hutchinson made two goal-saving tackles on McGinn, the second after the Motherwell defence expected a flag following Shaleum Logan’s ball forward.

Hollis then prevented Russell Anderson heading home when he punched clear following a corner and saved Reynolds’ headed follow-up.

Aberdeen were continuing to push Motherwell back and, although McCall made a change in the 72nd minute, it was an enforced one which did not affect their tactics. Jack Leitch replaced Vigurs, who was struggling with a hamstring strain.

The tactical switch came with 14 minutes left as McFadden replaced Stephen McManus and Motherwell pushed the play up, but they were almost caught on the break with only a contentious offside decision stopping Peter Pawlett finishing off Vernon’s through-ball.

A goal continued to look unlikely until the sensational finale, which sealed a second consecutive second-place finish for the visitors.

[tab:As it happened]

Ally Reilly at Pittodrie

Unbelievable scenes here at Pittodrie as ‘Well nick second place with the last kick of the ball!!

WOOOWWW!!!

FT: Aberdeen 0 – 1 Motherwell!!!!

REID MAKES IT 1-0!!!

GGGOOOAAALLLL!!!

Only 1 minute added on

88mins: Just two minutes left and still 0-0.

83mins: Pawlett is a yard onside there but the linesman’s flag goes up! A real let-off as he was through 1v1 #AFCvMFC

76mins: Motherwell sub, McManus off for McFadden #AFCvMFC

75mins: Jack whips in another dangerous ball but thankfully it’s too high for Vernon and it drifts wide #AFCvMFC

70mins: Motherwell sub, Vigurs hobbles off for Leitch. #AFCvMFC

From the corner, a bit of a scramble ensues, but Hollis gathers eventually #AFCvMFC

61mins: Another superb last-ditch tackle from Hutchy, again to deny McGinn #AFCvMFC

58mins: Corner to Aberdeen swung in by Robson, punched clear by Hollis #AFCvMFC

54mins: Superb last-ditch slide tackle from Hutchinson to deny McGinn an easy scoring oppportunity #AFCvMFC

53mins: Reynolds’s header loops just wide of the post from Robson’s inswinging free-kick #AFCvMFC

50mins: Danger averted as Hayes bursts into the box however Reid does enough to put him off and it rolls out for a goal kick #AFCvMFC

47mins: Free-kick to ‘Well right on the edge of the box…Vigurs fires it straight into the wall #AFCvMFC

Lasley and Vigurs get the second half underway. #AFCvMFC

Players back out for the final 45 minutes of the season. Second place still on a tightrope. #AFCvMFC

HT: Aberdeen 0 – 0 Motherwell #AFCvMFC

1 minute added on

41mins: ‘Well get their first shot on target. An Anier snap shot from just inside the box on his left foot. Gives Langfield a test.

40mins: Vigurs booked for a clumsy challenge on Flood. #AFCvMFC

39mins: Decent bit of build-up play from ‘Well but as Anier backheels it to Kerr, Anderson gets in ahead of him to clear. #AFCvMFC

36mins: Bizarrely, Hayes’ deep ball into the box deceives everyone and comes back out off the post :O #AFCvMFC

32mins: Lasley dispossesses Robson on the edge of the box but as it falls to Vigurs, he shoots high and wide #AFCvMFC

30mins: Aberdeen have been on top in the opening half hour. ‘Well struggling to even test Langfield. #AFCvMFC

19mins: Vital interception from Hammell to stop Hayes’ cross to McGinn who was free inside the box #AFCvMFC

17mins: Motherwell sub, Ainsworth off for Anier. Lionel looked to have picked up a knock. #AFCvMFC

16mins: Bit of a defensive mix-up allows Jack some space to cross for Vernon who is inches away from connecting with his head. A let off.

13mins: McManus penalised for a foul on Jack on the edge of the box. Dangerous position…..phew, the wall does it’s job! #AFCvMFC

10mins: Reid gets enough on Pawlett’s 25 yard shot to take the sting out of it. Hollis gathers with ease #AFCvMFC

7mins: Ainsworth is an inch or so offside, otherwise he was clean through on goal! #AFCvMFC

4mins: Hayes drills in a low ball across goal which Hollis does well to get a hand to, to clear the danger #AFCvMFC

Pawlett and McGinn get the game underway! #AFCvMFC

Out come the teams at a packed and noisy Pittodrie….

[tab:Reaction]

Motherwell manager Stuart McCall:

“I’ll be honest, I’ve only seen it once and not from a good angle, and it’s possibly a free-kick but whatever we’ve got today, Sutty’s goal a yard onside in the League Cup would have made a massive difference, the goal Russell Anderson scored in the last kick of the game at Fir Park, when he forearm-smashes it over and takes Leitchy out on the line.

“They say swings and roundabouts, and it evens itself out, and whatever we got here we more than merited it.”

Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes:

“There were a couple of mistakes I feel from the officials that led to it. I think he was right to call the foul back, because he had tried to play on. I’ve no complaints about that.

“It may well seem a small thing, but in the context of what happened, it’s a big thing – there was a considerable distance from where the foul was committed and where it was taken.

“And then there is a foul on Jamie Langfield. I’ve seen it several times and Sutton barges into him and doesn’t get any connection on the ball and takes Jamie Langfield out, and they have scored on the back of it. It’s a decision we feel has cost us the game.

“But I need to say congratulations to Motherwell because over the course of the season they have done well. I don’t want to sound as if it’s sour grapes because I have to recognise the effort from them.”

[tab:Man-of-the-match]

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‘Well boss Stuart McCall hopes all the talk after Sunday’s match with Aberdeen is about matters on the field.

The Steelmen boss feels his side have been a little hard-done by in some of the previous fixtures this campaign, although concedes that in the majority of cases, Aberdeen got what they deserved from the match.

And with second place the reward for the winner of the match, the former Scotland midfielder says he can’t wait for the big game.

“I’ve got two hopes and wishes going into the match,” McCall told the press at ‘Well’s pre-match news conference.

[pullquote]I obviously would dearly like to win the game, but I just hope no one is having to moan or winge about calls from the official[/pullquote]

“We’ve been unlucky enough to be on the end of a few bad calls against the Dons, albeit in two of those matches in the league, they deserved their win and draw respectively; they played well.

“The League Cup still really rankles with me as we should have been awarded a goal after they were reduced to ten men; it might have made a huge difference to the match.

“That all being said, it’s a fascinating fixture and we’re delighted to be involved. We’ll give it our very best and let’s see where it takes us.”

-WATCH STUART’S PRESS CONFERENCE IN FULL ON MFC TV–

Motherwell Football Club is delighted to showcase the new Macron home and away kits for 2014/2015.

It is Motherwell’s first ever season with the Italian sportswear giant and the fourth with principal sponsors Cash Converters.

The club has retained a traditional look to the home kit with a return to claret shorts. The away kit is a return to all white, last seen back in 2010.

In addition, and for the first time ever, adult supporters have the option to purchase ‘Elite Matchday’ jersey which is an exact replica of the body fit jersey which will be worn by the players.

These jerseys contain 8% spandex material which keeps the shirt tight to the body, allowing moisture to be wicked away from the skin, giving the players the very latest in performance technology.

The kits are available to pre-order online now by clicking here. Pre-orders will be taken in store at the ‘Well Shop from this coming Monday (12th May).

The ‘Early Bird’ offer will give those who order before 31st May a discount on the retail price and also the chance to get their kit the day before general sale.

The kits are expected to launch in July 2014.