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The ‘Well Society will host a members meeting this Saturday, 2nd February at 1pm in the Centenary Suite, Fir Park Stadium.

Representatives from the club board will take part in discussions around league reconstruction where you’ll be able to ask them directly about the proposed new format.

Please RSVP to Alison by e-mail at wellsociety@motherwellfc.co.uk to confirm your attendance as numbers may be restricted due to the size of the suite (if it becomes clear that more want to come to the meeting than the suite can accommodate then we will look at other options).

Please ensure you have your membership card available for entry.

International members should also contact Alison (wellsociety@motherwellfc.co.uk) if they wish to send someone on their behalf.

Well Society Board:

Chairman Graham Barnstaple, secretary Tom Feely, board members Brian McCafferty, Sandy Kilpatrick, Derek Watson, Dee Cameron and Colin Macinnes.)

Motherwell Football Club currently has a vacancy for a Recruitment Coordinator within our Elite Academy.

The Recruitment Coordinator will be responsible for overseeing and managing the player recruitment procedures for all Academy age groups to ensure that all talented local players and those form the wider Lanarkshire and West Central Scotland area are brought to the attention of Academy coaching staff.

>> CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE JOB DESCRIPTIO

To apply, please email your application to Leeann Dempster on leeann.dempster@motherwellfc.co.uk. The closing date for applications will be Friday 22nd February.

First published in the Steelmen Matchday Magazine vs Dundee Utd (29th January 2013)

Sunday’s ESPN live match between Aberdeen and Hibernian won’t live long in the memory of anyone, neutral or otherwise.

However, it did bring into sharp focus the need for clubs in the Scottish Premier League to start seriously looking into the use of synthetic grass.

I should clarify that I am not in any way having a go at Aberdeen or their groundstaff. If any club in this league understands and appreciates the difficulty of maintaining a pitch in adverse weather, it is us here at Fir Park.

Pittodrie is certainly not alone; indeed, it is in the majority with only a few surfaces in the SPL still conducive to free-flowing football.

Even our own here at ‘Well has been through the wars in recent weeks and head groundsman Mikey Ellis and his team deserve an acknowledgement for the amount of work put in of late.

It’s a double-edged sword for clubs.

There is significant pressure applied to get games on. Unlike when I was growing up when a call-off was part and parcel of winter football, if a game is postponed now there are statements, investigations and even fines dished out.

On the flip side, as Motherwell found out to their cost two years ago, clubs are also under the microscope from the beaks to maintain the quality and standards of their surface.

The two, I am afraid, do not and cannot go hand-in-hand without the use of additional equipment out with the reach of most clubs in Scotland.

It’s very difficult to maintain a quality surface when you are also being asked to pull out all the stops and battle ‘Mother Nature’ to get games on at all costs.

[pullquote]It’s very difficult to maintain a quality surface when you are also being asked to pull out all the stops and battle ‘Mother Nature’ to get games on at all costs.[/pullquote]

I am sure every groundsman would agree that continued use of ‘Undersoil Heating’ does absolutely nothing positive for a pitch. When it drops as low as minus seven or below and the heating system is cranked up full, then grass has no chance.

Pitches go bare, hard and bobbly and it’s very difficult for a player to get it down and play. The argument of players from the past still turning it on despite poor pitches is a mute one for me; the game has changed. It’s much quicker, the ball is much lighter and as a result the quality of the surface plays a bigger part.

Which is why we have to have 4G pitches (5G is not yet approved by FIFA) in use in our league.

SPL secretary Iain Blair told BBC Scotland’s Brian McLaughlin recently: “We are open to it as a possibility, but we would require a demonstration that it was going to be effective.

“It’s down to the clubs to propose it. We as a league are not promoting artificial surfaces, but there is a facility within our rules for a club to come forward and, subject to various criteria being met, it’s certainly possible that it would be approved.”

In my eyes, the fact that it is used throughout northern Europe in high-profile matches such as the Champions League should be proof enough.

The potential financial benefits are massive. It reduces costs, particularly from a maintenance point of view, and opens up potential new revenue streams from additional usage.

When the club were drawn against Aalesunds FK back in 2010, it was incredible to see just how often they utilised their facilities. It was in complete contrast to the never-ending battle we have here.

There is little evidence playing on a plastic pitches causes injury. There can’t be – it’s so widely used in top-level football and if it were costing teams, they would quickly bin it. They don’t.

So another thought to ponder during all this debate about the future of the game in this country. Fix a problem and generate more revenue. As I said on Twitter on Sunday – it’s a no brainer.

Alan Burrows is on Twitter

‘Well boss Stuart McCall was left frustrated as heavy rain put pay to tonight’s match with Dundee Utd at Fir Park.

The Steelmen were due to take on the managerless Terrors but heavy rain in Lanarkshire over the last 24 hours made the area in front of the East Stand very heavy.

Referee Stephen Finnie called the match off after a lengthy inspection and although McCall completely agreed with the call, he was cursing his luck.

[pullquote]From a football point of view, we were desperate for the goal to go ahead. We’ve not had a match for ten days and won’t have another until Kilmarnock on 9th February; almost three weeks without a game.[/pullquote]

He told MFC TV: “If you think back to last season when we played Dundee United in similar conditions, it was a terrible advert for football.

“The wind is getting up; the forecast is for sixty or seventy miles-per-hour and the pitch is very heavy.

“Having said all that, from a football point of view, we were desperate for the goal to go ahead. We’ve not had a match for ten days and won’t have another until Kilmarnock on 9th February; almost three weeks without a game.

“United have played a lot of football in the last week, are without a manager and have a big Cup game this weekend so you can imagine how keen we were to have it on.

“But these things happen and we just need to get on with it. We will make sure we prepare hard for the next match.”

-WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW ONLY ON MFC TV-

Tonight’s match with Dundee Utd has been postponed due to a small area on the East Stand side which is waterlogged.

The club would like to apologise for any inconvenience the call-off has caused. The game was given every chance to go ahead but the pitch was not deemed playable by referee Stephen Finnie.

Due to a recent deluge of rain, the club has called a precautionary pitch inspection.

An SFA official is due at the ground within the hour.

Motherwell FC are supporting Breathing Space in encouraging fans to take some ‘time out’ to look after their mental wellbeing on Breathing Space Day (Friday 1st February).

The annual awareness raising day aims to encourage Scots to take part in sports and other activities which help to take the focus away from the pressure and stress often associated with everyday life.

The day is also supported by Ricky Ross, lead singer from Deacon Blue and Minister for Public Health Michael Matheson.

Tony McLaren, Breathing Space National Coordinator said: “We are very fortunate that we have the continued support of Motherwell FC and have been working closely with the club throughout the season to raise awareness about Breathing Space and promote good mental wellbeing amongst fans.

“Through matches taking place in the ‘Wellbeing Week’ leading up to Breathing Space Day, other clubs such as St Johnstone, Dundee United and Aberdeen have also been supportive in helping us to raise awareness amongst their fans. It’s great that Scottish Football is ‘onside’ so to speak in terms of helping fans to open up when they’re feeling down.”

Motherwell Manager Stuart McCall said: “January and February can be a difficult time of year in terms of people feeling low. Anything we can do to raise awareness about the free, confidential service Breathing Space offers is great. I’m going to make sure I take my ‘breathing space’ on 1st February.”

‘Well boss Stuart McCall is certain Peter Houston’s departure will not have a negative impact on Dundee Utd tomorrow.

After previously announcing he would leave at the end of the season, the Arabs today announced the manager would leave with immediate effect.

Paul Hegarty and Stevie Campbell will take the side at Fir Park tomorrow and McCall reckons with the experience in the dressing room, it won’t prove much of an advantage to the Fir Parkers.

[pullquote]What Dundee United do have is a strong dressing room with good experienced pros like Daly, Dillon, Rankin and Flood so I don’t think it will affect them that badly.[/pullquote]

He told MFC TV: “I’m not sure what, if any, impact Peter leaving will have to be honest.

“He is an experienced manager and has done well. What Dundee United do have is a strong dressing room with good experienced pros like Daly, Dillon, Rankin and Flood so I don’t think it will affect them that badly.

“The only thing that might play a part is if the new manager to be is up in the stand or in the dressing room, the players might get an edge from that.

“As always though it’s about what we do. It’s going to be a game where you get the job done, in whatever manner you manage that but the three points is a must.”

-WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW ONLY ON MFC TV-