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Thursday 17th June is a big day in the Scottish Football calendar as the SPL announces the fixture list for the 2010-2011 campaign.

On the eve of launch day, the SPL’s official website, scotprem.com spoke to Iain Blair, the SPL’s Company Secretary, and as he explains, it is a crucial task for the SPL, but is one that is not without its challenges.

“Putting together the fixture list has always been a complicated process but in recent years we have tried to do more to explain how it all works.  There are always going to be issues and conflicts – that is one promise I can make! But if people understand the process they will be more likely to accept the outcomes.”

What role do the clubs have in the process?

“We have a group of club representatives who sit on the Fixtures Working Group.  Celtic, Hearts, Hibernian, Kilmarnock and Rangers are all involved in this.  They provide the SPL Board with their recommendations on issues like the start date of the season, how many midweek cards are to be used and what our priorities should be.

“From there, the SPL Board will instruct Neil and me to prepare the detailed fixture list.  So, while the clubs don’t get the chance to review their individual games, they do set our objectives and let us know what the key things are we need to try and avoid.”

Is it true that a Canadian company are involved?

“Yes.  Optimal Planning Solutions are specialists in this territory.  Their software helps create the fixture list for leagues across North America, Europe and Australia and this is the third year we have worked with them.

“They have driven big improvements on how the fixtures are generated by allowing us to incorporate a range of different requests.  They also programme in the level of priorities set by our clubs which the software takes into account when it creates the final fixture list.  I am sure that the guys in Canada will also be looking forward to reading the latest conspiracy theories that will no doubt emerge about this year’s fixtures!”

There was a lot of criticism about the post-split fixtures last year, has this been taken on board?

“The split system does throw up issues and imbalances.  These happen when a club who finished in the top six one year, finishes in the bottom six the next year or vice versa.  But if Celtic, Dundee United, Hearts, Hibernian, Motherwell and Rangers finish in the top six this season then all clubs will play 19 home games and 19 away games. Also, if this happens, clubs in each half of the split will play their opponents twice at home and twice away.

“Most of the games have also been reversed from last season. For example, the first Old Firm derby was at Ibrox last year, so this year it will be at Celtic Park.”

Some clubs felt last year that they had a particularly difficult start to the season.  Have you tried to avoid that?

“We raised this one with the Fixtures Working Group and the Board.  They were clear with their instruction to us that we should not be making value judgements on what we think is an easy game or what is a difficult one.  That is not our job.  So, no, we don’t build that into our system.”

Why can clubs not play at home one week and away the next through the whole season?

“Well for a start that isn’t mathematically possible.  What is possible is that you can try ensure that it happens at certain points of the season, like over the first four games, or the final four games running up to the split.

“There are a few more instances though where clubs will face back to back away games this season.  This is a result of us accommodating some of the other requests from the clubs.  For example, the clubs wanted to ensure a home game on Boxing Day or at the New Year card so that no clubs are away for both fixtures.  As there is a game in between, this means that clubs either face two home games in a row or two away games in a row over that period.  But they will benefit from having one home game on either of the lucrative festive dates.

“We also have a number of requests from clubs or from the police about avoiding games at certain stadiums on specific dates.  Rugby internationals at Murrayfield can clash with Hearts home games for example.

“Also, in terms of the operational side of things, we have to avoid games being played in the same locality in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee on the same day.  Obviously as part of this we need to work with the SFL to co-ordinate things in Dundee.

“As soon as you factor all of these things in it can knock a club out of its home-away-home-away rhythm.

Will Craig Levein have any issues with the fixtures?

“That is a question for Craig but we do try and take the national side into account.  A big issue in the past has been the scheduling of the Old Firm derbies.  Hopefully the guys at the Scottish FA will appreciate that there won’t be an Old Firm derby either before or after any of the international dates next season.

“The Old Firm fans should look forward to another New Year derby though – we reintroduced them last year and this was popular.  In fact all the local derbies will take place on the New Year card.  This has the added benefit of minimising travel around this time of year.”

On the issue of travel, does having Inverness CT in the league throw up any issues?

“Well it is a fact that for most fans, Inverness is a bit further away than Falkirk. It’s an extra few hours up the A9 for the clubs in the central belt but we just have to deal with that.  You need to put it in context though, down south you have Middlesbourgh and Portsmouth in the same division for example.

“We look at which clubs have had long journeys on midweek nights or at Christmas in recent seasons and try to avoid repeating them.  But we can’t have Inverness CT playing away on all those dates, that wouldn’t be fair either.

“We welcome Inverness CT back into the SPL and wish them, and all the rest of the clubs, the best of luck for next season.”

Courtesy of scotprem.com

The Motherwell Supporters Trust is delighted to announce the return of the popular football tournament in early July.

And this time there’s a very special prize for the winners!

The event has become a regular fixture in the trust’s fundraising calendar over the years.  Of greater importance, the event is eagerly awaited by enthusiastic players from all over Lanarkshire. 

No matter what your skill level or the chances of your team winning, it’s an opportunity for Motherwell fans to meet up, enjoy the occasion and contribute directly to a cause that holds the clubs’ best interests at heart.

Preparations for the 2010 event are warming up nicely and it is confirmed that this will take place on the afternoon of Saturday 3rd July.  The tournament returns to Fir Park’s astroturf pitch with an anticipated kick off at 12.30pm. 

Meanwhile, over in the Millennium Suite there will be a showing of the day’s World Cup quarter-final matches on the big screen with some legendary visitors to boot.

Squads of between six and eight players are now invited to enter the competition with the entry fee of just £30 per team.  Teams with two or more Trust members benefit from a further £5 discount. The fee includes changing and shower facilities, professional referees, a buffet at the final whistle and an afternoon of football action.

The winners of the tournament will be presented with the trophy and the opportunity to take on a team of Motherwell legends in the final match of the day.  A chance to lock horns with Brian Martin, Dougie Arnott, Rab McKinnon and Stevie Kirk will be a long lasting memory.

To register your team, email sixes@mstonline.net. The Trust would be delighted to hear from players who don’t have a team but would like to take part in the tournament and they will try to reach an accommodation.

With the players returning for pre-season training in under three week’s time, thoughts are already turning to the 2010/11 campaign.

The club have a range of offers for fans who may wish to upgrade their season ticket but have never been sure how or what’s on offer. One of which is our fantastic, recently renovated, Centenary Suite!

If you had, or currently hold, a Phil O’Donnell Season Ticket, you could upgrade to Centenary membership for an additional £185, and that’s for the whole season! And what do you get for that? Well, Scottish Cup winner and Motherwell legend Dougie Arnott will pour your pint for one.

Fellow legend Stevie Kirk will entertain you with stories from yesteryear as well as give you the team news before anyone else in the ground. Members of the first-team squad, and often, Craig Brown himself, will pop through for a chat to give their thoughts on how things are shaping up.

That’s not all! As well as access to our exclusive pay bar facility both pre and post match, you’ll get treated to some excellent half-time food, a complimentary matchday programme and teamsheet as well as the option to purchase meals for individual games should you want to treat you, or you guests, to the ultimate matchday experience.

If you are interested in upgrading your seat for the upcoming season, give Diane Harvey a phone on 01698 338008 or email commercial@motherwellfc.co.uk to explore your options.

Chief Executive Leeann Dempster sat down with motherwellfc.co.uk for an in-depth chat on the “new order” at Fir Park.

It won’t have gone unnoticed, both amongst the Motherwell support and the wider Scottish football public that the Steelmen have, during this close-season, moved to secure many key players to longer term contracts.

This is a very deliberate and planned process formulated by the Board, in partnership with the management team, to refocus the clubs’ strategy in terms of producing and securing our own young talent.

Dempster, the only female involved in top level Scottish football circles, outlined the direction in which the club now is focused.

“The whole philosophy isn’t new to football or even Motherwell Football Club for that matter,” she said.

“I know that our supporters will always want to see the club active in the transfer market however we need to strike the balance between bringing new players to the club and importantly making sure we have the correct structures in place to bring our own players through and further develop them once they have made that breakthrough. 

“All of which is not without cost however, I am certain, the earlier we make these investments the more likely we will all be in reaping the rewards in the seasons to come.

“Like all clubs we have had to rework our budgets to what is realistically affordable without limiting our aspirations.  That is the unfortunate reality of football and we cannot get away from, or even worse ignore, it.  The downside is that we will have to carry a slightly thinner squad but hopefully it will be a talented squad that will, in the fullness of time produce excellent skills on the field for Motherwell and then move onto bigger things.  We have some excellent young players here who have a fantastic career ahead of them.

“The reality of life now, at this football club, is of organisation and planning. Fans should know that there will not be the same number of new faces as last summer but that’s because we’re in a better position this summer.

“We have also got to balance the long-term aspirations and that means redeploying some of the resources now into keeping some of the younger talent, who may develop into sellable assets and that’s what we’ve done.”

You could say lessons learned then? Motherwell have suffered more than most from the introduction of the Bosman ruling in the mid-1990’s.

It started with Rob McKinnon and Paul Lambert, at the time, and has continued through with the likes of Simo Valakari, Steven Pearson, Steven Hammell, Scott McDonald, Ross McCormack and, latterly, Jim O’Brien all leaving the club for either a knocked down fee as their deal approached its final months, or for nothing at all.

Given every example listed is, or was, an International player of some description, it makes for a great deal of frustration, particularly amongst the fans, and perhaps even more pertinent, a massive amount of lost revenue for the club.

It’s something Dempster was acutely aware of when she took the job and something she, along with the board – both new and old – have attempted to rectify.

She continued, “I don’t think it’s a criticism of the club in the past to say we’ve been burnt, it’s fair comment, but I suppose at the same time that is the reality of the post-Bosman era in football.

“In many respects, if a player decides that he is going to run his contract down then that is what will happen.  It is very much his right and there is nothing a club can do about it, no matter how vigilant it is.

“That’s the nature of the business; it has happened in the past at Motherwell and will, no doubt, happen again in the future.

“However, there is perhaps more continuity now at the club as I am here on a full-time basis.  I can dedicate a lot more time to doing these things than my predecessors have been able to do.

“There is a clear strategy in terms of the future both on and off the field.  I say these things with the full support of everyone on the board at Motherwell Football Club. The new people who have taken their seats on the board (Andrew Wilson and Derek Weir) have brought some fresh thoughts and fresh focus.”

So the plan is clear; support the Youth Development programme to produce more home grown players, aid their development and enjoy their talents whilst here, and sell them on to so called bigger clubs with both Motherwell and the player reaping the benefits.

It seems so simple yet, it’s a concept still not fully supported by top clubs.

A recent Sunday Newspaper ran a feature naming Motherwell as the SPL club most flush with first-team players who had come from their Youth Development programme. Sixteen in all – sixteen players who kicked a ball in anger for the first-team last season that came through the ranks – at some level – in the Youth Development programme.

It’s a massive achievement and one Dempster was quick to acknowledge and praise.

“Part of the reason for our production line of talent is through necessity, let’s be honest,” she admitted.

“But make no mistake, Gordon Young and his team of coaches and scouts have done an absolutely terrific job to not only persuade the talent we have to come here, but to develop them into young men ready for the first-team.

“Without wanting to pick out individuals, Steven Saunders is a classic example. Steven’s signature was fought over between many clubs but we tried to show him a clear progression path and he was given the opportunity and he has been excellent; he’s got a great future ahead of him. If we use him, and others like him, then it’s a model for success. 

“It’s the ultimate selling tool. We can partner that with good facilities which are set to get better. With a move to a new training facilities in the not too distant future a reality, that will help us even more to pick up the cream of the immerging talent in Lanarkshire which is renowned for producing fantastic footballers.

“We’ve also got two brilliant figureheads in Craig Brown and Archie Knox. You only need to look at the camaraderie in the dressing room and indeed the wider club at large which they have both been responsible for. I am really positive about our future.”

With Fathers day just over a week away, what better present for the Motherwell supporting dad in your life than a Cooper Brick?

This June 20th, honouring fathers and celebrating fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society will be the order of the day.

For a nominal sum, you can purchase a brick fascia with your own personal message; his name, motto or date of birth, commemorate an anniversary or perhaps celebrate the life of a late loved dad?

Each new brick is added to our ever growing wall which is situated at the turnstile entrances of the Davie Cooper Stand. It’s the perfect way to make your mark at Fir Park and show your, or your dads, unswerving loyalty to Motherwell.

Cement your name in Fir Park history by contracting the club now. Cooper Wall Bricks cost only £30, so call our commercial team on 01698 333 333 or email buyabrick@motherwellfc.

Motherwell have today signed Anorthosis Famagusta’s Cypriot U21 International defender Angelis Charalambous.

Charalambous, 21, was on trial for a lengthy period following the youth team’s training camp on the Island back in January when the defender made an impression as the two teams met.

The talented defender has signed a one-year deal with the option for a second year should things work out.

Head of Youth Development, Gordon Young, who has been in Larnaca since Sunday, spoke exclusively to motherwellfc.co.uk giving some background as to how the deal came about; “We played Anorthosis whilst over in Cyprus with the Leonardo DaVinci programme last January and that’s where we first spotted Angelis.

“As part of the programme, we’ve seen and played all the clubs in Cyprus but this year, we made great contacts with Anorthosis Famagusta. They are a Champions League club, the Rangers and Celtic of Cyprus if you like.

“We played their Reserves and, whilst in discussions with Craig Brown, had identified the need for a right back as that was a problem area in the first-team and we didn’t have a natural successor in the youth ranks.

“During that game, I really liked the looked of the centre half, Angelis Charalambous, as a result, after some meetings, discussions and training sessions, I asked them if he could play right back and was told he was comfortable all across the back four and even in midfield.

“We then suggested that, when we played Omonoia Nicosia later that week, Angelis should play as a trialist for Motherwell which he duly did. He played right-back and played very well. So I spoke to Craig and we agreed to bring him over on trial for a short spell.

“He played against St Johnstone Reserves, Hearts Reserves and Airdrie and did well enough for Craig and Archie to agree that he was a player who had something we could develop. He’s not the finished article, he may take some time before being considered for the first-team but he has a one year contract with the option of an extension.

“But, as a regular Cypriot U21 International, with versatility, he has something. We’ve taken a chance and he’s taken a chance but he’s a young man who is intelligent, has a great work-ethic, has a great attitude and has adapted very well to the culture and lifestyle, although he keeps asking me how cold it is going to be.”

Motherwell FC are delighted to confirm that Tom Hateley has put pen-to-paper on a new three-year contract at Fir Park.

Hateley, signed after a successful trial last summer, had an outstanding first season at Fir Park and was rightly named Young Player of the Year by both the club and the supporters.

The Monte-Carlo born midfielder, son of former England ace Mark, came through the youth system at Reading but got his first taste of competitive football with Basingstoke.

However, it wasn’t until Jim Gannon brought him north of the border last August that he really started to turn it on. A memorable goal against Rangers was one of the highlights of the season and his free-kick against Hibs kick-started an amazing comeback in the 6-6 game last May.

His contract expired little over a week ago but after frantic negotiations, the 20-year-old has agreed to extend his stay till the summer of 2013.

A delighted Craig Brown told motherwellfc.co.uk, “It’s fantastic that we have Tom tied down to a long-term contract.

“He is a smashing midfield player but we are lucky that he has been able to fill in a number of positions for us and done very well indeed.

“Given our budget, it would’ve been a bit of a headache trying to replace a guy of his ability, so this is excellent news. We will, however, continue to target players with the view of brining them in. We still need to add faces and both Archie Knox and myself have been, and will be, extremely busy doing that.”

Former Airdrie goalkeeper Lee Hollis has agreed to join Motherwell on a one-year contract, becoming the first signing of the summer.

Hollis, 24, came through the youth ranks at New Broomfield before making his senior debut, aged just 18, against Queen of the South at Palmerston Park.

Despite his young age, he has gone on to play a further 30 times for the Diamonds but was released, along with the rest of the Airdrie squad, at the end of last season.

“I am really looking forward to joining up with Motherwell; it’s a massive opportunity for me,” Hollis told motherwellfc.co.uk.

“Last season ended in massive disappointment but I really can’t wait to get going and hopefully it will be a successful partnership.

“I have known Stewart Kerr for quite some time having worked with him for a year at Airdrie so it’ll be great to see a familiar face when training starts at the end of this month.

“He’s been keeping me up-to-date in the last few months so I am very grateful to him for giving me this chance and I relish the opportunity to work with him again.”

Motherwell boss Craig Brown was pleased with his capture but admitted it may not be the only goalkeeper signing of the summer.

“Both Stewart Kerr and I have been scouring the leagues in Scotland and Lee is someone who is highly rated.

“At this moment we have two goalkeepers; Michael Fraser and Lee Hollis. Michael has had some offers from abroad which he is considering and should he decide to move on, then we’ll obviously have to go and get another goalkeeper.

“John Ruddy has returned to his parent club, Everton, after an outstanding season. We have to wait and see what Everton are going to do but if he becomes available we would absolutely be interested in bringing him back here again on loan.”

The pitch at Fir Park looked splendid this afternoon after the Groundsman and his team finished the first week of cutting.

The surface was cut for the first time on Tuesday – ten days after the grass first started to shoot through – and again this afternoon and it almost looks fit for a game already.

However, with the first European game scheduled for just under six weeks, the work continues apace both on the pitch and in and around the ground.

“Things have been going really well and after the first cuts this week, the grass is really starting to thicken out,” said Ian Wilson, Motherwell’s Head Groundsman.

“We cut it for the first time this week and we’ll step that up next week, giving it a cut each and every day. The following week we’ll give it another feed and that should really start it on its way to being ready for mid-July.

“We’ve also had another visit from STRI this week and they too are delighted with the progress that has been made. We are very much on schedule!”

Scotland U19 star Robert McHugh is the latest young talent to commit his long term future to the club by signing a contract extension till the summer of 2013.

McHugh broke into the Motherwell first-team two years ago, making his debut as a fresh-faced 16-year-old as a 76th minute substitute in the final game of the season against Hibs at Easter Road.

Now 18, McHugh has played a further 17 times, netting his debut goal against Flamurtari in the Europa League second qualifying round last July before grabbing his first domestic strike against Inverness in the League Cup two months later.

McHugh is the latest in a long line of talented youngsters who have committed their future to Fir Park; Jamie Murphy, Ross Forbes, Shaun Hutchinson, Jonathan Page, Steven Saunders, Peter Innes, Gary Smith, Jordan Halsman, Dario Quinn and Steven Lawless all having signing contract extensions in the last nine months.

Speaking exclusively to motherwellfc.co.uk, McHugh said, “I’m delighted to have signed the contract which gives me that little bit more security.

“Last season was reasonable for me – it was great to get my first goal and my first start and I want to try and build on that. There’s a lot of talent at Motherwell and it’s difficult to hold down a place but that’s my aim in the coming season.

“We’ve got a whole load of younger players who have committed their future to the club. This is a club with the philosophy that if you’re good enough, you’re old enough. For a younger player like me, there’s no better place to be.”