| 3 | Dundee United | 23 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 37 |
| 4 | Aberdeen | 21 | 10 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 34 |
| 5 | Motherwell | 23 | 9 | 4 | 10 | -9 | 31 |
| 6 | Hibernian | 23 | 7 | 8 | 8 | -2 | 29 |
| 7 | St Mirren | 23 | 8 | 3 | 12 | -11 | 27 |
It’s time to vote for your G4 Claims player of the month for July.
Lennon Miller, Aston Oxborough and Liam Gordon are all up for nomination.
To vote, head over to the Motherwell Facebook page.
Motherwell exited the SPFL Trust Trophy at the first hurdle on Tuesday night, losing out on penalties to East Stirlingshire at Fir Park.
With the tie level at 0-0 after 90 minutes, it was the Lowland League side who won the shootout 8-7, with 18 penalties taken.
It didn’t take long for the first chance of the match to arrive. In the opening minute, Mikey Booth dinked a lovely ball over the top for Luca Ross, he squared for Mark Ferrie who scored however the linesman adjudged L.Ross to be offside.
From then on, Motherwell controlled most of the possession. Ferrie went closest next on seven minutes when, on the swivel, he volleyed wide of the mark. In the build up to the chance, L.Ross clashed heads with the East Stirlingshire defender. As a result, he had to come off for treatment and was subsequently substituted ten minutes later for Nathan Lawson.
Lawson, who sprung straight into the action, was involved with Dylan Wells who got in behind the backline and played back to Lawson who seen his shot from the tight angle saved.
Only minutes later, defender Zack Flatman turned defence into attack. He tracked his runner all the way back before playing a flighted ball up the line for Ferrie, he cut the ball back for Booth whose shot flashed wide from the right-edge of the box.
Just 60 seconds later, Wells registered a shot on target after he beat his man on the edge of the box. Exrepont was equal to the effort and it remained goalless.
Skipper Paul McGinn connected well with a corner but his header landed on the roof of the net on 39 minutes.
Four minutes later, East Stirlingshire had their first chance of the night, when Spence picked up the ball 20 yards out and had a go, but his effort was curling away from the goal and Jack McConnell seen the ball wide.
With neither side making any changes at the halfway stage, Motherwell started brightly in the second period. Wells picked up the ball and drove into the box before finding Tom Sparrow who seen his low effort tipped away, Lawson got in on the follow up but was offside.
Three minutes later, East Stirlingshire had their best chance of the match when Ynry Liddell blazed over the bar from a well worked cutback. A let off for the ‘Well.
However, with that scare behind them, Motherwell got back on the front foot. Max Ross chipped a perfect ball over the top of the East Stirlingshire defence to find a sprinting Lawson, who beat the offside trap, but he could only stab the ball marginally past the post.
McGinn went close again on 52 minutes when defender Flatman found himself playing on the wing from the second phase of a corner, he delivered and McGinn could only force the keeper into a save.
Four youngsters were introduced into the action by Richard Foster as they began to settle into the game on the hour mark.
On 70 minutes, some good work from Ferrie on the halfway line seen him get away from his marker, he drove to the byline and squared to Lawson who again, couldn’t find the target.
It was the same combination three minutes later that setup the next chance, but Lawson’s ball across to Booth was intercepted before he could get a shot away.
Another ball in behind caused the visitors problems, this time from Scott Williamson. Ferrie got on the end of it and got a powerful shot away but the keeper was a match. Flatman got on the end of the resulting corner as he was left free at the back post, but his header was guided over the bar.
The chances kept coming for the hosts, with Ross Nelson next to go agonisingly close. He curled one from the edge of the ‘D’, his shot beat the keeper but not the crossbar and the ‘Well were denied once again.
Continuing to knock on the door until the end, Nelson got on the end of a cross into the area, he knocked it down to Lawson who showed perfect technique to side foot the ball towards goal, but it was just wide of the mark. No goals after 90 minutes and the match would be decided on penalties.
Shooting towards the Davie Cooper stand, it was Greig Spence for East Stirlingshire who stepped up first. And it was a horror start as McConnell got a strong hand to the penalty and made the save.
Mikey Booth went next and made no mistake to give his side the early advantage.
Ferrie, M.Ross and Nelson all scored the next three, as did East Stirlingshire meaning at 3-4, Lawson had the first match point. Ecrepont guessed the right way and the shootout continued.
Tomany and Flatman dispatched their efforts having watched their opponents do the same. With the shootout at 6-6, former Motherwell player Sam Campbell’s penalty was beaten away by McConnell and it would be a second match point for Motherwell.
Brannan McDermott stepped up, he went bottom left but so did the keeper and it still wasn’t to be for Motherwell.
Derin Marshall squeezed his penalty past the keeper, with Liddel also scoring just prior.
At 7-7, East Stirlingshire’s Shaun Brown beat the keeper and Williamson knew he had to score. In the cruelest way, he seen his penalty saved and East Stirlingshire confirmed their place in round two of the SPFL Trust Trophy.
Motherwell B: McConnell (GK), McGinn (62), Flatman, M.Ross, Kaleta (62), Sparrow (62), Booth, McDermott, L.Ross (17), Wells (62), Ferrie.
Substitutes: Marshall (62), Gillies, Williamson (62), Arnott, Nelson (62), McAllister, Lawson (17), Tomany (62), McLean.
Richard Foster gives his thoughts on Motherwell B’s exit from the SPFL Trust Trophy.
With the game poised at 0-0 after 90 minutes, the young Motherwell side lost 8-7 on penalties.
Motherwell will get their William Hill Premiership season underway on Saturday 3 August, taking on Ross County at Fir Park.
Kick off is 3pm.
As we kick off the new season, we want to see Fir Park looking as colourful as possible.
That’s why were asking everyone attending to wear claret and amber. It doesn’t have to be a kit, just anything that shows off our colours in the best form!
Season Tickets are valid for the match and are still on sale here which could save over £60 for the season.
| Hunter Stand | O’Donnell, Cooper, McLean Stand | |
| Adults | £24 | £26 |
| Concessions | £19 | £19 |
| Young Adults | £12 | £12 |
| Juniors | £6 | £6 |
Supporters are able to buy tickets online here or visit the ticket office at Fir Park.
Ticket Office open from 9am – the ticket office is open until kick-off with no pay gate facility.
If you are outside the UK, you can watch the game via Motherwell TV.
Should you be in the UK, it will be live commentary only.
Carluke Men’s Shed will be on hand collecting money for a bucket collection.
They are group who work to get men active, together and talking to improve mental health.
Our popular Beer Garden will be open to all from 1pm until kick off entry via the walkway to the right of the Phil O’Donnell Stand.
The Cooper Bar will be open from 12 noon serving food and drink. Come along and have a bite to eat and a drink before the match. The bar will also be open post-match for an hour for those wanting to avoid any traffic.
We will be wearing our home kit for this match.
Callum Slattery, Harry Paton, Johnny Koutroumbis, Sam Nicholson and Ross Callachan remain out for this game.
Tom Sparrow was back on the bench on Sunday against Partick Thistle.
Motherwell secured their progression to the next round of the Premier Sports Cup on Sunday, despite only picking up a point against Partick Thistle.
It meant Stuart Kettlewell’s side finished on nine points in Group G, conceding two goals.
Now the focus turns to league action against Ross County, who the Steelmen have knocked ten goals past in their last two games, conceding only one goal in the process.
County’s last win in North Lanarkshire came back in March 2022, when a Hungbo goal separated the two sides.
The Staggies maintained a perfect record in the group-stage of the Premier Sports Cup. They brushed aside Stranraer, Stirling, Hamilton and Raith Rovers to progress as a seeded team on 12 points.
Former Motherwell man Jordan White has got off to a flyer in the 2024/25 season, recording four goals during the group stage.
Ronan Hale is the new number nine in Dingwall, arriving from Cliftonville this summer, and the forward has hit the ground running. He’s scored three goals in his first two outings for County.
Volvo Construction Equipment are our new official front of shirt sponsor for our women’s team until the end of season 25/26.
The club is delighted to announce a new partnership with Volvo Construction Equipment as front of shirt sponsor for the women’s first team. The globally recognised Volvo logo will feature on the front of the home and away shirts for a minimum of two years.
Volvo Construction Equipment is a global leader in delivering premium construction products and services. The business dates to 1832 and is present in more than 140 countries around the world.
Locally, Volvo Construction Equipment has a manufacturing facility in Motherwell which has been manufacturing construction machinery for over 70 years. The local site employs a highly skilled workforce from welders to engineers who design and manufacture Volvo Rigid Haulers and Rokbak Articulated Haulers.
“We are delighted to be partnering with the club,” Global marketing director, Jacqueline Reid stated.
“As longstanding organisations, we share many similar values and are very proud of our history and experience, which we use to pave the way for future generations and success. At Volvo we are committed to supporting our local community and in building a better world for all.”
“As a company, we are very committed to reaching 35% female employees by 2030. Therefore, the partnership with the women’s team is important for us as we work towards this goal and recognised as an employer of choice for all. I am sure we will share enormous success together and wish the team a fantastic season ahead.”
“We are delighted to be partnering with global brand Volvo Construction Equipment,” Suzanne Reid, commercial director at Motherwell FC added.
“The partnership will play a vital role in supporting the club’s continued growth and development of the women’s team. It is fantastic news to have another positive, high value and high caliber partnership for the future. We thank Volvo and Jacqueline for their support of Motherwell Football Club.”
Apostolos Stamatelopoulos has signed for Motherwell from Newcastle Jets for an undisclosed fee, subject to international clearance and work permit formalities.
The Australian international joins the club on a three-year-deal, with the club holding an option of a fourth year.
“We’ve been looking to bring someone in who is a goalscorer,” manager Stuart Kettlewell said.
“Apostolos has qualities that we’re looking to add to the squad.
“Last season, he performed exceptionally. In the team of the season, the All Stars game and earning his first international cap is all things he got because of his performances.
“It’s a good bit of business for the club.”
Stamatelopoulos signed a scholarship deal with Adelaide United in 2017 and started his time there with a bang. In just his fourth appearance, he netted his first A-League goal to draw his side level against Western Sydney Wanderers in January 2018. Scoring four goals in 19 games, he departed the club after two years.
He then moved to Western United in 2019 where he made 11 appearances.
In 2021, he began his first spell with Newcastle Jets. He continued to find the back of the net in a short amount of minutes, scoring three times in 12 games. At the end of the 2021/22 season, the forward ventured overseas for the first time in his career, playing for Greek Clubs A. E. Rodos and PAS Giannina F.C.
He made 34 appearances between the two sides and returned to the Jets in 2023 where he really began to kick on.
Joining on a two-year deal, he went on to find the back of the net 17 times during the 2023/24 season, earning him a spot in the PFA A-League Team of the Season and in A-League All Stars match against Newcastle United. He continued to impress and scored a brace in the match.
He was rewarded for his excellent season by being named in Graham Arnold’s Australian World Cup Qualifying squad for matches against Bangladesh and Palestine in the summer. Stamatelopoulos received his first cap, coming on as a second-half substitute in the match against Palestine.
With 24 goals in 60 A-League matches, Stamatelopoulos will add a goalscoring threat to the Steelmen’s frontline.
“It’s great to finally say I’m a Motherwell player,” Stamatelopoulos added.
“I was at the game on Sunday and got a real feel for the place. Seeing all the fans together and the boys playing, I just wanted to get out there.
“It’s been a long journey to get here but I can now focus on making an impact. I’m here to score goals, that’s my job. I will do my best to fulfil that.
“The boys have been brilliant and it’s been great meeting all the staff. I can’t wait to see what’s in store ahead.”
From the players, to the fans, we’re showing what the power of this club can achieve.
During the summer, we ran a number of auctions for players’ shirts from the 2023/24 season. Including household names, a grand total of £3000 was raised.
Also, as over 3000 ‘Well fans went to buy their season tickets for the new season, they had the option to donate £2 or £5 to the Motherwell FC Community Trust. As a result, over £4000 has been raised for the Trust which Dawn Middleton, CEO of the MFCCT, explains has went towards helping children participating in this year’s summer football camps getting food and drink.
Not only are children being fed, but they’re getting to meet their heroes. As Middleton explains, a healthy relationship with the football department has seen a rota being produced that sees all the of the first-team squad visit the children taking part and spending time answering their questions and signing their autograph books that have been provided by the Well Society.
It was a day of mixed emotions for the Steelmen as despite progressing to the next round of the Premier Sports Cup, their performance against Partick Thistle left a lot to be desired.
Zach Robinson was unlucky not to find the back of the net in the first half, with Liam Gordon and Dan Casey also going close, but neither side could break the deadlock in 90 minutes and as a result, the game went to penalties with Motherwell’s progression already secured.
Aston Oxborough did his part, saving two stops and almost a third. However, with O’Donnell, Seddon and Wells all missing, the bonus point headed back to Glasgow.
A draw was enough for Motherwell to claim top spot in group G and progress into the last 16 of the Premier Sports Cup.
For the second time in this competition the Fir Park men faced a penalty shoot-out. Thankfully, the group was decided before Thistle converted three penalties to collect the bonus point.
After converting all five against Montrose, ‘Well were less efficient from the spot this time, with only Ebiye hitting the back of the net, while Seddon, O’Donnell and Wells all missed, as Oxborough’s two saves proved pointless.
With the SPL kick-off next up Stuart Kettlewell possibly considered his line-up with the visit of Ross County next Saturday in mind.
While the ‘Well boss still debated on his first choice ‘keeper, Aston Oxborough was back in goal. And Harry Paton’s long term injury allowed Andy Halliday a midfield spot, while up front Filip Stuparevic was paired with Zach Robinson.
After a brief flurry around the home goal Mason McCready made his first routine save gathering a low shot from Lennon Miller.
The best chance of an opening gaol came at the other end.
From four yards Danny MacKay should have side footed Fitzpatrick’s cross beyond Oxborough. He almost made amends minutes later when his pass across the six yard box slid beyond the stretching Brian Graham.
After 27 minutes the Thistle ‘keeper made two superb save to keep the scores level.
A steady build up ended with Robinson collecting the ball at the edge of the box and his curled shot was heading for the top right-hand corner until McCready leapt to palm the ball against his crossbar before taking a thump from Miller as he tried to no home the rebound.
From Halliday’s corner the ‘keeper produced great reflexes this time palming Liam Gordon’s powerful header over the bar.
Just before half-time Aaron Muirhead’s challenge on Robinson at the edge of the box was ignored by referee David Dickenson, amidst loud claims for a penalty, as the half finished with ‘Well unable to find the opening goal.
The ‘Well boss was hoping that a half-time change would help break the deadlock, with Dylan Wells replacing Stuparevic.
First chance of the half came seven minutes later. Stephen O’Donnell’s cut back found Ewan Wilson but on his wrong foot as he blazed the ball wide of target.
A quick break from the visitor’s found MacKay cutting in from the right wing but Oxborough stood big to block the angled shot.
That gave the Firhill men a lift as they started to press towards the ‘Well goal in search of a goal that would take them to the top of the group.
On the hour mark Marvin Kaleta made his debut as Shane Blaney made way.
With 68 minutes played Wilson curled a tempting ball towards the six yard area. But having found its way to the unmarked Robinson his attempt at a diving header failed miserably. That was the striker’s last chance to find the net as Moses Ebiye was given the opportunity to add to his goal tally.
Best chance, though, came at the opposite end. Mackay opened up the home defence and his cut back to Graham eight yards in front of goal begged a finish and put the visitor’s in the driving seat but the Thistle captain scooped the ball over the bar.
With the prospect of penalties looming Kettlewell sent on Mark Ferrie and Steve Seddon.
And the former Oxford United full back made an immediate impact with a run and cross which found Ebiye in front of goal only to see his header pushed away by McCready.
With neither team able to find a winner the game headed for a penalty decider and earning Thistle a bonus point which was not enough to overtake Motherwell at the top of group G.
Stuart Kettlewell gives his thoughts on Motherwell’s draw with Partick Thistle.
The Steelmen lost on penalties but still topped Group G and progressed to the Second Round where they will face Kilmarnock.
