Inside Motherwell E19 // Farewells and preparing for the Euros
Women
Spartans next in SWPL1
First team
End of 2020/21 squad update
Women
Victory for women at Hearts
First team
Premier Sports Cup draw on 28 May
Archive
Win a signed shirt and ball with Steelmen Selects
Friday 28 May 2021
The season may be at an end, but there’s still ways to win with Steelmen Selects.
Our end-of-season prize draw has a 2020/21 signed shirt and ball on offer to a lucky winner.
To play, just head to steelmenselects.com and sign in to your account. It’s £2 to play.
Entries close on 31 May. You must be aged over 18, and based in the UK, to take part.
Club
Claim your season ticket refund
Thursday 27 May 2021
If you bought a season ticket in 2020/21, we will give you a free season ticket for 2021/22.
But if you need a refund instead, please get in touch to claim yours. The refund deadline is Friday 28 May.
Just email us at tickets@motherwellfc.co.uk with your name and a contact telephone number, and we’ll get back in touch. Alternatively, call us on 01698 333333.
If you email us on Friday and don’t hear back, don’t worry, we will process your refund.
Many fans have also approached us about making a donation to our Community Trust, to support them in their ongoing efforts to support our local people through the pandemic, and beyond.
Furthermore, we have also launched our Well In scheme, inviting you to make a donation towards season tickets for unemployed persons and low-income families in our area.
If you are in a position to make a donation, we would be delighted and grateful.
If you’re taking up our offer of a free season ticket instead, tou don’t need to do anything to claim your ticket. We will automatically activate your account for 2021/22.
We will send out new season ticket cards ahead of the start of the 2021/22 season, so look out for yours in the post. You’ll need this card to gain entry to the stadium.
If you don’t receive yours before the first game of the season, please call us on 01698 333333.
How can I buy a season ticket if I didn’t have one in 2020/21?
It’s easy to do this. Head to tickets.motherwellfc.co.uk and then press ‘season tickets’ from the top menu.
You’ll then be given the option to choose where in the stadium you would like to sit. From there, you can create yourself an account and then buy your season ticket for the 2021/22 campaign. We’ve frozen our prices from the 2020/21 season.
With the departures at Motherwell running into double figures at the end of the 2020/21 season, there’s work to do in the transfer market over the summer.
Having achieved the aim of staying in the Scottish Premiership, manager Graham Alexander can now turn his attentions to overhauling his squad, after a short break to recover.
First team
Connor Shields signs
Thursday 27 May 2021
Connor Shields is our first summer signing ahead of the 2021/22 season.
The in-demand striker joins on a three-year deal, making the step up from Championship side Queen of the South. He will officially move when the transfer window opens in early June.
Shields, 23, netted 11 goals in 26 appearances during a breakout season with the Doonhamers.
“We’re very happy to bring Connor in to start our rebuilding for next season,” manager Graham Alexander said of his new capture.
“He’s had a great year scoring goals in the Championship and we believe he has the potential to do the same in the top flight.
“He’s quick, works incredibly hard and is hungry to prove himself at a higher level.
“He now has that opportunity and we’re really looking forward to working with him.”
Shields started his career with Albion Rovers, breaking into the first team as an 18-year-old before earning a move to Sunderland.
A loan spell with Alloa in 2018/19 came before a switch to the National League with Aldershot Town, before returning to Scotland with Queens last summer.
Women
Motherwell unlucky to lose to Spartans
Wednesday 26 May 2021
Spartans came back from two goals down to overcome Motherwell in the SWPL1.
Jade Gallon and Kaela McDonald-Nguah put Motherwell two goals up at the break. But Spartans came back through a Marshall double and a McAlonie goal to leave with all three points.
Up until 35 minutes, it was a half of very few chances. Motherwell’s best opportunity for an opener came from captain Inglis, who volleyed over the bar after Spartans failed to clear a cross.
The breakthrough would occur a minute later. Hay fed the ball through and Gallon, making a late run from midfield, got on the end of the pass and cooly rounded the keeper to tap into an empty net to give the ‘Well the lead.
Motherwell could have sat back until half-time defending their lead but instead they pushed to increase it.
And they did just that. Pressure on Yates in the Spartans goal forced her into a slack pass that fell to Gardner. She controlled and fed McLintock, who ran at the defence before laying it off for McDonald-Nguah who blasted it into the bottom-left corner.
Spartans came out firing in the second half and on the 52nd minute, Watson was judged to have handled the ball in the area and Spartans had a penalty.
Spartans captain Marshall stepped up and although her initial effort was saved by Pollard, she scored from the rebound.
Seven minutes later, Spartans were level. Marshall got her second of the night as she fired into the top corner to make it all square.
Watson’s brilliant free-kick was stopped from going into the top corner to prevent Motherwell from regaining the lead with the game on a knife edge.
Although Motherwell kept in the game, Spartans stole all three points with just over 10 minutes to go.
A slack pass out from the home defence saw McAlonie through one v one and she finished past Pollard.
Motherwell will rightfully feel hard done by not get anything out of the game but will go into Sunday’s game against Rangers feeling optimistic.
First team
Inside Motherwell E19 // Farewells and preparing for the Euros
Wednesday 26 May 2021
The 2020/21 season drew to a close in May, with a last-day loss to Ross County sealing an eighth-place finish in the Scottish Premiership.
The final-day fixture also meant for a raft of farewells from Fir Park. Those included popular goalkeeper Liam Kelly and club captain Declan Gallagher, but also young talent Allan Campbell.
Having risen through the youth ranks at Motherwell, the 22-year-old departs with 160 games under his belt, and heads off looking to take his career to the next level.
With at least 23 members of the playing squad moving on in the summer, there’s work to do for manager Graham Alexander.
Reflecting on the season and looking ahead to the next campaign, he discussed his plans for 2021/22 and the return of supporters to Fir Park.
Of course, the season isn’t over yet for our two players heading to EURO 2020.
Declan Gallagher and Stephen O’Donnell will meet up with Scotland in late May, ending the nation’s 23-year wait to take part at a major tournament.
But the thrill of representing his country also comes with some personal cost for O’Donnell, who will leave behind his wife, newborn daughter and young son for a minimum of four weeks.
Women
Spartans next in SWPL1
Wednesday 26 May 2021
Motherwell host Spartans in SWPL1 on Wednesday evening.
Spartans have won both encounters between the two sides this season.
A 3-1 win at Ainslie Park last month came after a 2-0 victory back in November.
Form guide
A 1-0 away win at Hearts on Sunday lifted Motherwell up to sixth in the table, leapfrogging Forfar Farmington and increasing the distance between the bottom-of-the-table Jambos.
The victory made it two wins from four for Stewart Hall’s side, having also won 1-0 at Forfar.
First team
End of 2020/21 squad update
Monday 24 May 2021
With the 2020/21 season at an end, we can provide supporters with the following update on players’ contracts.
Leaving the club after 12 years on the books in the academy and then the first team, Allan Campbell will depart at the end of his contract this summer.
The tenacious young midfielder leaves having made 160 appearances before the age of 23, and also becoming one of the most-capped players at Under 21 level for Scotland.
Also departing at the end of their contracts are club captain Declan Gallagher, alongside fellow first-team squad members Aaron Chapman, Sam Foley, Christopher Long, Ross MacIver, Liam Polworth, Harry Robinson, Sherwin Seedorf and Jamie Semple.
Six loan players will officially depart shortly. Jake Hastie, Liam Kelly, Tyler Magloire, Eddie Nolan, Jordan Roberts and Harry Smith will all return to their parent clubs.
Youngsters Findlay Cook, Paul Hale, Yusuf Hussain, Matthew McDonald, Sam Muir, Lewis Robertson and Cammy Williamson will also leave.
We have offered new deals to and/or invited back for pre-season Devante Cole, Dean Cornelius, Charles Dunne and Scott Fox. We will provide updates as soon as possible on their decisions.
“I would like to place on record my thanks to everyone who will leave the club this summer for their contributions and efforts,” Motherwell boss Graham Alexander said. “We wish each of them success in their future endeavours.
“We not only remain in positive discussions with some of our players but also with a number of clubs in relation to one or two players we had on loan, with a view to doing something. But these things take some time.
“The process of rebuilding the squad is well underway.”
The following players will leave at the expiry of their contract:
Allan Campbell
Aaron Chapman
Findlay Cook
Sam Foley
Declan Gallagher
Paul Hale
Yusuf Hussain
Christopher Long
Ross MacIver
Matthew McDonald
Sam Muir
Liam Polworth
Lewis Robertson
Harry Robinson
Sherwin Seedorf
Jamie Semple
Cammy Williamson
The following players’ loan periods will end early next month:
Jake Hastie (Rangers)
Liam Kelly (Queens Park Rangers)
Tyler Magloire (Blackburn Rovers)
Eddie Nolan (Crewe Alexandra)
Jordan Roberts (Heart of Midlothian)
Harry Smith (Northampton Town)
The following players have been offered extended deals or invited to return for pre-season training:
Devante Cole
Dean Cornelius
Charles Dunne
Scott Fox
Women
Victory for women at Hearts
Sunday 23 May 2021
Motherwell edged out a closely-fought encounter against Hearts 1-0 in SWPL1 on Sunday.
Jade Gallon’s penalty was enough to secure all three points in the capital, lifting Motherwell into sixth place in the table.
In the first 25 minutes, both sides struggled to get a foothold in the game. Motherwell had a penalty claim turned down early on, after Pullar had a collision with the goalkeeper.
However, on 37 minutes, Motherwell would be awarded a spot kick.
Gallon was brought down in the penalty area and the referee pointed straight to the spot.
After winning the penalty, Gallon took on the kicking duties and fired her team ahead after slotting home in the bottom-left corner.
Hearts’ best chance of the first half came after a ball was played down the line to put Jenny Smith through one on one with the keeper but she fired wide.
The hosts continued to put pressure on Motherwell in the second half with a range of chances for the Jambos. They would go on to hit the bar from a cutback and had numerous efforts off target.
Despite intense pressure, Motherwell dug deep to hold onto their slender lead and come out with all the points and a clean sheet.
The result sees ‘Well move up into sixth place in the table and go into their next game against Spartans with a huge boost of confidence.
First team
Premier Sports Cup draw on 28 May
Friday 21 May 2021
The draw for the group stage of the 2021/22 Premier Sports Cup will be held on Friday 28 May.
Motherwell will be in the hat ahead of four matches in July, prior to the commencement of the league season.
The draw will take place at 1pm and will be published in full here afterwards.