| 3 | Rangers | 11 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 22 |
| 4 | Dundee United | 12 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 19 |
| 5 | Motherwell | 11 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 19 |
| 6 | St Mirren | 13 | 4 | 3 | 6 | -5 | 15 |
| 7 | Dundee | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | -6 | 12 |
Celebrate the start of the school summer holidays with our School’s Out event at Fir Park.
Our ‘T in the Fir Park’ themed party returns for a second year and will feature live music from local singer/songwriter Tommy McGuire.
Date: 26th June 2024
Location: Centenary Suite, Fir Park Stadium
Time: Doors open at 13.30
Cost: £20pp includes burger and chips
To book: please phone 01698 338012 or email Amanda McKindless at amanda.mckindless@motherwellfc.co.uk
Now that our 2023/24 cinch Premiership season has reached it’s conclusion, we can provide an update on our playing squad.
An update also on our Under 18 squad.
“It’s never nice to see players leave the club but I want to extend my sincere gratitude to all who are departing,” manager Stuart Kettlewell said.
“Barry Maguire is a product of the academy here and has wore the colours with pride. He has been a credit to work with and I wish him well.
“Blair Spittal has been a standout since I arrived at the club last year. This season has been one of his best in football and he given everything. He has given us some memorable moments this season and has been an integral part of the team. I hope his next move is a successful one and he continues to thrive.
“Calum Butcher has been a top professional and is a real leader here. Particularly last year, he was at the heart of our defence that was a key part of us turning around result. We offered Calum a contract however terms couldn’t be agreed and as a result, he will now move on.
“He is a top-professional, a pleasure to work with and a great guy. I send my best wishes to him for the future.
“Liam Kelly will also be departing this summer, after a tremendous three-and-a-half years at Motherwell. He has been an excellent player to work with, who on top of performing on the pitch, has been a leader behind the scenes.
“He has ensured every player has been welcomed and enjoyed being in the dressing room. He moves on with our best wishes.”
“I’m really happy to get Aston and Paul on board for next season.
“Paul has been one of our most consistent performers since I arrived, and even prior to that. He is a leader and an excellent professional who the young players can learn a lot from.
“Aston has been patient but has provided stiff competition. Neil Alexander and I think very highly of him and look forward to another season of progress.”
The club wishes to thank each player who is leaving for their service and wishes them the very best in their careers.
Davor Zdravkovski has retained his spot in the North Macedonia squad.
In his first season in Scotland, Zdravkovski has caught the eye of his country’s scouts and coaches. He is yet to be capped by his country but will look to do so in the two upcoming friendly matches.
North Macedonia take on Croatia on Monday 3 June before facing Czech Republic on 10 June.
Georgie Gent is your G4 Claims May player of the month.
In his final month at the club, the Blackburn loanee continued to impress.
From left wing-back, the attack minded youngster won a penalty against Livingston at the start of the month, which Theo Bair converted to get us off and running.
He then whipped in an excellent cross for Bair to header home to make sure of the points on the day.
Seven days later in Dingwall, Gent was at it again, this time assisting Paul McGinn from a free kick which got the Steelmen back in front.
Against St Johnstone, his whipped corner would come off the hand of Dan Phillips in the area to win another penalty. He rounded off his time in ML1 perfectly, by assisting Moses Ebiye with his last touch in a Motherwell shirt.
Lennon Miller has been named in the Scotland Under 21 squad for the first time.
Having made the step up from Under 17s to Under 19s earlier this season, Miller’s career continues to be on an upward trajectory as he makes his way into the Under 21 squad.
The 17-year-old has had a wonderful breakthrough season in first-team football and picked up the Young Player of the Year award, as well as being nominated for the SFWA Scottish SPFL Young Player of the Year and the PFA Young Player of the Year award.
Scotland are in friendly action in June. They face Turkey on 3 June before taking on Austria on Friday 7 June.
Bevis Mugabi has been called up for Uganda’s June World Cup Qualifiers.
The defender, who captained the Cranes on his last appearances, will be in action at the Mandela National Stadium against Botswana and table-topping Algeria, who come off the back of a disappointing AFCON 2024 campaign.
Paul Put’s side currently sit joint second in the group, having lost to Guinea and claiming all three points against Somalia.
Chief Executive Brian Caldwell offers a lengthy update on players’ contact, new signings, renovation work and the proposed injection of investment.
Stephen O’Donnell has become a name that most Scottish football fans will know. From clinching European football with Kilmarnock, to representing Scotland at the EUROs, he is a recognisable figure in the Scottish game.
But the success has came with the bad during his 500 professional games and even right back at the very start, the path to professional football was one filled with uncertainty and difficulty.
Stephen O’Donnell’s journey started with Aberdeen, a crucial part of the building blocks for his career. He spent eight years with the Dons and spent a year as a full-time player there.
“That was where I learned most of my trade,” O’Donnell said.
“I missed home a wee bit too much and my performances weren’t great. I moved away at 16, having just finished my standard grades. It’s only when you look back, you realise how much your family sacrificed because a lot of the time, my mum and dad would take me to games.
“But what was my other brother doing?”
It’s taking that time to reflect that has Stephen O’Donnell feeling privileged and fortuitous for the position he found himself in.
“Where I’ve been lucky is my family could always provide, so it bought me time,” O’Donnell explained.
“With time, it allows you to be as calm as possible. So when I was released by Aberdeen, you start to think you might not get to live your dream but when I signed for Celtic, I wasn’t naive.
“At Aberdeen, and at that age, you think you’re going to make it. The only thing guaranteed is what is in front of you. Celtic provided the best facilities and the best coaches to improve, so I knew if I was released there, I would still have a better chance of making it.”
The time would come for O’Donnell to depart Celtic and although he was yet to taste any first team action at this stage, he wasn’t concerned.
“There had been a bit of interest after Celtic,” he detailed.
“I went into Dunfermline, who had just been promoted. I went down to Fleetwood also. But you’re going into these clubs with no experience as a first-team player and it’s difficult.
“Fortunately, I played well in the Youth Cup Final for Celtic and that was where Jackie McNamara noticed me. He believed in me but just needed funds. Back then, he was actually putting a lot of his own money in to try and better things at Partick Thistle. When I got offered a deal, there was no hesitation.”
That was the start of a four year relationship between Partick Thistle and Stephen O’Donnell, where he made his first-team debut and represented the Jags on more than 100 occasions. Adding goals to his game and catching the eye of many, O’Donnell was ready for the next chapter after four years in Glasgow.
“I’d matured so much by this stage, I was 23,” O’Donnell added.
“I wanted to go to England to see if I was good enough and to see how far I could go. I didn’t have many offers that were appealing, so I could go top end of League Two or middle of the road League One.
“I thought top League Two would suit my attributes better so I went to Luton Town.
“My eyes were opened a bit when I went down, just the style of play wasn’t what I was expecting and it didn’t suit me. Nathan Jones came in, who I loved. But after two years, I was more relaxed.
“I knew I’d have options to come back up the road so I tried to be patient. I was in a stable position, was getting married in the summer and was in a good place.
“When I came back up, I went on my honeymoon and Lee McCulloch phoned and asked if I was interested in Kilmarnock. There was about six of us who he signed that weren’t fit- I was one of them.
“On my honeymoon, I lost eight to ten Kilos. I got ‘Bali Belly’, not ideal. So when I got into pre-season, I was in bits. By the time I got up to speed, Steve Clarke had came in as manager.”
Kilmarnock would go on to have a wonderful season under Clarke, where his side would finish third and qualify for Europe. All eyes were on the Ayrshire Killie and with that, comes added opportunity.
“I try to say to young players, the team comes first. To do well individually, you need the team to be successful,” O’Donnell stated.
“Player don’t get great moves after their team has a bang average season, you’re not getting talked about as much. The team always comes first and within that, you can show your quality. That’s what that side was like.”
The recognition would come in the form of winning the player of the month for the league and then the biggest bonus of all would shortly follow after.
“People started to mention Scotland, because we had a lack of right-backs at the time,” O’Donnell explained.
“I had been doing well but didn’t get in the original squad, which wasn’t a drama. Then I got a phone call out the blue for a late call-up to the Peru and Mexico squad.”
O’Donnell would make 26 appearances for Scotland in total, something he keeps close to his heart. But as football operates, the time came once again to move on from Kilmarnock which would bring him to ML1.
“Everything was up in the air,” O’Donnell said.
“I was hoping to go down to England. It was such a tough decision to leave Kilmarnock. Then it went quiet.
“One day, I was golfing and the phone went.
It was Craig Hinchcliffe and he asked if I was interested in Motherwell. It was quite simple for me, I was playing golf in the middle of the day instead of playing football. Of course I was interested.
“I came in and Stephen Robinson really helped me play wing-back, I actually used his knowledge to play for Scotland in that role. I’ve played over 140 games for Motherwell now, some good and some bad.
“The club is close to a lot of my family and I’m proud to play a part in the community. And now to play over 500 times, I’m proud of myself.
“For anyone reading this who is trying to make it in football, don’t get too down when someone says you’re not good enough. Football is opinion. I was told so many times I wasn’t going to make it.
“To play 500 times, most of which have came in the Premiership, 26 caps for Scotland and European appearances, is something that will stay with me for the rest of my life.
“The best moment in my career was my first call up for Scotland, nothing would have came after if it wasn’t for those two games. My favourite Motherwell moment was my debut at Easter Road. I hadn’t played in three months but I just went for it.”
Liam Kelly has been named in the Scotland provisional squad that will travel to Germany this summer and compete in EURO 2024.
Kelly is one of four keepers named in the squad, alongside Angus Gunn, Zander Clark and Craig Gordon.
The Motherwell stopper and skipper hasn’t missed a minute of Premiership action in the last three-and-a-half years.
Kelly made his Scotland debut in October of last year against France.
Scotland have two friendly matches before they travel to Germany.
They take on Gibraltar on Monday 3 June before facing Finland on Friday 7 June. Following the Finland match, this 28-man squad will be cut by to a 26.
They will open EURO 2024 seven days later against hosts Germany on Friday 14 June.
In match day two, they take on Switzerland on Wednesday 19 June before their final group match against Hungary on Sunday 23 June.
It’s time to vote for your G4 Claims May player of the month.
Sam Nicholson, Theo Bair, Blair Spittal and Georgie Gent are all up for nomination.
To vote, head over to the Motherwell Facebook page.
