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Following the departure of long-serving Assistant Coach Leanne Crichton, Head Coach Paul Brownlie moved swiftly to reshape his background staff, appointing First-team coach Colin Crichton to the vacant assistant position of Motherwell Football Club.

The experienced Scottish coach has worked within the coaching ranks at the women of steel for over two years, specialising as a set-piece coach, but will now permanently oversee duties as No.2 in the Motherwell dugout.

A former semi-professional footballer, Crichton maintained an impressive and dedicated 11-season stint at Shettleston Juniors, whilst also showcasing his ability throughout a stint at Newlandsfield Park for Pollok FC.

“It can sound cliche, but working within football has always been my passion and ambition,” Crichton explained.

“Like most working within the game, my motivation to pursue a career in football came from a young age, but unlike most; becoming a coach was always my intention.

“I loved my time as a player, it has always driven my love for the game, but coaching is where I’ve truly found my passion.”

Crichton started his coaching career working across youth and community football before taking his talents across the pond to the United States. Crichton spent several years working stateside operating across both male and female programmes before returning to Scotland, as Head of Football at Glasgow United Football Club.

He soon caught the attention of Head Coach Paul Brownlie, who appointed Crichton as a first-team coach in 2022, with a clear focus of becoming a set-piece specialist for the women of steel. An impressive contribution from the sidelines saw Motherwell pick up valuable points, most notably in the Granite city, as Chelsie Watson bulleted home a header from a corner in the final seconds of the game to overcome Aberdeen at Balmoral Stadium.

“I was absolutely delighted to join the coaching staff at the club,” Crichton added.

“Paul discussed his short-term and long-term vision for the club. There was a clear aspiration to push the club towards becoming an established top-six side in the Scottish Women’s Premier League, and I just knew I wanted to be a part of that journey.

“It felt like the perfect next step in my own development as a coach. The opportunity to work alongside such an experienced team has not only been valuable for my own progression, but the playing squad have really benefitted and developed from the talented collective team of coaching staff around them.”

The departure of long-serving assistant coach, Leanne Crichton left an important vacancy at the core of the Motherwell coaching staff, and Brownlie moved swiftly to promote Crichton alongside him in the Motherwell dugout.

“I was absolutely delighted to be given this opportunity,” Crichton said.

“It was an easy decision to make. Working directly alongside an experienced head, with coaching experience across a variety of levels, within both club and international environments was an opportunity I simply couldn’t turn down.

“This is a club with a really strong relationship within the dressing room and a club culture that everybody collectively buys into. We all want to progress the club forward, and I can’t wait to get started in trying to make that a reality and hopefully forging a successful time at Motherwell.”

The women of steel currently sit sixth in the SWPL table, one-point ahead of nearest rivals Partick thistle after defeating Aberdeen by six-goals in the re-arranged league encounter on Wednesday evening at Balmoral Stadium. Motherwell overcame Queens Park, Dundee United and local rivals Hamilton to pick up four victories from their last six matches, only suffering defeat to title-chasers Rangers and defending champions Celtic. Motherwell face an important run of fixtures, hosting Rangers in the Quarter-Final of the Sky Sports Cup before a crucial away test against Partick Thistle in the coming weeks.

“The next few weeks will be crucial to our season, as we begin to head into the new year,” Crichton outlined.

“Our Quarter-Final test with Rangers is one we are all looking forward to. Facing a full-time professional team is always a challenge, but we fought valiantly in our recent league game, and were unfortunate to leave Broadwood empty-handed.

“Likewise, we are all motivated to right the wrongs of our defeat to Thistle earlier in the season. The manner we were defeated at Fir Park is something the squad are all keen to reverse when we travel to Springburn in a fortnights time. We have to take each game as it comes, but we are all motivated to head into the new year on a high.

First-team coach Colin Crichton has been promoted to fill the vacant Assistant Coach position.

The experienced Scottish coach has worked within the coaching ranks at the women of steel for over two years, specialising as a set-piece coach. Following the departure of Leanne Crichton, Colin will now permanently oversee duties as No.2 in the Motherwell dugout.

“I’m absolutely delighted,” Crichton emphasised.

“I’ve been working at the club for a couple years now, and felt that this was the next step in my coaching career.

“It’s an honour to take on this position at the club, and I can’t wait to get started.”

“I’m delighted to have Colin alongside me in the dugout,” Head Coach Paul Brownlie added.

“His insight has been valuable over the past two seasons and his attention to detail has really supported our progression on the pitch.

“This is an excellent appointment for the club.”

Motherwell FC and The Well Society officially opened the club’s Memorial Garden, after months of hard work by volunteers and the assistance of local businesses.

Nestling in the shadow of Fir Park, the garden will provide a quiet space for reflection and an area for Well fans to remember loved ones. Fans also have the option to inter ashes and hold short services to mark a loved one’s passing.

Work began in 2023 to transform the previously named “Reading Garden”, after The Well Society were contacted by a relative of a Well fan whose ashes were scattered there. She asked that some attention be given to the garden, which had become overgrown.

Thanks to a grant from North Lanarkshire Council’s RecoverNL fund, and support from local building and gardening suppliers, the garden has bloomed from an untidy scrap of land to a well-defined and restful Memorial Garden of which Motherwell fans can be rightly proud.

“Football provides so many memorable moments, often in the company of family and friends,” Well Society development manager Sally Hall said.

“When they’ve passed it’s nice to remember the good times, and we’re are proud to be able to restore this space so fans can do just that.

“We are indebted not only to NLC, local businesses and the ground staff here at the club, but to a large number of Well Society members who gave up their time to help. Special mention must go to Jim Wright and John Lowry for their time, advice and building expertise and to Tom, John and Billy from Carluke Men’s Shed, who were also integral to the project.”

“We know how much the club means to our fans,” chief executive Brian Caldwell said.

“This combined effort ensures we can provide our community with a space where they can feel connected to the club and to their loved ones. It has been great to see so many people work together to deliver the project and the creation of what is now a fitting Memorial Garden for our local community.”

“It is wonderful to see the memorial garden at Fir Park revitalised using the RecoverNL grant and for it to become a peaceful community space where people can spend time for remembrance and reflection,” Provost Kenneth Duffy added.

“The club is truly a part of the local community and this is a meaningful way of connecting people to their loved ones, the club and their community.”

Provost Duffy cut the ribbon to officially open the Memorial Garden. The club are planning a re-dedication event for families next spring when the garden will be in full bloom. Anyone whose loved one’s ashes are scattered at Fir Park should get in touch: well.society@motherwellfc.co.uk. Details on funerals and remembrance services can be found here.

As well as NLC and The Well Society, support was received from Thornbridge Timber, Origin Amenity Solutions, JW Grant, Paterson’s Memorials, Avia Signs and Rosebank Garden Centre.

Midfielder Tom Sparrow has enjoyed getting more minutes on the pitch recently, and is looking forward to getting back to the action this weekend against St Johnstone. 

The former Stoke City player believes Lennon Miller to be a ground individual, and Sparrow says the group are raring to impress the home crowd on Saturday.

Tawanda Maswanhise has earned his place in the Zimbabwe squad. 

The Warriors will round off their Africa Cup of Nation qualifying campaign. With two good results last month, their qualification fate is in their own hands.

They are on eight points and currently in second place in Group J. They will take on third placed Kenya first on Friday 15 November, before playing already qualified Cameroon on Tuesday 19 November.

Zimbabwe go into this round of games knowing a point against Kenya would be enough to qualify.

• Zimbabwe v Kenya 
• Friday 15 November 
• 4pm Kick Off 
• Orlando Stadium, South Africa 

• Cameroon v Zimbabwe 
• Tuesday 19 November 
• 1pm Kick Off 
• Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Cameroon

Manager Stuart Kettlewell is looking for his side to avoid any signs of a Hampden hangover going into this weekend’s match against St Johnstone in the William Hill Premiership.

The Motherwell boss discusses Lennon Miller, and him becoming the club’s youngest ever captain last weekend against Rangers. Kettlewell provides a fitness update on Stephen O’Donnell and also discusses Andy Halliday’s reaction to scoring against his former side last weekend.

Motherwell leapfrogged Partick Thistle into the final top-six place in the ScottishPower Women’s Premier League table with a commanding 6-0 victory over Aberdeen at Balmoral Stadium. 

Sophie Black broke the deadlock minutes into the second-half with her first Motherwell goal, before a composed Laura Berry penalty kick doubled the women of steel’s advantage seconds later. A quickfire Louisa Boyes double had the visitors firmly in the ascendancy, as the full-time whistle approached, whilst Boyes completed her hat-trick in the final moments alongside a late Sienna McGoldrick strike.

Head Coach Paul Brownlie made three changes to the side that lost to defending champions Celtic last weekend. Rachel Todd, Sophie Black, and Mason Clark all returned to the starting XI, whilst Chelsie Watson, Katie Rice, and Sarah Gibb settled for a place on the bench.

The first-half certainly proved to be an uninspiring occasion for the neutral, with neither side settling into the game, and a lack of goalscoring opportunities hindering both sides throughout.

The earliest opportunity fell to Bailley Collins shortly before the half-time break, with the versatile defender threatening the Dons goal with a drilled effort from distance, but Collins failed to trouble Aberdeen stopper Megan Sidey. Refreshed and rejuvenated following the half-time break, Motherwell came out of the traps flying, and soon took full control of the game.

Striker Laura Berry coasted through the Aberdeen backline across the right-flank before driving into the box and teeing up fellow Rangers-loanne Sophie Black, who coolly dispatched a side-footed finish into the bottom-right corner.

Less than two-minutes later, Motherwell had their second. Skipper Gill Inglis worked her way into the Dons penalty area before being hauled down under a late challenge, leaving the referee no alternative, but to award a Motherwell spot-kick. Berry stepped up and drilled a low-strike into the bottom-left corner.

Boyes’ added a third shortly after the hour-mark, latching onto the ball at the edge of the penalty area before shifting the ball onto her stronger right-foot, and the midfielder curled a magnificent finish into the top-right corner. Boyes’ second and Motherwell’s fourth followed soon after, with the 2023/24 player of the year converting Black’s floated delivery across the face of goal.

The midfielder soon turned provider, teeing up Celtic loanee Sienna McGoldrick, who fired a low-finish through the legs of Sidey to put the women of steel five ahead.

Boyes’ secured her hat-trick in the final few minutes of the game, as Katie Rice skilfully outmuscled her opponent before firing a low delivery across the face of goal, and Boyes’ reacted quickest to prod home from close-range to round off a perfect evening in Aberdeen.

Paul Brownlie’s side comfortably swept aside hosts Aberdeen in a convincing display at Balmoral Stadium on Wednesday evening.

The women of steel leapfrogged Partick Thistle into the final top-six place in the ScottishPower Women’s Premier League table after racking up six second-half goals to complete a commanding performance in the Granite City.

“I’m absolutely delighted with the second-half response from the players,” Head Coach Paul Brownlie said.

“First-half, we struggled to implement our gameplan and set the standards we know we are capable of. We addressed the performance at half-time, with the players taking accountability for the disappointing first-half display, but their response was absolutely magnificent.

“We looked sharper, more direct going forward, and almost immediately had us firmly in the ascendency.”

Sophie Black marked her first competitive start for the club with a composed finish to earn her first goal in claret and amber. Laura Berry drilled home a second from the penalty spot moments later, with a Louisa boyes hat-trick and a late strike from Sienna McGoldrick completing an exceptional second-half display.

“I’m absolutely delighted for both Sophie and Sienna after getting off the mark at the club tonight” Brownlie added.

“They’ve both worked tirelessly since joining the club, and the strikes tonight epitomised the effort and dedication they have both shown behind the scenes.

“We have worked closely with Louisa throughout the campaign about getting herself into attacking areas, as she possesses the quality in the final-third to not only create, but convert goalscoring opportunities when they fall to her. Tonight’s performance and hat-trick is the perfect reward, and the perfect reflection of what Louisa is capable of producing.”

The women of steel confidently move back into the top-six, picking up their third victory from their last five SWPL encounters. Brownlie’s side have netted 16-times throughout that time, suffering only two defeats to both Celtic and Rangers.

“We are on an excellent run, but we have to continue to maintain our standards,” Brownlie said.

“We head into a tough Sky Sports cup Quarter-Final match with Rangers before a crucial test with Partick Thistle the following weekend in the league. If we can perform at the levels we showed tonight, then we are capable of achieving some excellent results to continue our run of form.

“Tonight’s result is hopefully a sign of things to come.”

Our William Hill Premiership match against Aberdeen will now kick off at 2.30 pm on Sunday 5 January. 

The match will be shown live on Premier Sports at Fir Park.

It’s time to vote for your G4 Claims player of the month for October. 

Lennon Miller, Aston Oxborough, Ewan Wilson and Kofi Balmer are all up for nomination.

To vote, head over to the Motherwell Facebook page.

Games in October

• Hibernian 1-2 Motherwell
• Motherwell 0-1 Dundee
• Motherwell 0-3 Celtic
• Motherwell 2-1 Dundee United