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Defender Dominic Thompson has signed a short-term deal until the end of the season, having left League One side Blackpool. 

A star of the prestigious Hale End academy, Thompson rose through the youth ranks at the Gunners before signing his first professional contract at Arsenal in June 2018. He soon traded sides of the English capital, signing for then Championship outfit Brentford in 2019. Loan spells at Swindon and Ipswich Town followed before signing permanently for fellow Championship side Blackpool in 2022.

The left-sided defender has already made over 100-appearances across the English footballing pyramid, including two in the Premier League, with the 24-year-old completing the first-half of the 2024/25 campaign on-loan to Forest Green Rovers.

“I’m excited to be here in Scotland,” Thompson said.

“I wanted to continue playing regular first-team football, and the opportunity to join Motherwell and play in the Scottish Premiership was an exciting prospect for myself personally.

“The manager has a real track record of developing players and enhancing their qualities on the pitch, and I felt that Motherwell would be the perfect place for me to develop my game.”

“This is another positive addition,” manager Stuart Kettlewell added.

“Dominic is still a relatively young defender, who has already made a considerable amount of appearances across all levels of the English footballing pyramid.

“He has a quick burst of pace, physically strong, and technically skilled both going forward and when defending. We are looking forward to seeing Dominic in action this season.”

Fir Park will be the venue for the 2025 Sky Sports Cup final. 

Rangers and Hibernian will battle it out to lift the trophy on Saturday 22 March. Kick off is 3pm.

Tickets are available online here. Adult tickets cost £10, with concessions (under 16’s and supporters with a disability). costing £4. There will also be a family ticket available costing £25 for two adults and two children.

The John Hunter Stand will be open for this match, with both sets of supporters having a singing section. Should tickets sell out in this stand, more seats will be made available.

He may have only arrived a couple of weeks ago, but new signing Kai Andrews has played ample minutes and has been learning every week. 

The 18-year-old wasn’t expecting to take part in so many games this early on, but insists that it has been excellent for his development.

Striker Luke Armstrong has completed a loan deal from English League Two side Carlisle United until the end of the season, subject to international clearance. 

Armstrong came through the ranks at Middlesbrough before a short spell within the youth sides at Birmingham City. After being released from the Blues in 2015, Armstrong earned his first taste of Scottish football with Cowdenbeath.

Following a short stint with the Blue Brazil, Armstrong joined Northern Premier League side Blyth Spartans, where he netted 23 goals in 42 appearances at Croft Park. His performances attracted one of his predecessors as he returned to the Riverside Stadium.

Armstrong continued his goalscoring form on loan at Gateshead before stints at Accrington Stanley, Salford City, Hartlepool United, and Harrogate Town. The forward netted 29 times in 103 appearances for the latter before completing a move to Carlisle United in 2024.

The Steelmen overcame a host of competition North and South of the border for the 28-year-old’s signature, with Armstrong choosing Fir Park as his preferred destination.

“I’m really excited to be here,” Armstrong said.

“The manager really sold me on his vision for the club and how I could fit into the system alongside the strikers already in the squad. There were other offers on the table, but I felt this one suited me and could get the best out of me as a player.

“I’m in the prime age of my career, and I felt that the challenge of the Scottish Premiership was one that I simply couldn’t miss out on.”

The forward, who has netted six times throughout his time at Brunton Park so far, had previously been a key transfer target for League One promotion-chasers Wrexham, but paperwork couldn’t be completed before the 2024/25 summer window deadline.

“We’re delighted to have Luke at the club,” Manager Stuart Kettlewell added.

“There have been a lot of clubs competing for Luke’s signature, so to get this over the line, we are extremely pleased.

“Luke is combative, capable of finding pockets of space in the box, and an accurate finisher. We were looking for a player who held these attributes, and Luke perfectly fit the profile.”

Stuart Kettlewell says the team have spent plenty time in the video room following their defeat last weekend against St Johnstone. He says the players have no egos and have accepted that they were not good enough in front of a healthy travelling crowd. 

Offering updates on Liam Gordon and Harry Paton, the manager also speaks about the recent transfer speculation surrounding Lennon Miller, as well as commenting on recent VAR audio released by the SFA.

25-year-old shot-stopper Ellery Balcombe joins the Steelmen on a loan deal from Premier League side Brentford until the end of the season, subject to international clearance. 

A product of ‘the Bees’ academy, Balcombe has risen through the ranks in the English capital, featuring within the first-team squad just three weeks after his 17th birthday.

He made his competitive debut for Brentford in 2023, as the London side defeated Newport County in the EFL Cup, with Balcombe saving two decisive spot-kicks following a 1-1 draw after extra time. He soon signed a four-year extension at the club, with the option of an additional year.

Balcombe has since tested his talents throughout a variety of loan spells at Boreham Wood, Viborg FF, Doncaster Rovers, Burton Albion, Bromley, Crawley Town, Bristol Rovers and latterly St. Mirren.

“I’m delighted to make the move to Motherwell,” Balcombe said.

“One thing I noticed when playing for St Mirren was the competitiveness of the league and the atmosphere at most stadiums. This is a great opportunity for me to come back and do it again.

“I’m looking forward to getting started, and I can’t wait to see you all at Fir Park.”

Internationally, the goalkeeper has contested the fierce competition within the English youth ranks, making 18 appearances across Under-18, 19, and 20 age categories, including selection within the 2018 UEFA U19 European Championships and the 2017/2019 variations of the Toulon tournament. The Watford-born stopper also trained alongside the full England first-team during his U21 call-up.

“I’m really pleased to welcome Ellery to the club,” manager Stuart Kettlewell added.

“We’ve not had our issues to seek with regards to injuries within the goalkeeping department. Ellery has played plenty of football this season in this league, so he won’t need a settling-in period.

“Having watched Ellery on numerous occasions for St. Mirren, you instantly recognise that he is a commanding presence in the box and a leader in the backline. We look forward to seeing him in action at Fir Park.”

The women of steel have secured the signature of highly-rated youth prodigy Mason Clark on a permanent deal from Rangers after a successful initial loan spell. 

The 18-year-old traded royal blue for claret of amber in the summer of 2024 after a productive loan move across the River Clyde at local rivals Hamilton last season. Clark featured 22-times in red and white, scoring five-times at New Douglas Park. The youngster was then awarded Accies’ Player & Young Player of the Year.

“I’m delighted to make the move to Motherwell permanent,” Clark said.

“It’s already been an incredible few months at the club. I feel my game has significantly progressed, and the competition for places in the squad has been a challenge that I’m proud to have taken on.

“I’ve been at Rangers since I was very young, but I felt that this was the right moment to make that step into regular senior football, and I felt that there was no better opportunity than to continue with the club.

The midfielder has already featured 14-times for Motherwell, netting once in a 6-1 victory against Queens Park.

“We’re delighted to have Mason remain at the club,” Head Coach Paul Brownlie added.

“She has came to the club with the correct attitude and the mindset to challenge other players for places, and strengthen the squads ambitions of a top-six finish this season.

“Mason has started to really hit her stride, and we are looking forward to continuing her progression this season.

Signing from Dundee United in the summer of 2023, defender Eve Donald added a wealth of Premier League experience to the Motherwell backline after defying the odds to protect her predecessors top-flight safety in the previous domestic season. 

Despite maintaining an impressive CV throughout her time in the City of Discovery, Donald sought to continue her development at the women of steel whilst then still being at the youthful age of 23. However, a recurring injury rapidly disrupted her progression on the pitch, as Donald featured on only nine-occasions before a serious and unforeseen knee injury ruled the defender out of action for over nine-months.

Donald has continued to quietly work behind the scenes, whilst progressively building up to a return to action,

“It’s been the most frustrating part of my footballing journey,” Donald explained.

“There were small recurring injuries that stalled the start of my time at the club, but I’d started to overcome them and earn a more consistent run in the team. Then, in a single unpredictable moment, I turned sharply on the ball, and it resulted in one of the most challenging injuries a player could ever encounter.

“It became apparent on the pitch that I’d sustained an ACL rupture, which we then confirmed after an MRI scan. This specific injury has been increasingly prominent in the women’s game, and it’s always a concern that you try to keep in the back of your mind, but that day it ultimately became a reality for me.”

A physically and mentally demanding challenge for the now 24-year-old, with Donald acknowledging that the severity of the injury and the expected duration on the sidelines was tough to comprehend.

“It’s been a slow arduous time away from the pitch,” Donald noted.

“I was aware of the time scales attached to ACL injuries. Having witnessed many teammates go through it in the past, I knew how long the process would be.

“I wasn’t able to immediately receive the surgery that I needed, so my recovery time only stagnated as the days and weeks went by. Thankfully, since being able to get the operation, the recovery time has been slightly shorter than what was originally anticipated, which has allowed me to get back training.

“You don’t fully appreciate it until you’re on the sidelines, but having the opportunity to be around your teammates and train is a perfect motivator to continue working behind the scenes and regain my place in the matchday squad.

“I’ve been working tirelessly to get back as soon as possible, and for myself, gradually building up my sharpness and gaining momentum will be the best approach going forward. Once I’m mentally and physically ready to play, I will do my upmost to support the squad whenever I’m called upon.”

With teammates Laura McCartney and Lucy Ronald both recently returning from severe long-term injuries, that collectively amounted to over three seasons on the sidelines, Donald expressed the importance of having those with related experiences to aid the recovery process.

“There’s obviously a lot of concerns and fears of the unknown and the extent of the recovery process,” Donald said.

“Until you’ve been in that position, it’s difficult to understand exactly what the process involves and how to prepare myself for the surgery as well.

“The support from the rest of the squad was pivotal, especially from the players who have been in the same situation, so the reassurance and guidance really helped to alleviate those initial fears and concerns around when I’d get back onto the pitch.

“There is a really good core group of players at the club, and everyone in the dressing room looks out for each other. They’ve been essential throughout this year, and I can’t wait to be back sharing the pitch with them.”