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At the helm of an historic top-six campaign, Head Coach Paul Brownlie has already led the women of steel to unprecedented success in claret and amber.

Motherwell will contest the top-six of the Scottish Women’s Premier League table for the first-time in their history, whilst also facing an enticing Scottish Cup Quarter-Final tie against Boroughmuir Thistle, with a place at the National Stadium, Hampden Park at stake.

As an emphatic SWPL title-race reaches its final dramatic chapter, Motherwell will be set to face title-chasers Rangers, Celtic, Glasgow City, Hibernian and Hearts. Despite the financial imbalance of full-time and part-time football, Brownlie insists that his side have earned their top-six place on merit, and will be looking to compete until the end of the season.

“Our season is far from over,” Head Coach Paul Brownlie said.

“We have worked tirelessly to achieve a place in the top-six, but that doesn’t mean we now down tools and look ahead to next season. We have a very motivated and competitive squad, who are capable of competing with the best in the country. We held Hearts to a goalless draw, and had chances to earn three-points, likewise in narrow 1-0 defeats to rangers and Glasgow City.

“The squad have earned the right to compete against the best in the league, and we have to prepare in the correct manner to head into the post-split campaign with the confidence that we can achieve positive results.”

Brownlie’s side confidently restored their competitive edge after a disappointing top-six push of the previous campaign. The women of steel demonstrated a strong resurgence this season, picking up 13-more points with one-game still in-hand, scoring 21-more goals whilst conceding 14-less goals. Motherwell have won almost half of their fixtures this campaign, compared to the six victories pre-split last season, with the squad facing six-less defeats.

“The squad have really understood the style, and manner in which we want to play,” Brownlie added.

“We narrowed the squad size compared to last season which we collectively felt was necessary to uphold the standards without losing quality due to constant rotation. Defensively, we’ve been resolute which has provided the forwards with the platform to play without the unnecessary pressure of having to compensate for cheap goals conceded at the back.

“We’ve recruited well in both windows. Shannon [Leishman] is an experienced addition in the backline alongside Jenna [Penman], who at 21-years-old has experienced a vast array of top-flight football. Despite returning to her parent club, Laura [Berry] really hit the ground running in her second spell, as our top goalscorer. There are so many more that I could individually praise for what they’ve added to the team, but overall I’m extremely pleased with the balance within the matchday squad.

“We have a really good core group of players. Every player, whether young and experiencing their first season in the top-flight or an experienced professional, the full team are all collectively pulling in the same direction.”

The women of steel will conclude the regular season on the road to title-chasers Glasgow City, as Motherwell face an opportunity to test their top-six status, before facing the first of their Championship group fixtures. With four sides locked on 51-points in an exhilarating title-race, Brownlie insists his side are there to compete and disrupt their opponents title hopes.

“We have to take the confidence from the regular season into the post-split campaign,” Brownlie noted.

“The four-team title-race will obviously take centre-stage in the post-split campaign, but we have an opportunity to be as competitive and disruptive to the remaining teams in the top-six. Whilst we are extremely proud to achieve a place in the top-six, we want that position and feeling to be a regular occurrence at the club.

“The only way to continually guarantee your top-six status for the future is by being able to compete with the best teams in the country on a consistent basis, and we are treating our post-split campaign as an opportunity to develop our quality and standards on the pitch.

We are pleased to confirm the date and details for our end-of-season awards dinner which will take place on Saturday 26 April at Dalziel Park Hotel.

A number of awards will be up for grabs on the night, recognising top performers across the first team, women’s team and the academy.

Hosted by Tam Cowan, the night will consist of live entertainment with songs from ‘Voice of the Town’, a three-course meal and the event will kick-off at 7pm with first-team players and coaching staff in attendance.

Individual places are available at £75 per person with tables available in multiples of ten.

To book, please call the events team on 01698 338 011 or you secure your space online.

Michael Wimmer’s first match in charge at Fir Park was a game to remember, with his side recording a 2-1 win over Dundee in the William Hill Premiership.

If ever a match merited the tag of being a six-pointer, a goal in each half from Dan Casey either side of a Simon Murray sealed a deserved victory to open up a seven-point lead over the Dens side in 11th place and hauled the Fir Park side to joint equal with St Mirren.

For his first match at Fir Park, Wimmer made three changes to his starting line-up.

After the narrow defeat at Tannadice, the new Well boss included defender Dom Thompson, midfielder Kai Andrews and Callum Slattery from the start, with Johnny Koutroumbis, Ewan Wilson and Tawanada Maswanhise stepping down to the bench.

Although Luke Armstrong was the lone forward, the five-man midfield with Lennon Miller and Slattery in a forward role immediately had the Dens men contained in their own half.

The German coach was equally committed, and within five minutes, he had called Ellery Balcombe to the touchline and issued new instructions.

Soon after, there were loud appeals for a penalty as Slattery, shielding the ball 16 yards from goal, was bundled to the ground, but neither referee Lloyd Wilson nor VAR thought it was worthy of an award.

After 11 minutes, Miller progressed towards the visitor’s box before his shot was deflected for a corner. Andy Halliday swung the flag kick into the box, where Casey, unmarked, powered his header inside Jon McCracken’s right post for the perfect start.

The Motherwell players looked rejuvenated, allowing Dundee no time on the ball, snapping into tackles and distributing the ball quickly.

Armstrong, free in the box, just failed to get on the end of a swift and decisive move as the Dens defence was opened up.

Another drive from Miller earned another corner, but although Halliday again found Casey’s head, the Well defender could only direct the ball straight at the keeper.

From another Dundee corner, a quick break upfield was started and finished by Stephen O’Donnell, as the fullback watched his shot from 20 yards palmed over the bar by McCracken.

As the team was warmly applauded by Well fans at the interval, the only disappointment was that the side had only one goal to show for its efforts and domination of the first half.

Dens boss Tony Docherty brought on experienced defender Joe Shaughnessy to try and steady the visitor’s defence.

But Well still carved out a couple of openings with Tom Sparrow involved in both.

Firstly, his low ball across the six-yard box just evaded Miller and Armstrong before the Well midfielder dived to meet Thompson’s cross, only to steer his header wide of goal.

The Steelmen then had an anxious wait as Dundee’s claims for a handball in the box required a long check from VAR before the referee allowed play to continue.

As the second half progressed, the Taysiders found their attacking threat, as Well were forced to defend deeper into their own half.

Fresh legs were required, especially in a tiring midfield, and in the 70th minute, Wimmer made a triple substitution, sending on Harry Paton, Davor Zdravkovski and Maswanhise to support Armstrong up front.

After 78 minutes, and just as Moses Ebiye waited to replace Armstrong, Dundee grabbed the equaliser.

A ball over the top sent Oluwaseun Adewumi down the right, and when he slid the ball past the advancing Balcombe, it found Murray sliding into the six-yard box and squeezed the ball over the line.

Motherwell immediately responded, and when O’Donnell’s cross found Ebiye eight yards in front of goal, he might have done better than head the ball into McCraken’s waiting arms.

Six minutes from time, Casey showed the Nigerian forward how to finish.

Paton evaded a couple of challenges to make his way down the left, and when he crossed into the box, Casey met it sweetly with his left foot, thundering the ball low past the keeper.

That set up a tense additional seven minutes, but it wasn’t backs to the wall from the home side as they continued to chase a third goal, with Zdravkovski and Maswanhise coming close.

Motherwell Team: Balcombe, O’Donnell, Gordon, Casey, Thompson, Sparrow, Slattery, Miller, Halliday, Andrews, Armstrong.

Motherwell Subs: Ward, Koutroumbis, Balmer, Zdravkovski, Paton, Wilson, Ebiye, Watt, Maswanhise.

Michael Wimmer gives his thoughts on his first win as Motherwell manager.

Whether captaining the club for six consecutive seasons, leading a Motherwell side onto the Hampden Park turf or guiding the club to their maiden top-six finish, skipper Gill Inglis is no stranger to historic moments in claret and amber. 

Victory over Aberdeen at K-Park was to be the next chapter in the Rutherglen-born full-back’s illustrious career in the Scottish game, as the 34-year-old defender celebrated her sixth year of dedication and commitment to the club, by leading the women of steel to their first top-six finish in the Scottish Women’s Premier League table. An unprecedented achievement for the Lanarkshire side.

“Achieving a top-six finish was an incredible moment,” Inglis said.

“We have targeted the top-six over the previous few years, and have narrowly missed out twice, even by a single-point in 2023. It’s been incredibly frustrating, but at the start of the season, we regrouped and refreshed ourselves as a squad with a clear focus on getting over the line this season.

“We’ve had our highs and lows alongside every squad in the league, but to have led the chase for a top-six finish all season, and to finally get over the line by coming back from 2-1 down made the moment, day and season even sweeter.

A top-six finish looked firmly within grasp, as defender Rachel Todd bulleted home Katie Rice’s whipped delivery to gift the women of steel a one-goal advantage. However, a quickfire double from the Dons left Motherwell stunned at the break.

A red card to former Well midfielder Niamh Noble prompted a swift second-half resurgence, as Bailley Collins prodded home the rebound from the resulting free-kick. Rangers loanee, Eilidh Austin’s first Motherwell goal followed before Louisa Boyes added a fourth, as Paul Brownlie’s side coasted through to confirming their top-six status.

“The manner in which we achieved top-six was an incredible feeling,” Inglis added.

“Results elsewhere would’ve meant we’d have achieved top-six even if we were defeated, but we didn’t care about that on the pitch. We’d worked all year for that moment, and we would’ve been disheartened to fall over the line with a defeat.

“We wanted to get over the line on our own terms, and the resiliency from the squad to pick themselves up at half-time and restore our lead was a proud moment for myself and the full team.

Despite leading the women of steel to several historical accolades over the years, including an appearance in the first Scottish domestic women’s match t0 be played at the National Stadium, Hampden Park – captain Inglis’ insisted that a top-six finish ranks highest.

“A top-six finish in the SWPL is a massive achievement for the players, coaching staff and the club as a whole,” Inglis explained.

“To be part of, and to captain the team that secures the highest league finish in the club’s history and the first appearance in the top-six is one of, if not my proudest achievement at the club. We have worked tirelessly both on and off the pitch to get to this point, and to be considered one of the best teams in the country is the perfect reward.

“The supporters have been with us all season, but they really turned out in their numbers to see us over the line. Full supporter buses travelling from Fir Park to K-Park was a great sight, and something we are immensely appreciative of as a squad. We are incredibly grateful for this effort, and we were pleased to reward that commitment with a strong performance on the pitch.

Despite coasting to the top-six with a nine-point advantage, Inglis insists the season is not yet over, and the post-split campaign will be the perfect opportunity for the squad to test and develop their standards on the pitch.

“Ultimately the season is far from over,” Inglis said.

“We’ve worked hard to get to this point, and we want to take the experience of the top-six in our stride. We are there to compete, and we want to demonstrate the ability and belief we have within the squad.

“We’ve enjoyed and celebrated the moment, but we now turn our attention back to the league and prepare for our final pre-split fixture against Glasgow City. We hope to see you all with us.”

Dom Thompson believes the play style Michael Wimmer is trying to implement at Motherwell suits the players that are in the dressing room.

Thompson think all the players have been given a boost with the new manager’s arrival and wants to start getting points on the board.

Michael Wimmer was pleased with what he saw in his first game against Dundee United, and is very much looking forward to his first match at Fir Park on Wednesday night.

Wimmer wants to see his players perform like he sees them do in training, and also provides an update on a number of players.

After celebrating their long-awaited and record-breaking top-six finish, Motherwell are on the road to Springburn to face Glasgow City in their final pre-split fixture at Petershill Park on Sunday. 

Motherwell confirmed their top-six status, for the first time in the club’s history, after overcoming a 2-1 deficit at the half-time break before coasting to an assured 4-2 victory in East Kilbride.

The women of steel will look to test their top-six pedigree this weekend against title-chasers Glasgow City ahead of a closely-fought 12-game post-split campaign, where they will face title-chasers Celtic, Rangers, Glasgow City, Hibernian and Hearts both home and away.

The Tale of the Tape

Motherwell 

Motherwell completed an exceptional top-six shootout, coasting to an unmatched nine-point advantage over closest-rivals and dethroned top-six rivals Partick Thistle to complete a fiercely contested top-half of the SWPL table. Paul Brownlie’s side will look to frustrate and disrupt their top-six competitors, with four sides locked on 51-points in an exhilarating title-race.

Momentum has remained with the North Lanarkshire side since the start of 2025, earning five-straight victories in all competitions, with Motherwell finding the target 24-times whilst conceding only four during the same time.

Motherwell will look to rectify their spirited defeat to City in September last year, with Emily Whelan netting the only-goal in an impressive and competitive display at K-Park.

Glasgow City

City remain locked on 51-points, with title-chasing rivals Celtic, Rangers and Hibernian all maintaining their impeccable run of form. City have picked up five wins from seven, defeated only by Hibs in the Scottish Capital whilst being held to a four-goal stalemate to defending champions Celtic.

Ticket Information

Adult – £8.

Concession – £3.

Under 11s – FREE TO ENTER.

Our home match against Dundee will be shown live on our pay-per-view streaming service. 

The match will be available for £12.99.

You will be able to purchase online.

Kick off is 7:45pm on Wednesday 26 February.

New Motherwell manager Michael Wimmer will be in charge for his first game at Fir Park on Wednesday 26 February against Dundee in the William Hill Premiership. 

Kick off is 7:45pm.

How to follow the game

• Young Adults tickets would ages 14-17.
• Juveniles would be 13 and under
• Ticket Office open from 11am – the ticket office is open until kick-off with no pay gate facility.

Supporters are able to buy tickets online here or visit the ticket office at Fir Park.

Ticket Office open from 11am – 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.

What else is happening?

• Visit our ticketing platform here
• Sign-in
• Select ‘All Events’ at the top right-hand side of the page and then ‘All Matches’
• Select your seat.
• Add ‘Bring a Friend’ ticket to your basket.
• Complete the checkout process.

Kit Watch

We will be wearing our home kit for this match.

Squad Update

Tony Watt is available for selection. Marvin Kaleta is in contention having returned to training.

Apostolos Stamatelopoulos is training with the team.

Motherwell’s Fortunes

Michael Wimmer’s first game didn’t go fully to plan against Dundee United, but he was able to take a lot of positives from the 1-0 loss.

Johnny Koutroumbis played his first 90 minutes in a Motherwell shirt, offering another option on the right-hand side of the pitch. Sam Nicholson and Shane Blaney are going to be missing for a period of time, but Wimmer will be encouraged to see Kaleta and Stamatelopoulos back on the training pitch ahead of this game.

It’s six defeats in a row for Motherwell, and with four points separating Dundee and the Steelmen, a win on Wednesday night would open up some breathing space to the bottom end of the table.

Opposition Report

Dundee’s last win the Premiership came on the same day as Motherwell’s, the 5th of January. A 3-1 win over St Johnstone has been followed up with two draws and four defeats in the league, with the two draws coming against Celtic and Rangers.

Tony Docherty’s side have beaten city rivals Dundee United in the Scottish Cup, as well as dumping Airdrie out of the competition.

Simon Murray remains the Dee’s top goalscorer on 14 this season, with Rangers-bound Lyall Cameron on ten goals.