| 7 | Motherwell | 34 | 12 | 6 | 16 | -18 | 42 |
| 8 | Hearts | 34 | 11 | 7 | 16 | -2 | 40 |
| 9 | Kilmarnock | 34 | 10 | 8 | 16 | -18 | 38 |
| 10 | Dundee | 33 | 10 | 7 | 16 | -20 | 37 |
| 11 | Ross County | 34 | 9 | 8 | 17 | -25 | 35 |
| 12 | St Johnstone | 34 | 8 | 5 | 21 | -26 | 29 |
Voting for all the awards up for grabs at our 2025 Player of the Year event are now open.
You can now have your say on who you think is our Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year, the Goal of the Season and the Women’s Player of the Year.
You can cast your votes below.
Player of the Year: VOTE HERE
Young Player of the Year: VOTE HERE
Goal of the Season: VOTE HERE
Women’s Player of the Year: VOTE HERE
Kai Andrews has had to deal with a lot thrown at him in the last three months. Since his arrival on loan from Coventry in January, the 18-year-old has had his fair share of challenges and experiences.
This loan move to Motherwell was for him to go through these moments, however, and as such, the midfielder is pleased with how things have panned out in North Lanarkshire so far.
“It’s been frantic,” Kai Andrews laughed.
“A lot has happened in such a short space of time, but I feel like every challenge that has been thrown my way, I’ve stepped up to it. I’m really enjoying my football.
“With everything that has gone on recently, there is no doubt I’m a more mature man and player as a result. I’m in a first-team environment consistently, playing in the first-team, and getting proper experience of a first-team match day. It’s been a big step up for me from academy football, so you’ve got to mature as it goes.
“I was training with the Coventry first-team players every week. Since I got my first call-up at 16, I’ve trained with them onwards. It’s just that game time and experience I wasn’t getting, so this loan move felt like a necessity for me.”
The loan move has certainly provided Andrews with ample experience of life as a professional player. He’s experienced tough opposition, big crowds and manager alterations.
But all of that will stand him in good stead for the future, and the change from academy football has been noticeable for the Welshman.
“Coming here was all about getting experience and minutes,” he stated.
“There’s only so much you can learn from academy football, so you do need to play men’s games. That’s where I want to go in the future, so just getting a consistent run of games, playing in front of the big crowds and playing better opposition has been a learning curve.
“Physically, I feel like I’ve dealt with it all very well. My body has felt fine throughout the games I’ve played, whether that’s been 90 or 20 minutes. I’ve avoided injuries, which is great. The main thing for me is just keeping up with the speed of the game mentally.
“It’s mature, proper football, which is a lot different from academy football. People’s jobs are at stake here; that’s been my biggest challenge, but I’ve adapted to that well.”
In many respects, Andrews has had to learn the hard way. He made his debut against Kilmarnock back in January, under the previous manager, who had scouted and convinced him to join the club. Not long after that, Michael Wimmer would take the reins, and Andrews would have to impress if he wanted the loan to be a success.
“Recently at Coventry, we had a change of manager,” Andrews explained.
“So, I have experienced this before, but at Coventry, I wasn’t in the team playing, so this was a little different. I guess when I came here, it was because Stuart Kettlewell had already watched me and already had that sense of trust with me. That new change of manager creates a sense of doubt in your head and a bit of worry, but I feel like the new manager has come in and done well.
“I really like the philosophy he is trying to instill, and I enjoy the way he wants to play football. With this change, it’s just another experience I’ve had.
“At the gaffer’s first game against Dundee United, I didn’t come on, so I was a bit frustrated. But I took in the sense that that’s just another motivator and that I needed to push harder. So, during that next training week, I trained even better and got my chance to start against Dundee.
“I think I did well in that game, and it got me a run of starts. My favourite moment so far was winning at Ibrox. It’s got to be!
“The atmosphere on such a big occasion, with the away fans that travelled, was like nothing I’d ever experienced in football. It was the best I’ve felt playing football.”
Andrews received plenty of praise for his brave performance against Rangers that day, as did all the players. Online, Coventry fans were also shouting his praises as they kept an eye on one of their own.
But it’s not just the fans closely monitoring his progress; a number of the staff at Coventry, including manager Frank Lampard, remain in contact constantly.
“There are a lot of staff that keep in contact with me from Coventry,” he added.
“They like to keep tabs on me and are watching closely. I spoke to Frank Lampard recently, who is also watching my games. All of the feedback has been good so far, so I just want to keep impressing while I’m here and then take it back to Coventry in the summer.
“The whole vision is I’ve grown up playing for Coventry; they’re my boyhood club, and I’ve been there since I was 11, so my dream is to be a player there. To go back there and be a first-team player is the goal, but as of right now, my focus is Motherwell. The here and now is so important, and we’ve got a lot of important games before the season is finished.”
But the experiences and challenges faced haven’t all been difficult to handle. In amongst this whirlwind few months, Andrews earned his maiden call-up to the Wales first-team squad in March at just 18 years old.
“Initially, I got the news a week prior to the squad release day saying that I was on standby,” he noted.
“Even then, that was surreal. I didn’t feel like anything would happen, but then I got the call to say I had got a full call-up. I didn’t know what to do or how to handle myself, to be honest.
“I called my mum and told her the news. I pulled up on the side of the road because I was so lost for words. She was crying down the phone to me. Honestly, from then on, my phone went crazy with every family member and all my friends calling me.
“When I arrived at the camp and started to walk through the doors, I saw Craig Bellamy standing there waiting for me. The photographer was also there, so I tried my best to hold my smile in so I could look calm and composed.
“All the players were really welcoming. There were a few players who I had already encountered. Jay Dasilva is at Coventry, and Lewis Koumas I’d played with in the academy. They were especially welcoming and helped me settle in. The rest of the lads were top also. It’s quite a young group overall, and that helped me settle in.”
Although Andrews didn’t receive his first cap during the international window, he has come away from that camp feeling even more positive about his game having worked alongside some of the best in the business.
“The intensity and standard throughout training are a different level,” Andrews said.
“You have to adjust quickly to it; the first day I was just chasing shadows. Being able to train beside those players helps you learn a lot. Not just on the pitch, but off it too. Just watching the way they conduct themselves and carry themselves.
“It shows how they’ve got a career in the game; that’s my aim too. It was a privilege to play alongside players of that calibre. With the camp, it was an opportunity for Bellamy to see me and for me to try and impress.
“Over the course of the camp, he did seem impressed. I had a few conversations with him where he said that I’d handled myself well. I’m hoping that gives me enough to get invited to another camp in the future. Going out there and training with the likes of Brennan Johnson and Dan James, who are massive names in football who have had a career for years at the highest level in football, gives me confidence because I know I can handle myself with them.
“Now, I want to bring that confidence back here and put it out on the pitch. I was eligible to play for Wales, England and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The latter is where my dad is from, and I grew up there from a young age; mind you, I can’t remember much. My heart has always been with Wales, however, especially because that’s from my grandma’s side.
“She’s not with us anymore, but I wanted to make her proud. I’ll keep working hard to do just that.”
Motherwell swiftly return to action midweek, as they travel to the Scottish capital to face Hearts at the Oriam National performance Centre on Wednesday evening.
The women of steel’s long-anticipated return from the international break failed to live up to aspirations, as league leaders Glasgow City restored their place at the top of the SWPL with an assured four-nil victory.
Paul Brownlie’s side head to Edinburgh keen to earn their first points of the top-six campaign.
The Tale of the Tape
Motherwell
The women of steel head to the Oriam National Performance Centre preparing to earn their first victory over the Edinburgh side since defeating Hearts by one-goal to nil in 2022. Motherwell’s last victory over the Jambos in the capital stretches back to 2020, with Lori Gardner, Katie Rice and Chelsie Watson all scoring in a comfortable three-nil victory.
Neither side could find the breakthrough in the last meeting between the pair at K-Park, with goalkeeper Emily Mutch keeping a clean sheet against her former side.
Louisa Boyes and Bailley Collins will both return to the matchday squad after being rested lest weekend.
Hearts
The hosts placed a sizeable dent in their bitter rivals Hibs’ title hopes after defeating the Leith side 2-1 at Meadowbank to earn their second victory from three after comfortably beating Celtic. They remain level on points with the Hoops, as the continue to chase down Rangers in third.
Ticket Information
Adult – £8.
Concession – £3.
*Please note, concession ticket prices apply to those aged under-16 or over-65s.
Kick-off from the Oriam National performance Centre at 19:30, with supporter arrival from 6:30PM.
We have seven players out on loan at present. Here’s how they have got on over the last four weeks.
Matty Connelly and East Kilbride have been very successful since our last loan report. The Lowland League side have picked up three pieces of silverware, completing a magnificent treble.
Winning the Lowland League, the South Challenge Cup and the Lowland League Cup, Connelly now waits for the crucial playoff matches that will determine what league they play in next season. They will face Brora Rangers over two legs.
Connelly played 90 minutes in both cup finals and also played 90 minutes in two of the other three league matches, whilst also playing the last 30 minutes in their most recent match.
Max Ross is now on 21 appearances for Albion Rovers this season. Rovers have moved themselves up to sixth place in the table, overtaking Broxburn thanks to a good run of form. They have won three and drawn one of their last four games.
M. Ross has started in the last eight matches, playing the full 90 in six of those outings. He came off in the first half against Hearts B at the weekend. Rovers will finish the season in sixth place, with Tranent four points ahead of them with only one game to go.
Broomhill have been in action four times since our last report. Brannan McDermott has started and played the full 90 minutes in all four of those games. Broomhill drew one, won one and lost two.
They are joint-bottom of the Lowland League table with one game to go, but only three points separate the bottom three teams in the division.
Olly Whyte has recovered from injury and got straight back into the action. In his first game since returning, he scored in Cowdenbeath’s 5-0 win over Bo’ness United. He played 88 minutes in that match.
He then started in the 3-3 draw with Hearts and again in his most recent outing against Celtic B, where he played the full 90 minutes in a 6-4 defeat.
Cowdenbeath are tenth in the table and are well clear of any danger at the bottom of the table and could still climb one place with one game remaining.
Dylan Wells has made a further four appearances for Edinburgh City in the last month. He has started all four of those matches, where the Citizens have won three and lost one.
They have confirmed a spot in the promotion play-offs, with Michael McIndoe’s side eight points ahead of fifth place. With three games to go, leaders Peterhead are eight points ahead of City, with second-place East Fife four points ahead. Wells and Edinburgh City will be eyeing up second place for a more favourable draw in the playoffs.
L. Ross has made 24 appearances for Annan Athletic this season, starting in three of their last four matches.
The 18-year-old scored his first goal of the season against Kelty Hearts a couple of weeks ago in a 2-1 win for his side. The battle to avoid the relegation play-off spot is well and truly on for Willie Gibson’s side.
They are three points off Inverness and safety with three games remaining. Dumbarton have already been relegated from League One, so the lowest they can finish is ninth.
Bonnyrigg Rose have found life difficult in the last four matches, losing all four and becoming cut adrift at the foot of League Two.
Mark Ferrie has started two of the last four games, appearing a second-half substitute in the other two matches. Rose are now seven points off of Forfar in ninth. With three games to go, the highest Rose can finish is ninth, but that would see them safe with only the bottom club participating in the relegation play-off.
Motherwell, Hearts and St Mirren could all finish in the final top-six spot with the right set of results going into match day 33. With the Jambos visiting Fir Park, it was all set up for a grandstand finish.
In the early stages of the game, both teams look tentative; however, both had chances. Tony Watt and Callum Slattery shot just wide of the mark in the first-half, but neither side could break the deadlock.
With St Mirren beating Ross County, it ruled Motherwell out of the top-six running, but Hearts could still complete the job if they found the back of the net. Lawrence Shankland went close, twice, but on both occasions, didn’t see the net ripple.
The stalemate confirmed bottom-six football for the Steelmen for the third season running, but Michael Wimmer will be pleased by adding a point to the tally, as Motherwell look to steer clear of any drama at the bottom of the table.
Our final five fixtures of the season have now been announced.
We will kick off our post-split schedule with a home match against St Johnstone on Saturday 26 April.
We’ll travel to Dundee on Saturday 3 May, before we travel to Hearts on 10 May.
We then take on Kilmarnock on in our final home match of the season on Wednesday 14 May and we will finish the 2024/25 season at Ross County on Sunday 18 May.
Ticket details for all fixtures will be revealed in due course.
The women of steel’s long-anticipated return to action failed to live up to expectations, as Glasgow City headed back to the top of the Scottish Women’s Premier League following an assured four-nil victory at Petershill Park on Sunday.
Brenna Lovera broke the deadlock shortly before the half-hour mark before quickly adding a second. Katie Lockwood made it three less than a minute later, as City headed into the break with an assured three-goal advantage. Lockwood completed her brace and sealed the three-points for the hosts with the final kick of the ball, leaving Motherwell with much to reflect on ahead of their forthcoming midweek encounter with Hearts.
Amidst a two-game touchline ban, Head Coach Paul Brownlie was confined to the stands of Petershill Park, as Assistant Colin Crichton undertook duties in the Motherwell technical area. The women of steel named a variety of changes to the starting XI, as Louisa Boyes and Bailley Collins were both rested ahead of the forthcoming double-header against Hearts and Celtic next week.
Defender Jenna Penman, Rachel Todd, Katie Rice, Sophie Black, Emily Mutch, and Lucy Ronald were all named amongst the substitutes, with goalkeeper Rebecca Cameron returning between the sticks. Chelsie Watson, Jo Addie, Sienna McGoldrick, Brodie Greenwood, Sarah Gibb, and Lucy Barclay also returned to the starting XI.
Blighted by the persistent hail storm over Glasgow, both sides initially struggled to settle into the game, as they braved the freezing cold elements at Petershill Park, with Lockwood providing the only notable opportunity of the opening 20-minute, drilling an effort low across the face of goal, but Cameron reacted well to parry clear. Lovera soon broke the deadlock with a powerful header from close-range following a whipped corner-kick that fell kindly to the forward at the back post.
Within a minute, Motherwell’s backline was undone twice, as City immediately cruised to a three-goal advantage, as Lovera curled a precise finish into the bottom-right corner. Instantly from the restart, City regained possession, and Lockwood dispatched her first of the afternoon with a strike from within the 18-yard-box.
The fourth and final goal came in the final phase of the game, as Lockwood drifted unmarked into the Motherwell penalty area, and coolly slotted home a tidy finish into the bottom-right corner.
Motherwell will regroup before facing Hearts at the Oriam on Wednesday evening.
Motherwell were held to a 0-0 draw on Saturday against Hearts, confirming the Steelmen’s spot in the bottom six for the final five games of the William Hill Premiership.
Manager Michael Wimmer made two changes to the side that were beaten seven days prior, with Tony Watt and Tawanda Maswanhise coming into the starting 11 in place of Luke Armstrong and Kai Andrews.
The first big chance of the game fell to the visitors just before the 20-minute mark. James Penrice’s deep cross found Sander Kartum unmarked at the back post, but the Hearts man blazed well over the bar.
Callum Slattery watched his low-driven effort just trickle past the post from the edge of the box, with Tony Watt also going close with a volley from the right-hand side of the box.
At the half time mark, the game still had a nervous feel to it. Luke Armstrong and Jair Tavares were introduced to proceedings, with the former getting in behind the Jambos backline to get on the end of a Lennon Miller through-ball, but the Hearts defender recovered in time to block the striker’s effort.
Lawrence Shankland went close twice to breaking the deadlock, with the Scotland international heading on target from a corner in the 84th minute but could only watch it being cleared off the line by Miller. The forward also latched onto a ball over the top of the defence in stoppage time but could only direct his finish wide of the mark.
Also in stoppage time, Dan Casey rose highest from a Motherwell corner, but couldn’t direct the effort on target. After some good work by Will Dickson and Kai Andrews, the Steelmen won a corner at the death but referee Kevin Clancy decided to blow for full-time before they could get the chance to take it.
Wimmer and his men can now prepare for life in the bottom six, with a host of things still to play for.
Motherwell Team: Balcombe, Sparrow, Balmer, O’Donnell, Casey, Thompson, Miller, Halliday, Slattery, Maswanhise, Watt.
Motherwell Subs: Oxborough, Koutroumbis, Wilson, Zdravkovski, Paton, Andrews, Dickson, Armstrong, Tavares.
Michael Wimmer gives his reaction to the goalless draw with Hearts.
The point means Motherwell will miss out on top-six.
Dreams of adorning the famous dark blue strip or proudly wearing the lion rampant on your chest are amongst the most celebrated and cherished moments for any Scottish footballer.
A dream that deservedly became a reality for 24-year-old midfielder Louisa Boyes, who received her first-ever national team selection after being named in the 20-player shortlist for the Scotland under-23 squad.
Boyes joined fellow teammates Eilidh Austin and defender Jenna Penman on the flight to Spain, as the squad prepared to face Denmark and Portugal in a double-header of international friendlies.
“It’s an absolute honour,” Boyes said proudly.
“Being selected by your country is an absolute privilege and one I am certainly not taking for granted. My dream has always been to one day play for Scotland, and having not played at any previous international level, I wasn’t sure if that experience would ever come.
“It’s a really proud moment for my family, who were completely over the moon when I told them the news. Part of my decision to sign for Motherwell in 2023 was because of their strong record in developing young players, and giving them the platform to express themselves at a high level. This season alone, there have been nine of us in the Scotland team across under 17, 19, and 23 age categories.
“It’s really satisfying to see, as I know how hard they all work week to week, and I was absolutely delighted to join them.”
Boyes didn’t have to wait long for her first opportunity, as the versatile midfielder started in Scotland’s second game against Portugal, with Scotland emerging victorious after a penalty shootout following a goalless 90-minutes.
“It was a dream come true,” Boyes said excitedly.
“It was everything I’d imagined it would’ve been. You could instantly feel the standard and the tempo of playing at that level, but I felt I really grew into the game, and the squad were able to achieve a really positive result.
“I’m immensely proud to forever have that moment to look back on, and I’m hopeful that it’ll be the first of many to come in the future.”
The Bellshill-born central midfielder has continued to impress in claret and amber since lifting the 2023-24 Motherwell Women’s player of the year, scoring 12 in 24-appearances, surpassing her previous total of six in eight fewer appearances.
A stalwart of the Motherwell midfield, Boyes has yet to miss a single game this season, featuring on 25-occasions; starting in 24 of those. The number. 19 has played a vital role in Motherwell’s route to the National Stadium, netting in every round of the Scottish Cup against Rossvale, Bonnyrigg Rose and Boroughmuir Thistle, as Paul Brownlie’s side secured their Semi-Final place against Glasgow City later this month.
“It’s been a really strong season both personally and collectively as a team,” Boyes added.
“I set myself targets at the start of the season because I wanted to establish myself as a more consistent goal threat from midfield. After speaking to Paul at the start of the season, my position drifted forward, and I was able to play regularly in a more attacking area of the pitch. To surpass last season’s goal tally before the split had even started was a really proud feeling, especially having worked towards achieving those targets from the start of the season.
“To score and play my part in each round of our Scottish Cup campaign was really special. We’ve really wanted to get back to Hampden since our last Semi-Final in 2023, and we’ve had a perfect route to Hampden – netting 16-goals whilst keeping a clean sheet in all three games.
“For myself personally, having not featured in the previous Semi-Final against Rangers, I’m determined to perform to the highest standard in any game I’m called upon, and hopefully I’ll be able to play my part this time around.”
Motherwell will face their Semi-Final opponents in the SWPL when they return from the international break this weekend, and Boyes is keen for the squad to lay down a marker.
“It’ll be a great test for the full squad,” Boyes summarised.
“We have the capability to compete against the strongest teams in the league, and building up to the Semi-Final by facing these opponents in the country is the perfect preparation.
“We will head to Glasgow full of confidence that we can achieve a result, and hopefully lay down a marker for the Semi-Final at Hampden later this month.”
