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David Clarkson is returning to Motherwell Football Club as the new head of the intermediate academy.

The 32-year-old is retiring as a professional footballer to take up the role, having left St Mirren earlier in January.

Clarkson will report to Stevie Hammell, who took up the post of academy director after the departure of Scott Leitch.

“I’m really excited,” he said on his return. “I’ve been coaching for the last two years now in the academy with the under 15s.

“It’s good now to take that wee step up and oversee the 13s to 16s, and work with Stevie Hammell.

[pullquote]I hope to pass on experiences I’ve had coming through as a young kid, and playing at Motherwell as well.”[/pullquote]

Clarkson started his football career at Motherwell, breaking into the first team in December 2002. After three substitute appearances, he scored within nine minutes of his first start against Partick Thistle in January 2003.

After seven years with the club, he moved on to Bristol City, playing with them for three years before a switch to city rivals Bristol Rovers.

He returned north in 2014 with Dundee, hitting the headlines after scoring eight goals in eight games. A short spell back at Motherwell followed, before his move to St Mirren.

Clarkson also scored on his Scotland debut while he was a Motherwell player in 2008, netting in the away friendly against Czech Republic.

“It’s great to have David back at the club,” said academy director Hammell.

“When the position became available, it was an easy decision to make, especially given his experience with the academy so far.”

Are you a male and aged between 35 and 65 years old? Is your waist size at least 38 inches? Do you want to lose weight, have a healthier lifestyle and ultimately be fitter?

Our 13-week Football Fans In Training programme can help you do this for free. You’ll get a behind the scenes look at your club, be trained by selected club coaches, have a nosy at the trophy cabinet and have the chance to talk tactics in the dressing room. Who knows, maybe you’ll even bump into a player or two.

So what are you waiting for? Our new intake will start on Monday, January 29 in the Davie Cooper Stand boxes at 6pm and will take place every Monday for 13 weeks thereafter.

The main aims of the programme are to:

• Increase knowledge of diet & nutrition
• Improve lifestyle choices
• Increase physical activity amongst participants
• Reduce weight and waist measurements
• Increase engagement in other physical activity

Over the course of the 13-week programme, participants will partake in a range of interactive classroom sessions to help make better lifestyle choices. They will also find out ways in which they can become more physically active, as well as setting targets and goals to increase their daily step counts.

“Football Fans in Training is an excellent example of how an innovative approach can engage a group of people who normally find it difficult to engage in mainstream health services,” David Caesar, the national clinical advisor to Scotland’s chief medical officer said of the programme.

“Thinking outside of the box, as this project does, allows for the delivery of effective health interventions that have a hugely positive impact on those who take part.

“Small but significant lifestyle changes set against the backdrop of professional football environments has proved a winning combination and a shining example”.

To register your interest please email graeme.mcarthur@motherwellfc.co.uk or call the Community Trust on 01698 239926. We just need to know your name, date of birth and waist measurement.

Motherwell return to action after the winter break when they face Hamilton Academical on Saturday, January 20.

The Lanarkshire rivals go head to head in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup as they play for a place in the last 16.

After agreement with the Accies, we’re offering reduced price entry for the big derby match here at Fir Park.

Adult entry costs just £15 for the game, while concessions go for £10 and those aged 15 and under will pay just £5.

Come and support the team as the Steelmen start their bid to reach a second cup final this campaign.

Tickets can be purchased in advance at the ticket office or you can pay on the gate.

	Motherwell v Hamilton Academical
	Saturday, January 20 2018
	3pm
	Fir Park
	Tickets on sale from the Fir Park ticket office or pay at the gate.

Admission prices are as follows:

Concessions are applicable to 60 and over and full time students with a valid matriculation card. Juveniles are applicable to aged 15 and under.

Motherwell fans who require ambulant or wheelchair access should contact Brian Davidson on 07725 917161. Fans must contact Brian by Wednesday night before the match.

Motherwell Football Club is a busy place all week long, with community activities and great events going on as well as football matches.

This is our schedule for the week ahead across the departments for the week beginning Monday, January 15. For more information on anything listed, click the relevant links or call the club on 01698 333333.

Please note that many community-based activities are weather dependent.

Monday, January 15

Community

Walking Football: Fir Park astro turf, 1-3pm

Girls Development Centre: Fir Park astro turf, 3-5.30pm

Tuesday, January 16

Community

Football Fans in Training: Fir Park astro turf, 11am-1pm

Wednesday, January 17

Football

Our under 20s are back in Development League action against Dundee United. The game, which will be played at Airdrie’s Excelsior Stadium, kicks off at 2pm.

Community

Girls Development Centre: Fir Park astro turf, 3-5.30pm

Muir Street After School Club: Muir Street Primary School, 3-4pm

Dalziel After School Club: Dalziel High School, 5-6pm

Fir Park Mini Steelkids: Fir Park astro turf, 5-6pm

Lanark Mini Steelkids: Lanark Grammar School, 6-7pm

Fir Park Football Development Centre: Fir Park astro turf, 6-7pm and 7-8pm

Lanark Football Development Centre: Lanark Grammar School, 7-8pm

Thursday, January 18

Community

Muir Street After School Club: Muir Street Primary School, 3-4pm

Dalziel After School Club: Dalziel High School, 5-6pm

Friday, January 19

Community

Bellshill Mini Steelkids: Sir Matt Busby Centre, 4-5pm

Bellshill Football Development Centre: Sir Matt Busby Centre, 5-6pm

Fir Park Mini Steelkids: Fir Park astro turf, 6-7pm

Saturday, January 20

Football

The first team host Hamilton Academical in the Ladbrokes Premiership. Kick off at Fir Park is at 3pm. Supporters can buy tickets in advance or on the gate.

Admission prices are as follows:

• Concessions are applicable to 60 and over and full time students with a valid matriculation card.
• Juveniles are applicable to aged 15 and under.
• Motherwell fans who require ambulant or wheelchair access should contact Brian Davidson on 07725 917161. Fans must contact Brian by Wednesday night before the match.

Community

Fir Park Mini Steelkids: Fir Park astro turf, 9-10am and 10-11am

Saturday Club, Fir Park astro turf, 12-1pm and 1-2pm

Sunday, January 21

Our Under 20s face Stranraer FC in the long-anticipated Scottish FA Youth Cup fourth round tie. Kick off at New Tinto Park in Govan is at 11am.

Motherwell players spent the week enjoying warm weather training and the chance to bond together in Tenerife.

Manager Stephen Robinson hoped to recapture the spirit the pre-season camp in Ireland instilled in the team, as they prepare for the second half of the Ladbrokes Premiership season.

Arriving on Tuesday in the south of the island, the squad immediately got to work with some intensive training sessions, both out on the pitch and in the gym.

We also sat down with the manager to get his thoughts on what the week ahead would entail.

“In comparison to what we would have had in Motherwell, it’s been very good,” he said.

“I think we needed it, we did the same before the start of the season when we went to Dublin and I’m getting the same feel good factor coming back again.

“The boys are training at a high intensity, working really hard again and getting back to what we’re very good at.”

“I think the perception is that sometimes you come to a warm weather climate and you take it easy, well we’ve done the opposite.

“We’re having double sessions, we’re in the gym, we’ve got super facilities and you can do a lot of coaching out here.

“We gave the boys a few days off after the Hamilton game and we’re back on it again. We’re having double sessions, we’re in the gym, we’ve got super facilities and you can do a lot of coaching out here.”

Defender Richard Tait was similarly keen to use the Tenerife trip as a pick-me-up.

“The back end to the first half of the season was poor,” conceded Tait. “It wasn’t up to standard, was it? It’s form that is going to get you into trouble.

“Coming out here and using this week to come together as a team and put some more hard work in on the training ground will hopefully hold us in good stead when we go back.

“We started off the season well and that was probably due to going to Ireland and really grafting for the time we had there.

“We are looking to start our first match back with a win and carry on from there like we did in the first half of the season.”

Wednesday saw the team out on the pitch twice for training, as well as hitting the gym in between.

On Thursday we spent time with some of the injured players who made the trip to aid their recovery.

Chris Cadden, Craig Tanner and Peter Hartley spoke as we followed them through the different parts of their rehabilitation, and also got the thoughts of physio David Henderson.

Oh and did someone mention the hard work the players were putting in?

Thursday was one of the more gruelling sessions at Tenerife Top Training, as the heat picked up.

Influential midfielder Andy Rose was also on hand to give his thoughts on the camp and what lies ahead for the team on their return to Scotland.

“It’s been a really enjoyable trip so far,” the 27-year-old said. “There’s been lots of hard work and obviously the weather has been great and the facilities are fantastic.

“It was cold when we left but there’s a lot we can focus on over here all together in the heat of Tenerife.

“Getting away from everything and spending all day, every day together has been great. Bonding-wise it’s been important and tactically it means we can nail down things on the training pitch, so it’s been great.”

The hard yards were still being put in on Friday, but it also gave us a chance to have some downtime and a bit of fun.

We got Gael Bigirimana, Charles Dunne and new signing Nadir Çiftçi together for a game of Heads Up, with hilarious consequences.

Midfielder Liam Grimshaw is also a lively figure in the dressing room with his quick wit and one liners.

We thought it would be a shame to keep that behind closed doors, so we decided to give him his own chat show Grimmy Grills.

Watch our for more in the coming weeks but here’s his first episode with Cédric Kipré as he delves into the delicacy of snails with gravy and the towering Frenchman’s popularity with fans. And yes, he even sings his song.

Last up on Saturday was a friendly against Swedish side Ostersunds FK.

They are warming up to play Arsenal in the last 32 of the UEFA Europa League next month but, in a 70 minute match, the Steelmen were victorious thanks to Allan Campbell’s first half goal.

It was left then to manager Stephen Robinson to reflect on the success of the trip.

“I think it’s been a really beneficial trip and it’s brought a lot of people together,” he said.

“It’s gone really well. We couldn’t have asked for better facilities and we’ve been well looked after.

“The new boys that have come in have settled in really well. You can start seeing the buzz we had in Dublin starting to come back again.

“Credit to the board. They backed us to come away and hopefully it benefits us in the coming months.”

And then, before flying back to the slightly milder temperatures in ML1, the team took on one last task – the Crossbar Challenge.

Our thanks to Martin Tierney and Soccer Experience for their help in organising the trip.

Motherwell players signed off from their mid-season break in Tenerife with a win over Ostersunds FK on Saturday.

But before they departed, they also took the time to take part in a crossbar challenge, with the competitive streak in the squad again showing.

Who hit the bar? Watch our video to find out.

In the first in a new series, Liam Grimshaw takes up a second career as a chat show host to find out the things you never knew about his fellow Motherwell team-mates.

In ‘Grimmy Grills’, the Englishman speaks first to French defender Cédric Kipré to find out his favourite team, favourite food, his thoughts on the Irn Bru recipe change… and also encourages him to sing the song the fans have for him.

The trip to Tenerife has been a lot of hard work for the players, but there’s also been the chance for some team bonding and relaxing time.

With that in mind, we got new signing Nadir Ciftci together with Gael Bigirimana and Charles Dunne to play a fun game of Heads Up, where each player had to guess the word they couldn’t see, relying only on their team-mates’ descriptions to help.