| 3 | Rangers | 12 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 23 |
| 4 | Dundee United | 13 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 20 |
| 5 | Motherwell | 12 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 19 |
| 6 | St Mirren | 14 | 5 | 3 | 6 | -4 | 18 |
| 7 | Dundee | 13 | 4 | 3 | 6 | -3 | 15 |
There’s live audio commentary available as Motherwell open the Ladbrokes Premiership season at Livingston on Saturday.
The Steelmen head to West Lothian off the back of four straight wins in the Betfred Cup, and having defeated the Lions in the last game in 2018/19.
Supporters anywhere in the world can listen in to the 3pm BST kickoff. To subscribe, head to tv.motherwellfc.co.uk.
The Motherwell boss spoke about managing expectations and competition for places, ahead of the Ladbrokes Premiership starting at Livingston on Saturday.
Here’s what Stephen Robinson said to the press on Friday morning.
“My aim is we try and win every single game. No matter who we are are playing, whether it’s Celtic, Livingston, St Mirren, it doesn’t matter.
“It doesn’t always work out like that, of course. But I think we are positive.
“I don’t set real targets. Yeah we do within the coaching staff, we do within the privacy of the dressing room.
“We don’t go shouting our mouths off about what we want to achieve. I think you take it step by step, and then see where you can get to by Christmas time.”
“You’ve seen what we’ve done early on when i was managing. Playing in a style that got us to two cup finals, which was putting balls into the box, getting down the sides of people.
“It was physical at times but that suited the players we had and the players we were able to recruit.
“We’ve done that differently since Christmas. We’ve brought in four wide players. We’ve got a lot of pace. A lot of energy.
“A lot of good, good footballers in the team. We’ve got boys that supplement what we already had.
“I think it will be an exciting brand of football. We will lose games as well, of course. But it will be by being positive.”
“Expectation is the biggest thing to manage in football.
“First and foremost, we have to stay in the division.That’s our primary aim.
“Within the dressing room and coaching staff, we’ve got bigger aims than that. Much bigger aims than that.
“But we just have to temper that slightly. Take each game as it comes. It’s an old saying. It bores the life out of all you press people, I know.
“But we just have to try and win each game that we go onto the field with.”
“I think there’s a freshness about it. When I first took over, I had to shake it up a little bit. Then that season we got to the cup finals.
“It gives a freshness. You’re not hearing the same thing every day or working with the same people. There’s a real freshness. There’s an energy.
“It’s a young and enthusiastic squad. So it is something to be excited by.
“They are all happy now because they’ve all had games and we’ve been able to move things about and give everybody equal game time.It’s worked well for us but I have to do that.
“Any successful team and squad you have to rotate in modern football now.
“The pace of it. We only go with 20/21 outfield players. So we don’t have a big squad.
“You’re either in the squad or on the bench. Not many players miss out each week. Maybe a couple of the younger squad members.
“So people just have to get used to that. You’re going to be at a football club where you are one of two people fighting for a position.
“There’s not many clubs in the Premiership, or at any other level, where you are going to get that sort of guarantee.
“We’ve got a good squad, a good mentality. People are well aware they are going to have to fight for positions and I will pick who is playing well.”
” I expect very similar [from Livingston]. I think Gary is doing a tremendous job.
“They play to their strengths. They’ve had criticism for it and I don’t think they should have done. I think it’s good management.
“When you’ve got players who put a lot of balls into your box and make you run towards your own goal. They win second balls and are aggressive. And they play more football than people give them credit for.
“So I think they will be the exact same this season. It’s been successful for them.
“We have to match that enthusiasm and endeavour and physicality before we can start trying to play football.”
Our Betfred Cup last 16 clash with Heart of Midlothian will be played on Friday, 16 August.
The game against our fellow Premiership side will be broadcast live on BT Sport and will kick off at 7.45pm.
Tickets are available to buy online now for Motherwell supporters. Adult tickets cost £15. It is £10 for over 60s, 16-18s and full time students. Children aged 15 and under can get in for £5.
Season ticket holders will have their seats reserved for them to purchase.
Hearts fans will be allocated the south stand at Fir Park and should contact their club for ticket sales.
We’ve also got great hospitality deals if you want to make a Friday night of it with us at Fir Park. What’s more, it’s curry night on 16 August.
You can enjoy a two-course meal in our Centenary Suite, with half-time refreshments and a pay bar. Season ticket holders can buy for £50, or it is £55 for non-season ticket holders.
There’s also our south stand boxes, which provide a private box for up to 20 people, a two-course meal, half-time refreshments and a fully-inclusive bar.
Boxes are available for up to 20 people and are available for £75 per person for our beer and wine package, or £95 if you want to add spirits.
To book, you can buy online now on our ticketing website. Alternatively, call us on 01698 33333 or email hospitality@motherwellfc.co.uk.
The 2019/20 Ladbrokes Premiership season begins for Motherwell at Livingston on Saturday.
Stephen Robinson’s side pick up where they left off, having finished last campaign with a 3-2 home win against the Lions.
Fans must buy tickets in advance, either online from Livingston to print at home or use on your phone, or outside the ground on the day of the game.
Both teams got through their Betfred Cup groups as seeds. Motherwell progressed with a 100% record, scoring 13 goals and conceding none in the process.
Livingston progressed with 11 points, picking up three wins and a bonus point after a draw with Falkirk.
You can also buy tickets online direct from Livingston which you can print at home or use as a ticket on your mobile phone.
Alternativey, fans can also buy tickets from the Almondvale Suite in the south stand at Livingston before entering the ground.
Adult tickets are £25. Over 65s, 16-18s and full-time students can get in for £17, and under 16s get in for £10.
Fans who require ambulant or wheelchair access should contact Andy Sim on 07428 225254 or email tickets@mfcdsa.com.
Wherever you are, there’s live audio commentary available on our live streaming service for £5.99 a month. Just head to tv.motherwellfc.co.uk to subscribe.
Motherwell will host Hearts in the last 16 of the 2019/20 Betfred Cup.
After topping our group with a 100% record, scoring 13 goals without reply in the process, the visit of the Gorgie side will follow.
The match will be played on the weekend of 17/18 August. A confirmed date and kick off time will follow shortly.
Motherwell will find out their Betfred Cup last 16 opponents on Sunday evening.
The Steelmen are seeded for the draw, which will take place after the Dundee v Inverness CT game on BT Sport after 5pm.
The 2017 finalists can face only unseeded teams in the draw. Our potential opponents are:
Depending on results on Sunday, two clubs from Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Dundee and East Fife will also be potential opponents.
Motherwell will avoid European participants Aberdeen, Celtic, Kilmarnock and Rangers, as well as fellow group winners Hibernian, Livingston and Ross County.
Liam Donnelly grabbed another two goals, with Liam Polworth and James Scott also netting, as Motherwell end the Betfred Cup group stage with a fourth win from four.
“Eventually our quality shone through.”
Stephen Robinson speaks after the 4-0 win over Annan Athletic.
Liam Donnelly’s double help set up Motherwell for a fourth straight victory to comfortably win their Betfred Cup section.
Liam Polworth also netted in the first half, before James Scott added a fourth late on.
Although Annan manfully stuck to their task to limit the scoreline until Donnelly and Scott grabbed two in the final minutes, ‘Well’s goal difference particularly on the back of having conceded no goals, sees the Steelmen progress to the last 16 as the best seeded team from the section stage.
Stephen Robinson, still rotating his squad ahead of next week’s Premiership kick-off, included Jamie Semple and Jake Carroll from the start amongst six changes, with striker Christopher Long making his home debut.
It was also a first ever Fir Park appearance for Annan, but the hosts showed little hospitality, as they pressed the League One side inside their own half from the start.
Annan ‘keeper Lyle Avci was called into action almost immediately happy to beat away Jake Carroll’s curling free kick after only two minutes. Charles Dunne then tried his luck from 35 yards but even on the wet surface his low drive posed no real threat to Avci.
With the Galabank side solidly lined up with two banks of four, ‘Well showed great patience in possession probing to get in behind the visitor’s defence.
However, having defended stoutly for the first 20 minutes the Annan rearguard failed to deal with Long’s low cross and as the ball rolled around the six yard mark, Donnelly lashed it high into the net for his 3rd goal of the campaign.
That failed to change the pattern of the game and with Annan sticking to their game plan, and their out ball to the ex Hearts’ striker Christian Nade occupying Dunne and Hartley, there was little goalmouth action until the final minutes of the first half.
Five minutes from the interval Mark Gillespie got his first taste of the action when he held an angled drive from Scott McLean.
A couple of half chances came the way of Liam Grimshaw and Jamie Semple before ‘Well doubled the lead a minute from the break.
Christopher Long was again involved racing through the centre of the Athletic defence. Although his shot was blocked by the ‘keeper at the edge of the box, the ball broke for Liam Polworth who guided it inside the post for his first goal in claret and amber.
The goal scorer didn’t reappear for the second half with another summer recruit Casper Sloth coming on for his debut.
Sherwin Seedorf, eager to cut in from the left, fired a couple of shots towards Avci’s goal without testing the ‘keeper. The Dutch winger finally hit the target after 58 minutes when, after a terrific run and exchange with Ilic, Grimshaw’s incisive pass played in Seedorf but his firm shot was brilliantly blocked by Avci.
That was Seedorf’s final touch, Jermain Hylton taking his place on the left wing after 66 minutes.
Annan, though, remained resolute in their defending and Robinson made another substitution three minutes later James Scott taking over the striking role from Long. With his first touch from 20 yards, Scott’s powerful drive forced a diving save from Avci and when Hylton rifled the rebound towards goal the ‘keeper produced a great reflex save to palm the ball over his crossbar.
As the game entered the final 10 minutes the visitors came close to breaking Gillespie’s run of clean sheets, with Lewis McLear passing up a great chance from 8 yards.
Five minutes from time Gillespie had to dive across his goal and block Kyle Wilkie’s effort to keep his goal intact.
However, Annan’s brave attempts were not rewarded with a consolation goal and instead the border’s side conceded another two goals in the dying minutes.
With Hylton probing for some space to shoot the ball found its way to Donnelly, who revelling in his new midfield role, thumped the ball home from 12 yards to claim his fourth of the tournament. A minute later Scott added a fourth goal, swerving the ball beyond Avci for a great finish to the game and the Betfred Cup section games.
Stephen Robinson spoke to the media on Friday morning, ahead of the weekend’s final Betfred Cup match with Annan Athletic.
The Motherwell boss covered the game itself, as well as new signing Christy Manzinga, the departure of Danny Johnson and the potential for further additions.
“I think it is going to be a tough game. There’s not been loads in their games.
“Morton scored late goals against Annan. Dumbarton only beat them by a goal. No game is easy.
“You seen Crusaders against Wolves last night. If a team sits in, no matter what quality you have it’s very, very difficult to break them down. As we found against Dumbarton, as we found against Queen of the South as well.
“We are going to have to be patient. We have to move the ball quickly and hope that our forward players can produce a little bit of magic.
“But again, patience will be the key.”
Yeah we’ve had Christy [Manzinga] for over a month now. He’s really impressed me.
“He’s like Cedric [Kipré]. A little bit older, but he’s had to wait for his opportunity.
“He’s really exciting, I think. He’s a gamble worth taking. Really quick, really strong. Gives us another option as a number nine and in wide areas.
“It’ll still be another month or so before we see him on the pitch. But I feel he will be a decent signing for us if he progresses.”
“Danny [Johnson] hasn’t played for me since Ross County in the cup in January. He hasn’t started a game.
“He’s a brilliant boy, Danny. He has been exemplary with his attitude. Some players when they’re not in the team aren’t. But he has been.
“It was unfair of me to keep him here and not make him a starter. All he wants to do is play football. His attitude has been tremendous at the football club.
“He scored some important goals for us as well. But the direction I am moving in, I didn’t see Danny playing for me.And it’s important to be fair to him as well.
“That’s what we’ve done and he goes with our very best wishes. A very good professional.”
“There’s still a couple of things ongoing as well, as I’ve said previously.
“It has to be the right person. It has to be a starter.
“We are not going to bring in and fill the squad. We’ve got younger boys in the background we feel can make up that squad.
“It has to be the right person. So we will be patient.
“There’s still a few more weeks left. There may be something done further down the line.”
