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Riku Danzaki has left the club.

The Japanese attacker joined the club in January of this year and made four appearances in his time at Motherwell.

Danzaki leaves with our best wishes for the future.

The manager reflects on this afternoon’s friendly win against Dundee United.

•  An improved performance from Saturday
•  Increased confidence
•  Fitness levels are high

Motherwell played their final pre-season match behind-closed-doors against Dundee United this afternoon, with the game ending 0-1 at Tannadice. 

In their fourth pre-season match, Stuart Kettlewell’s side had their noses in front at the interval with a fine strike from Conor Wilkinson, which proved to be the only goal of the game.

In the first period, Motherwell controlled most of the possession and had the bulk of the chances. Callum Slattery was first to go close. His free kick deflected off the wall, with the keeper left stranded, the ball ended up just going wide of the post.

On the half hour mark, Slattery was again involved but this time turned provider. He played a lovely one-two with 16-year-old Lennon Miller, who unleashed a strike with his left foot but was saved by the keeper.

Five minutes later, another opening emerged. Wilkinson showed some great hold up, danced past the defender before feeding his strike partner Jon Obika who had a go but his driven strike went wide.

Just a minute later, came the opening. Miller got stuck into a slide tackle with Dundee United in possession, Slattery picked up the ball and dropped the shoulder to get past two players before driving forward. He fed Spittal who slid a perfectly weighted pass for Wilkinson on the left edge of the box. The summer signing unleashed a left foot strike which flew high into the net to give the visitors a deserved lead at the break.

Motherwell’s first chance in the second half came in the 51st minute. Stephen O’Donnell beat his man before finding Obika, he held off his man before setting Miller whose shot went narrowly wide.

Just shy of the hour mark, Dundee United registered a shot on target. Glen Middleton stung the palms of Aston Oxborough.

With seven subs made on the 60 minute mark, Motherwell continued to look for the second goal. Harry Paton travelled towards goal, slipped in Ross Tierney who was tripped just on the edge of the D. Miller stood over the free kick and forced a save out of the goalkeeper.

The next notable opening came on 86 minutes. Tierney stood over a free kick in the middle of the pitch and played a quick dink over the top for Barry Maguire who brought the ball down and hit on the half volley. His effort was always rising and went over the bar.

Another 90 minutes of pre-season action was perfect preparation for Motherwell’s trip to Elgin City in the Viaplay Cup in four days times.

It’s time for the 2023/24 competitive season to get underway as begin our Viaplay Cup campaign against Elgin City on Saturday. 

Kick-off is 3pm at Borough Briggs.

How to follow the game

Tickets can be purchased online, with step-by-step instructions for supporters.

Additional information

For a disabled ticket, a concessionary ticket should be purchased on Fanbase with entry via gate 4 on the day.  The carer goes free.

We have been allocated 1,000 tickets at Borough Briggs.

Kit Watch

Our new Truly Traditional home kit will be making it’s competitive debut on Saturday.

You can pre-order your kit here.

You will be able to buy or collect the kit in the ‘Well Shop from Friday 14 July.

Team News

Motherwell have got through pre-season without any fresh injury concerns.

Calum Butcher will remain sidelined for a number of months, having picked up an injury at the back-end of last season.

Ricki Lamie has returned to fitness and has featured in pre-season matches, with Harry Paton also back in line for selection following a groin strain sustained last season.

Nathan McGinley made it back onto the pitch for the first time since March 2022 against 30′ Longa in Holland.

Motherwell’s fortunes

Stuart Kettlewell takes his side into their first match of the competitive season, having missed this stage of the competition last season due to participation in Europe.

The ‘Well have picked up two wins and a draw so far in pre-season, with both wins coming against Dutch opposition.

Blair Spittal has scored three goals so far in pre-season, notching two against 30’ Longa and a fine effort against Falkirk in a behind-closed-doors friendly match last weekend.

Conor Wilkinson joined the club last week and is in line to make his debut. The number 99 got some valuable minutes against Falkirk as he tries to get up to full fitness, having missed the camp in Holland.

Opposition report

Elgin City finished the year strongly, with two wins and a draw in their last five matches.

Former Inverness and Ross County midfielder Ross Draper was handed a three-year contract as Elgin City manager during the summer and began his tenure by securing the services of Russell Dingwall for a further two years.

The midfielder was at the heart of most things last season, scoring 11 goals and assisting seven times in all competitions.

However, forward Kane Hester left Elgin for pastures new in the summer. The 27-year-old left for Montrose having scored 18 goals last season for The Black and Whites.

Elgin have been involved in five friendly matches thus far against Forres Mechanics, Rothes, Huntly, Banks O’ Dee and Inverness. They picked up a 5-1 win against Rothes in their only win in pre-season. Brian Cameron was on target in their most recent game against Inverness on Saturday.

Motherwell faced Falkirk on Saturday afternoon, in a behind-closed-doors friendly match at Dalziel Park, with the game ending 2-2.

Gary Oliver and Ross McIver were on the scoresheet for Falkirk, with Blair Spittal and Callum Slattery grabbing the goals for Motherwell. Liam Kelly was back in action and he saved a penalty with three minutes to go.

Falkirk got themselves off to the best possible start after just 90 seconds. Oliver found himself on the ball in the right hand area of the box before finishing past Kelly.

However, Motherwell brushed the early goal off and began to create chances straight after. Jon Obika’s finish clipped the outside of the left hand post before nestling in the side netting.

A scuffed clearance from the Falkirk stopped presented Stephen O’Donnell with the chance to header the ball back across goal for Obika but the Falkirk backline managed to recover just in time.

The equaliser would come on 20 minutes. Obika pounced on a stray pass on the halfway line and carried the ball goalwards. Options to his left and his right, he fed Spittal who finished with his left foot into the corner. 1-1.

Slattery was next to have a go when his strike from 25 yards was powerful but was straight down the line of the keeper who got two hands behind the effort.

On 32 minutes, Joe Efford caused the Falkirk full-back issues as he got to the byline before firing a low cross into the box that found Obika, he connected well but his shot just went wide.

Two minutes later, Falkirk had a great chance. Calvin Miller looked to be offside however the linesman kept his flag down, he raced through on goal and Kelly had to make an excellent stop at his near post. The Scotland keeper couldn’t hold it and Bevis Mugabi tracked back and slid in, colliding with the post in the process, to clear the danger.

On 51 minutes, the Motherwell forward line pressed the keeper on the ball as he tried to play out from the back however the keepers’ pass landed at Spittal’s feet and his shot was a comfortable save.

Motherwell took the lead on 63 minutes. The Falkirk winger committed to taking on too many players before losing possession. Slattery picked up the loose ball, carried and drilled low into the bottom corner from 20-yards. 2-1.

Obika showed some excellent work on 70 minutes. He carried the ball from in his own half, on the edge of the box chopped the ball back onto his right foot and got a shot away, albeit was a comfortable save.

On 77 minutes, Falkirk equalised. A cross into the box wasn’t deal with and McIver was on hand to knock home at the back post.

Ewan Wilson struck the post with ten minutes left. He beat two defenders before firing low at goal but couldn’t beat the woodwork.

Motherwell continued to press for the third goal. O’Donnell’s cross was only half cleared and Nathan McGinley kept a volley low but it was blocked by the defender in the six-yard box.

On 87 minutes Falkirk were awarded a penalty. A trip in the box meant Miller had the chance to get his second. However, Kelly was quick to guess correctly and saved down to his bottom right.

The match ended 2-2 with preparations stepping up as we begin our 2023/24 season against Elgin City next Saturday in the Viaplay Cup. You can buy your tickets online.

Our head of goalkeeping Neil Alexander has done it all as a player in his 26-year long career. 

An international, league titles and European finals all came along whilst he was between the sticks but getting to that level of fitness is harder than some might think.

Often misconceived, a pre-season for a goalkeeper can range from general cardio work that outfield players do to specified goalkeeping drills that involve precise movement.

But the end goal is the same, to maximise performance of the players when it comes to a match day.

Alexander talks us through how the training has changed with the advancement of sports science, the adaptability that is required as a coach to meet the needs of each keeper in his jurisdiction and where our goalkeepers are at in terms of their own individual goals for the season ahead.

Conor Wilkinson is the first new face at Fir Park for the 2023/24 season subject to international clearance. 

Leaving Walsall in the summer, the Irish Under 21 international striker joins the club on a two-year deal.

28-year-old Wilkinson started his professional career at Millwall. He has played and scored in the National League, League Two and League One and has featured in the Championship down south.

Wilkinson made over 70 appearances for Leyton Orient, notching 20 goals in the process and has also turned out for Portsmouth, Newport, Bolton, Barnsley and Gillingham in his career.

“Joining Motherwell is a great feeling,” Conor Wilkinson said.

“I’m six foot three and I think people can get the wrong idea about the type of player I am because of that.

“I’m not a target man, I like to get on the ball and show people what I’ve got.

“To get the deal done is great and it now allows me to get down to business and focus on the season ahead.”

Conor Wilkinson becomes Stuart Kettlewell’s first new face of the summer window.

“It’s no secret that we’re light at the top of the pitch,” Stuart Kettlewell added.

“Conor has imagination on the pitch and to have that in your team, is exciting.

“He is someone who we have tracked for a while and been looking to get signed as soon as possible.

“With the experience he has, there is no doubt in my mind, that he will add firepower to the team.”

Motherwell rounded off the pre-season tour of Holland with a comfortable 0-6 win over S.V. Longa’30 in Harreveld.

Mark Ferrie opened the scoring with just five minutes on the clock.

Youth combined with experience as Lennon Miller’s ball into the box was expertly knocked down by Stephen O’Donnell and the 17-year-old striker made no mistake with the finish.

On the 24th minute, it was 0-2.

Motherwell worked a throw-in to Callum Slattery whose deep cross as met by Blair Spittal and he finished into the corner of the net.

Ferrie had a great chance to grab a brace but as he latched onto a slack pass, he took too long to capitalise and the Longa’30 defence recovered to clear.

O’Donnell and Spittal went close before the latter grabbed his second.

A great bit of play down the wing as O’Donnell and Obika combined to set-up the midfielder who applied a cool finish to round-off a superb team goal.

The second half started in a similar dominant fashion and within five minutes, Ferrie got his deserved double.

The teenager’s tenacity won him the ball back and from 20 yards he found the corner of the net.

Callum Slattery made it five with sensational strike. Joe Efford got the the byline and cut it back into the path of the Englishman who zinged his shot into the top corner from 25 yards.

An unstoppable effort and an unstoppable performance as the Steelmen made it 6 moments later.

Joe Efford again involved as he beat his man and saw his shot loop into the air off the goalie’s hand. Substitute Ross Tierney was on hand to ensure the ball ended up in the net.

The win was the last action in Holland as the Steelmen return home to continue pre-season preparations ahead of the Viaplay Cup kicking off in two weeks time.

The fixtures for the new 23/24 cinch Premiership campaign have been announced.

We kick off the season on Saturday 5 August, taking on Dundee at Dens Park.

Our first game at Fir Park is the following week when we face Hibernian.

A popular away day for the fans, we travel to Dingwall on Wednesday 6 December.

The festive period comprises of Rangers at home on Saturday 23 December before we play Aberdeen away on Wednesday 27 December.

Livingston are the opponents on Saturday 30 December and Hibernian provide the final test on Tuesday 2 January before the winter break at Easter Road.

All fixtures are subject to change.