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The manager reflects on an opening day draw with Dundee.

• Tricky conditions
• Theo Bair having an impact
• A real togetherness at the club

Motherwell kicked off the 23/24 cinch Premiership campaign with a 1-1 draw away to Dundee

Debutant Theo Bair netted just before half-time but his goal was cancelled out by Lyall Cameron’s second half header.

Persistent rain before the game caused tricky conditions and this was reflected in the bulk of the first half play.

Blair Spittal went closest for the Steelmen with a powerful left footed shot which was superbly palmed away by McCracken. Wilkinson and Miller both tried their luck with shots from outside the box but both had the same outcome: well over the bar and not troubling the goalkeeper.

The deadlock was finally broken just before the break. Stephen O’Donnell was played in down the right by 16-year-old Lennon Miller and his pinpoint low cross as expertly finished be Bair for his first goal in Motherwell colours.

The rain continued throughout the second half and just as Motherwell looked to be on top, Dundee levelled through Cameron. An in-swinging cross deep to the back-post found the Dundee midfielder who lost his man and nodded past Kelly.

Dundee went on to strike the post twice in the second half however couldn’t add to Cameron’s goal.

Motherwell pushed for a winner, but Lennon Miller’s goal-bound shot from outside the box as deflected inches wide of the post and Bevis Mugabi’s header looped just over the bar.

Next up for the Steelmen is a return to Fir Park to face Hibernian on Sunday 13 August.

Our first home match in the 2023/24 cinch Premiership, against Hibernian, has been moved to Sunday 13 August. 

Kick-off is 3pm.

The match has been moved due to Hibernian’s participation in the Europa Conference League.

16-year-old Lennon Miller has won the player of the month for July. 

Voted for by you, Miller has caught the headlines in the first four matches of the season.

Starting all four games in the Viaplay Cup, Miller scored two goals and assisted once in the month of July.

He became the club’s youngest ever goalscorer when scored from a half volley against Elgin City in our opening cup game, and scored the opener against East Fife on Saturday.

Catching the eye of many for his silky and mature play in the middle of the pitch, Miller has made his way into first-team football with ease and picks up the first player of the month award for the season.

Danish Under-21 international Mika Biereth has joined the club on a season-long loan from Arsenal, subject to international clearance. 

Biereth burst onto the scene with Fulham, where he scored 25 goals and assisted 15 times for the Under-18 side in his 37 games.

The 20-year-old signed his first professional contract with Premier League outfit Arsenal in July 2021.

Since then, he has notched 12 goals in 26 appearances for Arsenal Under-21’s and spent a season on loan with RKC Waalwijk in Eredivisie, where he scored twice.

His impressive goalscoring tally earned him a spot on Mikel Arteta’s bench on four occasions during the 2021/22 season.

Having been on the edge of breaking into the first-team at Arsenal, he made his first-team competitive debut in the Netherlands, where he appeared 12 times with RKC Waalwijk.

Biereth has represented the Danish Under-19 side on five occasions, scoring twice. He earned his first under-21 call up in March of this year and has played twice since.

“I think anyone looking at Mika’s goalscoring history, can see why we were interested in him,” manager Stuart Kettlewell said,

“He has scored goals at every stage of his young career, including a first-team spell in the Netherlands.

“Mika is an exciting young talent for the future and I feel this loan move is the perfect next step for him to show what he can do.

“I also want to go on record and say how appreciative we are of Arsenal’s cooperation throughout the process of getting this deal done.”

“I’m excited to be here,” Mika Biereth added.

“It’s a new team and a new type of challenge and I can’t wait to get started.”

Biereth will wear the 24 shirt this season.

Stuart Kettlewell speaks to the press prior to the cinch Premiership opening weekend, where Motherwell travel to Dundee. 

The manager knows what to expect of newly promoted Dundee, having studied the opposition ahead of Saturday.

Kettlewell talks about their recruitment plans between now and the end of the window for Motherwell, in what has been a busy summer period.

He also is asked about goals and targets for the season, although he wants to keep those targets in-house.

It’s time to vote for your G4 Claims player of the month for July. 

Callum Slattery, Blair Spittal, Paul McGinn and Lennon Miller are all up for nomination.

To vote, head over to the Motherwell Facebook page.

Games in July

• Elgin City 0-2 Motherwell 
• Queen of the South 3-3 Motherwell (Won 5-4 on penalties)
• Motherwell 1-0 Queen’s Park
• Motherwell 3-0 East Fife 

Callum Slattery

Having won the goal of the season award for the last two seasons running, Callum Slattery said he wanted to add more goals and assists to his game. It’s fair to say, he has delivered thus far.

The number eight played 78 minutes against Elgin City, and almost got his first assist of the season when he set up Jon Obika in the first half, however the striker was ruled out for offside.

He setup Blair Spittal for his first goal against Queen of the South, taking on the defender at the byline before cutting back to the midfielder to get the game level.

Slattery then went on a darting run at the start of the second half before lashing home to give us the lead, for his first goal of the season.

He cooly stepped up the penalty shootout, dispatching his penalty with ease.

In the first game at Fir Park this season, Slattery’s deft pass through for Obika set the striker up for the only goal of the game against Queen’s Park, although Slattery did rattle the crossbar in the first half.

In our most recent game against East Fife, Slattery worked with Harry Paton on halfway before feeding Lennon Miller for the first goal of the game. Slattery then got himself on the scoresheet, with a driving finish into the bottom corner to make it 3-0.

At the heart of everything so far this season, Slattery has already recorded two goals and three assists in four games.

Blair Spittal

Blair Spittal was beginning to find the back of the net more regularly at the end of last season, he has began this season in similar fashion.

It was Spittal who found the back of the net twice against Queen of the South, one in either half.

He also scored from the spot in our shootout down in Dumfries.

Spittal has played all but 12 minutes so far this season, and has continued to impress the Motherwell support with his darting runs and chance creations.

Going close on three occasions against East Fife,

Paul McGinn

He may still be waiting for that elusive first Motherwell goal, but Paul McGinn has continually performed in each match he has bene involved in.

Against Queen of the South, he was involved in the build up for Blair Spittal’s first goal, where he began the move.

The Scotland international did all the hard work for Spittal again, when he darted towards the byline before rounding the defender and squaring to Spittal.

He didn’t shy away from a big pressure moment in the shootout, stepping up and dispatching despite the keeper going the right way.

90 minutes against Queen’s Park and clean sheet later, McGinn looked certain to have found the net for the first time in Motherwell colours when he headed down into the bottom corner from a Spittal free-kick. However, the keeper pulled off a stunning save to keep the defender waiting.

A month of showing professionalism to slot into anywhere in the backline and also taking the armband, McGinn remained consistent and helped us onto our way to three clean sheets out of a possible four.

Lennon Miller

If you hadn’t heard the name Lennon Miller prior to July, then most likely have now.

The 16-year-old began his 23/24 season with a bang, scoring from 25-yards on the half volley against Elgin City to become Motherwell’s youngest ever goalscorer. A man of the match performance against Elgin City included the young midfielder going close on a couple of occasions, having controlled the game from the middle of the pitch.

Another 90 minutes for Miller three days later against Queen of the South came next, where he forced the keeper into two good saves in the first half. A few heavy tackles were planted on Miller due to his fast feet and quick change of direction, but the future star came through the game unscathed and found himself starting for the third game of the row against Queen’s Park.

In his fourth start on the bounce, Miller broke the deadlock against East Fife. He lead the counter charge and latched onto Slattery’s through, before scoring his first goal at Fir Park.

Just minutes later, he intercepted the East Fife pass and played to Conor Wilkinson, who banged the ball into the back of the net to give the Steelmen some breathing space.

He may be tipped as ‘one for the future’, but Miller is proving he is one for the now with two goals and assist in the first four matches of the season.

It was a trip through to Tranent for Motherwell B in this year’s Trust Trophy first round draw. 

Young Motherwell were eliminated at this stage of the competition last year against East Kilbride, through a last minute goal. New lead development coach Richard Foster had Nathan McGinley and Barry Maguire in his starting 11, alongside Luca Ross and Ewan Wilson who had recently featured for the first-team.

Throughout the 90, Tranent had created most of the chances with Matty Connelly called into action on multiple occasions.

Despite the constant pressure on the backline, no breakthrough was made and the first round match would be decided on a penalty shootout.

Captain Nathan McGinley would slot his penalty home, however Maguire, Mo Adam and Ross would all miss and Tranent would advance to the next round after a lacklustre Motherwell performance.

Theo Bair becomes the latest player to make the switch to ML1 on a two-year deal. 

Departing St Johnstone in the summer, Canadian international Bair made 38 appearances in Perth.

The 23-year-old came through the ranks at Vancouver Whitecaps.

Featuring for the reserves and the B team, Bair made the step up to the first-team in MLS. He made 34 appearances in the MLS, scoring three goals in the process.

During his time in Canada, he was loaned out to Hamarkameratene in the Norwegian second tier. Scoring on his debut for the Norwegians, he rounded off a successful spell in Norway by helping Hamarkameratene gain promotion to the top flight as champions. As a result, upon his return to Vancouver, the Whitecaps extended the striker’s contract for a further year.

He made the trip across the Atlantic in January 2022, joining St Johnstone for an undisclosed fee.

“Theo is someone who I feel will add to our project here,” manager Stuart Kettlewell said.

“He has experience of playing in the league but more importantly, he is only 23-years-old. I feel he has plenty room for development and that is something we should be excited about.

“I’ve been vocal about wanting to improve our options up top and Theo fits the bill for that.”

Bair has has represented his country at Under 18, 21 and 23 level before making his senior international debut in January 2020. He scored on his debut, in a 4-1 win over Barbados.

“It’s great to say I’m a Motherwell player,” Bair added.

“I’m looking forward to meeting up with my new teammates ahead of our season opener on Saturday.

“The manager wants me to do a job, so I will get to work straight away and try to hold up my end of the deal.”

The six-foot-four striker will wear the number 14 shirt this season.