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Motherwell will face Queen’s Park, Queen of the South, East Fife and Elgin City in the group stage of the 2023/24 Viaplay Cup group stage.

The Steelmen return to competitive action in July for the four cup matches in Group G.

All group stage winners will qualify for round two of the Viaplay Cup, with the three best runners-up also reaching the next stage.

Queen’s Park

A familiar opponent in this competition, Queen’s Park have faced Motherwell twice in the League Cup since 2017.

The most recent meeting between the two sides was our group stage opener at Firhill, where Steven Lawless scored the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win for the Steelmen.

Queen’s Park earned back-to-back promotions and only narrowly missed out on the cinch Championship title on the last day of the season.

Since that match and exiting the playoffs, manager Owen Coyle parted company with the club and the position of manager remains vacant at Queen’s.

Two familiar faces are amongst the Spiders’ squad currently, with Dom Thomas and Liam Brown signed up for the 23/24 season.

It was announced that Queen’s Park would play their home matches at Hampden Park this season.

Queen of the South

Despite the draw not being regionalised this term, there would be a second well-know group stage opponent.

Queen of the South and Motherwell have went head-to-head in the cup at the start of the 2018, 2019 and 2021 seasons.

In those three meetings, Motherwell have a 100% record. It was a memorable return for the Fir Park faithful for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic, as Queen of the South took a 2-0 advantage before Motherwell turned the game on it’s head to take the three points.

Marvin Bartley was appointed manager of Queen of the South during last season, which saw an upturn of fortunes. The Doonhamers only finished three points off of the League One playoffs last season.

Queen of the South have already been active in the summer window, with Jordan Houston joining from Ayr United and Murray Johnson arriving on loan from Hibernian earlier this month.

Former Motherwell man Stephen Hendrie was amongst the ranks last season and it would appear he will be a part of Bartley’s plans for next season.

East Fife

East Fife made the playoffs last term, however were beaten by Clyde over two legs.

Motherwell made the trip to Bayview back in 2015, when it turned out to be a long night for the travelling ‘Well fans.

Nathan Austin, who re-joined the club last month, gave the hosts the lead on the night. The Fifers looked on track for a famous victory had it not been for Louis Moult’s equaliser on 80 minutes to take the match to extra time.

Subsequent goals from Scott McDonald and Lionel Ainsworth seen Motherwell eventual 3-1 winners.

Former Motherwell man and scorer in our Europa League third qualifying round second-leg match against Aalesunds, Jonathan Page, is under contract at East Fife.

Elgin City

Two wins and a draw in their last five matches of the 22/23 season, ensured Elgin City avoided the relegation playoff in League Two.

Kane Hester proved to be their main man last season, scoring 18 goals however he has since made the switch to Montrose.

Following the conclusion of the season, Ross Draper was announced as Elgin City manager on a three-year deal.

Fixture dates for the competition will be confirmed shortly.

The 2022/23 season may have only just finished but the next campaign is just around the corner. 

Here is everything you need to know ahead of the new season.

The first date for the diary is on Thursday 8 June, when the Viaplay Cup group stage draw takes place at 1pm. The draw will be broadcast live on Viaplay.

The draw will also be shown live on the SPFL Youtube channel.

Motherwell will be in pot one for the draw. A reminder also, this is the first season where the group stage draw isn’t regionalised.

Following on from that, the first-team will return from their summer break to Fir Park for the first day of pre-season on Monday 19 June. After five days of training, they will travel to Delden, Holland on Saturday 24 June for a seven-day training camp.

During their time in Holland, they will take part in friendly matches, which will be announced just shortly.

Next on the schedule, is the announcement of the 2023/24 cinch Premiership fixtures, which will take place on Friday 30 June at 9am.

The 2023/24 SWPL fixtures will be announced on Monday 3 July.

Matchday one of the group stage of the Viaplay Cup will take place on July 15/16, officially kicking off our competitive season.

The groups will conclude on the weekend of the 29/30 July.

Matchday one of the 23/24 cinch Premiership season will be on the weekend of 5/6 August 2023.

The winter break returns in it’s more familiar format, where there will be no games taking place on the two weekends following January 2 2024.

Matchday 38 of the Premiership season will take place on the weekend of 18/19 May 2024.

With the 2022/23 season at an end, we can provide the following update on players’ contracts.

Under Contract for 2023/24 season

• Liam Kelly
• Aston Oxborough
• Kyle Aitken
• Josh Bogan
• Stephen O’Donnell
• Nathan McGinley
• Paul McGinn
• Ricki Lamie
• Bevis Mugabi
• Shane Blaney
• Calum Butcher
• Callum Slattery
• Lennon Miller
• Riku Danzaki
• Blair Spittal
• Ross Tierney
• Kevin Van Veen
• Joe Efford
• Mark Ferrie
• Luca Ross
• Dylan Wells

Players returning to club following loan and under contract for next season

• Barry Maguire
• Connor Shields
• Robbie Mahon

Players returning to parent club following loan expiry

• James Furlong
• Stuart McKinstry
• Jon Obika
• Olly Crankshaw

Players out of contract- Negotiations with a number of players are still taking place

• Jake Carroll
• Logan Dunachie
• Daniel Hunter
• Kian Speirs
• Jack Aitchison
• Matty Connelly
• Max Johnston
• Ewan Wilson
• Dan Casey
• Dean Cornelius
• Sean Goss
• Mikael Mandron
• David Devine
• Corey O’Donnell
• Harry Paton

Released

• Josh Morris

“I want to personally thank each individual player for their efforts since I arrived at the club,” manager Stuart Kettlewell said.

“Everyone has made an impact at this club in their tenure and helped steer the club to not only another season in the Premiership, but to a strong finish that will only benefit this club at the start of next season.

“We are still speaking with a number of players at this very early stage of the summer and hope to get clarity on each situation very soon.

“For the players departing the club, I wish them all the very best in the future.”

With the fight for seventh place going down the final day, Dundee United were the final opponents for Motherwell in the 2022/23 season. 

In a season where the ‘Well were written off by many, Stuart Kettlewell’s ethos of fighting until the very end came the forefront at Fir Park.

Completing the remarkable story, Kevin van Veen scored for the 11th consecutive game, beating Hughie Ferguson’s club record. The Dutchman has written himself into Motherwell history forever.

Dundee United weren’t going down without a fight and despite going one down, fought back to make it 2-1 with Jamie McGrath converting a controversial penalty and Steven Fletcher finishing early in the second half.

With an array of chances, Blair Spittal would eventually find the back of the net to draw his side level.

Max Johnston came off the bench and made an immediate impact, knocking in at the far post however the linesman flagged Spittal offside in the build up.

The young Scottish full-back wasn’t to be denied his goal on 82 minutes, when he headed home at the back post from a James Furlong cross to secure a win in the final game of the season.

With Motherwell ending the season on 50 points, with 30 points gained under Kettlewell’s reign, the result completed a remarkable turnaround in fortunes and kept confidence high going into next season.

Liam Kelly is off on international duty once again, with the Motherwell stopper named in the latest Scotland squad. 

Scotland continue their EURO 2024 qualification campaign, when they take on Georgia and Norway.

The dark blues will be on their travels first, with an away fixture against Norway on 17 June.

Their second fixture is back at Hampden when Georgia come to town on 20 June.

• Norway v Scotland 
• Venue TBC, 17 June
• 17:00 Kick off

• Scotland v Georgia 
• Hampden Park, 20 June 
• 19:45 Kick off

“A huge thank you from me to the supporters.

“Even for me getting my kids on the pitch, the reaction was perfect. We’ll see you next season.”

Motherwell fought back in a storming second half to claim a 9th win under Stuart Kettlewell’s remarkable run as boss. And in another fabulous run Kevin van Veen rounded off his fabulous season with a couple of goal scoring records.

His goal after five minutes made it 11 games on the trot breaking both the club’s record run of scoring in 10 consecutive games held by Hughie Ferguson for over a century and the SPL one claimed by Mark Viduka 22 years ago.

And in memorable season for van Veen and ‘Well fans, the striker’s tally of 25 league goals also hoisted him to runner up to Celtic’s Kyogo Furuhashi.

His early strike should have unsettled a relegated United but instead Jim Goodwin’s gutsy side responded with goals from Jamie McGrath and Steven Fletcher.

But having looked down and out the Steelmen put the United defence under extreme pressure in the final 30 minutes. Blair Spittal’s equaliser paved the way for Max Johnston’s winner eight minutes from time.

There was a colourful carnival atmosphere inside a sun-drenched Fir Park as Motherwell set about making certain of ending the season 7th in the cinch Premiership.

The Fir Park fans showed little sympathy for their counterparts in the Tommy McLean stand, a predicament they might have faced themselves but for the astonishing run of form since Kettlewell took over the manager’s job.

With ‘Well’s central impressive defensive pairing Dan Casey and Calum Butcher still injured, it meant a rare home start for Bevis Mugabi and Shane Blaney. Free from any pressure of relegation, there was also a starting debut in midfield for 16 year-old Lennon Miller.

Jim Goodman’s men, on the other hand, faced mission impossible having to consign Motherwell to a heavy defeat while hoping Ross County faced a similar thrashing at Rugby Park.

Without a Tom Cruise type hero in their ranks and facing ‘Well’s goal scoring marvel, the Tannadice side never stood a chance of avoiding the drop to the Championship.

And it took van Veen less than five minutes to grab his 29th goal of the season and write himself into the record books.

Sean Goss dispossessed Glenn Middleton wide on the left and his low pass sent the Dutch striker racing towards goal. Having side stepped the advancing ‘keeper van Veen took time to steady himself from a tight angle to hammer the ball into the far corner of the goal.

That forced United to be even more adventurous and Middleton almost redeemed himself after 10 minutes but his drive 16 yards from goal was well blocked by Liam Kelly.

As the Tayside men pressed ‘Well deep into their own half more chances came their way.

Kelly twice left his line again to deny Middleton and then bravely at Kiernan Freeman’s feet. When that forced the ball back to Steven Fletcher, the former Scotland striker thought he had fired home the equaliser but Paul McGinn popped up on the goal line to clear.

At this stage, play was almost entirely contained in the Motherwell half but after 24 minutes the home side created a opening to double their lead. Van Veen fed the ball out to Stephen O’Donnell and by the time the full back whipped a cross to the back of the six-yard box, the ‘Well striker had raced to meet it only to guide his header back beyond the ‘keeper and his back post.

United’s commitment to attack was rewarded after 28 minutes when they were awarded a penalty following VAR intervention. Mugabi’s handball in the home box went unnoticed until referee Steven McLean was invited to review play on the touchline monitor.

That resulted in the ref pointing to the penalty spot and for the second time on his visit to Fir Park, Jamie McGrath struck his penalty kick low and under the right arm of the diving Kelly.

Five minutes later ‘Well passed up a terrific opportunity to regain the lead. This time van Veen was the provider clipping a delicate cross onto the head of the unmarked Mikael Mandron but 10 yards from goal he directed the ball well off target.

Instead, it was United who came close to taking the lead just before the interval. Freeman’s lofted cut back was met by the towering Fletcher but his downward header hit the outside of Kelly’s left hand post.

However, it took the Tannadice striker only three minutes into the second half to find the net. Peter Pawlett raced down the left and when he laid the ball across the box to the unmarked Fletcher he gave Kelly no chance confidently stroking the ball past the ‘keeper.

That sparked some much need life into the home side and the somewhat subdued ‘Well fans.

A Goss corner had the players packed in the visitor’s box and when the ball broke to Blair Spittal his thumping volley took a defection for another corner. Once again it found its way to Spittal and his floated ball into the six yard box was met by Mugabi. His powerful header looked certain to cross the line until Newman produced a fabulous one handed save to force the ball out.

The United ‘keeper then reacted quickly to block a shot from Mandron which took a wicked deflection on its way to goal.

The pressure on the visitor’s goal was intense and James Furlong was unlucky with a low effort which hit the foot of the post.

Having gained the momentum, Kettlewell made a triple substitution, after 63 minutes bringing on John Obika, Max Johnston and Callum Slattery.

Obika immediately had a strike just wide of goal but the equaliser was only delayed until the 69th minute.

A slick exchange between Obika and van Veen at the edge of the box set up Spittal and he drove the ball beyond Newman to make it 2-2.

Four minutes later the Fir Park fans were on their feet as Jonhston hammered the ball low across a packed goal line and into the corner of the net. But the celebrations were curtailed as ref ruled it out for an offside in the build-up.

Goss then had a chance to make it three when he raced through a static defence. But rather than finish it himself he elected to try and set up van Veen but from a tight angle he could only force a save from Newman.

With ten minutes reaming there was still a sense among the home stands that a winning goal was on the cards.

And it duly arrived in the 82nd minute after a steady build up involving half a dozen players around the United box. The delivery from Furlong across goal was tempting and Johnston gladly accepted sneaking in to powerfully head home as Motherwell recorded yet another win and end the season on a high.

Shane Blaney has had a very complex season. 

Starting by knocking Motherwell out of the Europa Conference League, to then joining Motherwell and battling back from injury to get into the team.

The Irish centre back has had to be patient for his chance in the starting 11 but believes he has shown the correct attitude whilst waiting in the wings.

Motherwell will be travelling to Delden, Holland for a seven day training camp ahead of the 2023/24 season.

Stuart Kettlewell’s men will head to Holland on the 24th June and will return on the 1st July.

The camp has been a popular destination for many football clubs, with Aberdeen, Holland youth international sides, Iceland, Turkey, Macabi Tel Aviv, FC Utrecht, AZ, Real Zaragoza and Club Brugge all visiting in previous years.

We plan to take part in friendly matches during the week.

News on pre-season matches will be announced when they have been confirmed.

The facilities can be found here.

Stuart Kettlewell discusses how is squad is looking ahead of their final match of the season against Dundee United. 

With Dundee United requiring a win and a eight goal swing to move off bottom spot, Kettlewell believes that they will throw the kitchen sink at Motherwell.

The manager has no doubts about motivation for their players as they were disappointed to only come away with a point in their previous match.