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Tom Aldred has long had his eye on another crack at top flight football in Scotland.

The central defender, who has signed on loan at Motherwell until the end of the 2017/18 season, had a short spell in the Scottish Premiership earlier in his career with Inverness CT.

Having also represented the country at youth level, the 27-year-old wasn’t going to pass up the chance to move to Fir Park when the chance arose.

“Playing in the Scottish Premiership was something I was really interested in,” he said on his arrival. “I’m looking forward to getting going.

“I am familiar with Scotland. My mum’s side of the family are Scottish and I’ve visited up here a few times.

[pullquote]I keep an eye on Scottish football and I’m aware Motherwell have had a good season so far.[/pullquote]

“Obviously with them doing well in the cup as well. I know a few of the boys as well I’ve played with, and against, in England.”

Aldred moves from Bury, where he joined from Blackpool in the summer, having taken the Seasiders to League One via the play-offs.

The towering defender adds to Stephen Robinson’s options in the centre back positions

“Wherever you go now, there’s competition for places,” he said. “Anywhere you go at any team, at any level. The more competition, the best it brings out in yourself.

“I am really looking forward to it, to getting my head down, working hard and being the best I can be for the football club.”

Motherwell Football Club are delighted to announce the loan signing of Tom Aldred from Bury.

The central defender has joined until the end of the 2017/18 campaign and will boost the defensive options available to manager Stephen Robinson.

Aldred has previous experience of playing in the Scottish top flight with Inverness CT and has also been capped at youth level in this country.

“I am really looking forward to it, to getting my head down, working hard and being the best I can be for the football club,” he said on his arrival.

[pullquote]Playing in the Scottish Premiership was something I was really interested in. I’m looking forward to getting going.[/pullquote]

The 27-year-old started his career with Carlisle United in 2008, before a move to Watford two years later.

After loan spells with Stockport County and Inverness CT, Aldred moved on to Colchester United, with further temporary stints at Torquay United and Barrow.

Regular games followed in 2012 after a move to Accrington Stanley, where he made 94 appearances before a move to the English Championship with Blackpool.

A regular with the Seasiders over the course of three seasons, the towering defender was their captain as they won the League Two play-off final last campaign.

A move to Bury followed in the summer under former Kilmarnock boss Lee Clark, where he made 23 appearances this season before the switch to Fir Park.

“We were clear from the start of the January window we were looking to increase our options in central defence.” manager Robinson said of his signing.

“Tom ticks that box and arrives at the club with plenty experience under his belt.

“We tried to get him in the summer, so we are delighted to finally have him at Motherwell.”

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.

Stephen Robinson was clear in his message to his Motherwell players before they headed for Tenerife.

The visit to the Canary Islands was an opportunity for the squad to work hard and rediscover the spirit and form that launched the team high up the Scottish Premiership, and to the Betfred Cup final, in the first half of the season.

As the team prepare to head home to Scotland, the manager says it is clear that the trip has done the trick.

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

“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.”

Motherwell ended their trip to Tenerife with a win in a friendly match against Ostersunds FK.

The Swedish side, who will play in the last 32 of the Europa League against Arsenal in February, were defeated 1-0 thanks to Allan Campbell’s goal.

The match was played in slightly different conditions from normal. Each half lasted 35 minutes, and there were rolling subs available to both managers as well.

Motherwell took the lead towards the end of the first half.

Richard Tait’s switch of play to the left found Adam Livingstone. The wing back’s delivery was deep and, under pressure from Curtis Main, the opposition keeper spilled the ball at the feet of the onrushing Allan Campbell, who steered the ball home from close range.

There were runouts for new signings Main and Nadir Çiftçi, with most on the trip getting minutes under their belts.

Andy Rose is loving his football at the moment. 

Under the stewardship of Stephen Robinson, the Australian midfielder says he is learning new things every day – and that he cannot wait for domestic football to return in a week.

“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.”

Tactically astute, Rose has particularly enjoyed the preparation and focus that is put in to training and matches.

He said: “Coming in the the season we had so many new faces that I’m sure a lot of people wouldn’t be sure how we’d get on.

“I think we raised our own expectations quite quickly – we nailed down a system and everyone bought in to it.

“There’s been a lot of things that have been new to me but it’s been really enjoyable.

“It’s something I want to get in to later in my career and maybe in my next career, so I just try to soak up as much as I can.

“One thing that sticks in my mind is when we switched shape leading up to the Aberdeen away league match.

“We went with a diamond and had only worked on it a few days that week but the manager and all of the coaching staff are so good and bedding things in for us that we went and turned in a great performance in a shape that we weren’t used to.”

With his attention firmly focused on the second half of the 2017/18 campaign, Rose is relishing a return to action but admits the team can also be proud of their efforts so far.

“Things dipped a bit towards the end of the year for various reasons,” he admitted. “We’re not going to make excuses but things certainly went against us, but it’s very important to get things back on track.

“We’ve made a great connection with the fans this season so it’s been enjoyable to play in front of them and we’ve made some long lasting memories.

“When you look back on the first half of the season as a whole, there are so many things that we can be proud of, as well as focus on things that we can get back to.”

There is plenty of hard work underway in Tenerife.

And for the injured Chris Cadden, Peter Hartley and Craig Tanner, the road to recovery is stepping up a gear in the heat of the Canary Islands.

“It’s something you don’t want to get used to, being injured,” admitted Cadden. “It’s really hard work to get back fit and you miss being on the pitch, kicking the ball about.

“Football is the best job in the world and you want to be involved and training.”

Hartley added: “You just want to be training when you see the boys training in the weather and stuff.

“It’s a bit frustrating but in a sense it’s a good time to come. I knew I had to get the Christmas games out of the way before getting the injection in my foot and now we’ve got a bit of time before our next game so I’ll be taking that time and making sure I’m ready.”

Overseeing their recovery is physio David Henderson, who revealed just how hard the group are working.

He said: “They’re really good, they work hard every day and the main thing is they’re 100% committed to their training and trying to get as fit as they can as soon as they can.”

‘Well boss Stephen Robinson is pleased with the progress he has seen and believes the boys could be fit for the first fixture of 2018.

“We felt the boys that we’ve brought have a good chance for the Hamilton game and it was best for them to come with us,” the manager said.

“It was important they travelled and it’s not a holiday for them – they’re working four times a day, they’re working hard and they’re buying in to it as well.”

Day three of Tenerife saw Motherwell players hard at work again out on the training ground.

Stephen Robinson’s side were put through their paces in an extended morning session, before hitting the gym and taking in other sports, with some players also trying their hand at beach volleyball.

Watch behind-the-scenes footage of the Steelmen being put through their paces during warm-weather training in Tenerife.

When he spoke after the defeat to Hamilton Academical at the close of 2017, Richard Tait cut a despondent figure as the year ended on a low.

After the highs of a strong start to the season and a place in the Betfred Cup final, the team’s form took a dip as the season wound down to the winter break.

After a short time away, the playing squad are now in Tenerife for an intensive mid-season training camp.

And having spent time abroad with his team-mates, and seeing the arrivals of Curtis Main and Nadir Ciftci, the defender is in a much more positive frame in mind going into the second half of the season.

“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.

[pullquote]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.[/pullquote]

“To use this experience here in Tenerife, it is time to go back to work. We’ve had a little break. It was nice to get away but we are here to work. We aren’t here to have a jolly up.”

Joining the squad out in the Canary Islands are new signings Curtis Main and Nadir Ciftci.

Both have integrated with the squad quickly and Tait puts that down to the attitudes of both the new boys and the ethics already in place.

“We went down to the front earlier after training to have a coffee with most of the team and you don’t usually get to do that,” he said. “It’s nice to be together.

“For the new lads, to come down and be thrown straight into this environment is great from them to get to know the boys.

“Attitude is massive for us. I think a lot of the boys pride themselves on how their attitudes are. No-one will be frightened to tell anyone if they’re attitude isn’t right.

“They will get told straight away by not just the manager, but the lads won’t have it either. I think it’s a good thing. Everyone has a standard they know they’ve got to reach.”