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With the 2020/21 season at an end, we can provide supporters with the following update on players’ contracts.

Leaving the club after 12 years on the books in the academy and then the first team, Allan Campbell will depart at the end of his contract this summer.

The tenacious young midfielder leaves having made 160 appearances before the age of 23, and also becoming one of the most-capped players at Under 21 level for Scotland.

Also departing at the end of their contracts are club captain Declan Gallagher, alongside fellow first-team squad members Aaron Chapman, Sam Foley, Christopher Long, Ross MacIver, Liam Polworth, Harry Robinson, Sherwin Seedorf and Jamie Semple.

Six loan players will officially depart shortly. Jake Hastie, Liam Kelly, Tyler Magloire, Eddie Nolan, Jordan Roberts and Harry Smith will all return to their parent clubs.

Youngsters Findlay Cook, Paul Hale, Yusuf Hussain, Matthew McDonald, Sam Muir, Lewis Robertson and Cammy Williamson will also leave.

We have offered new deals to and/or invited back for pre-season Devante Cole, Dean Cornelius, Charles Dunne and Scott Fox. We will provide updates as soon as possible on their decisions.

“I would like to place on record my thanks to everyone who will leave the club this summer for their contributions and efforts,” Motherwell boss Graham Alexander said. “We wish each of them success in their future endeavours.

“We not only remain in positive discussions with some of our players but also with a number of clubs in relation to one or two players we had on loan, with a view to doing something. But these things take some time.

“The process of rebuilding the squad is well underway.”

The following players will leave at the expiry of their contract:

• Allan Campbell
• Aaron Chapman
• Findlay Cook
• Sam Foley
• Declan Gallagher
• Paul Hale
• Yusuf Hussain
• Christopher Long
• Ross MacIver
• Matthew McDonald
• Sam Muir
• Liam Polworth
• Lewis Robertson
• Harry Robinson
• Sherwin Seedorf
• Jamie Semple
• Cammy Williamson

The following players’ loan periods will end early next month:

• Jake Hastie (Rangers)
• Liam Kelly (Queens Park Rangers)
• Tyler Magloire (Blackburn Rovers)
• Eddie Nolan (Crewe Alexandra)
• Jordan Roberts (Heart of Midlothian)
• Harry Smith (Northampton Town)

The following players have been offered extended deals or invited to return for pre-season training:

• Devante Cole
• Dean Cornelius
• Charles Dunne
• Scott Fox

Motherwell edged out a closely-fought encounter against Hearts 1-0 in SWPL1 on Sunday.

Jade Gallon’s penalty was enough to secure all three points in the capital, lifting Motherwell into sixth place in the table.

In the first 25 minutes, both sides struggled to get a foothold in the game. Motherwell had a penalty claim turned down early on, after Pullar had a collision with the goalkeeper.

However, on 37 minutes, Motherwell would be awarded a spot kick.

Gallon was brought down in the penalty area and the referee pointed straight to the spot.

After winning the penalty, Gallon took on the kicking duties and fired her team ahead after slotting home in the bottom-left corner.

Hearts’ best chance of the first half came after a ball was played down the line to put Jenny Smith through one on one with the keeper but she fired wide.

The hosts continued to put pressure on Motherwell in the second half with a range of chances for the Jambos. They would go on to hit the bar from a cutback and had numerous efforts off target.

Despite intense pressure, Motherwell dug deep to hold onto their slender lead and come out with all the points and a clean sheet.

The result sees ‘Well move up into sixth place in the table and go into their next game against Spartans with a huge boost of confidence.

The draw for the group stage of the 2021/22 Premier Sports Cup will be held on Friday 28 May.

Motherwell will be in the hat ahead of four matches in July, prior to the commencement of the league season.

The draw will take place at 1pm and will be published in full here afterwards.

It’s Hearts next for Motherwell in SWPL.

Kick-off at the Oriam on Sunday is at 1pm.

The game is closed to supporters and unfortunately is not available to watch online. BBC Scotland will show highlights on TV on Sunday night.

Tale of the tape

Motherwell have come out on top in both league encounters so far this season.

A 3-0 away win earlier in the campaign was followed up by a 2-1 home win last month.

Form guide

Motherwell’s battling show against league leaders Glasgow City again pointed to things going in the right direction as the league races to its conclusion.

Prior to the 4-2 defeat on Wednesday, Stewart Hall’s side narrowly lost out 1-0 to Hibernian, having defeated Forfar Farmington previously.

Hearts’ 2-1 win over Forfar on Wednesday brought them back to within two points of Motherwell at the foot of the table.

Since their 1-0 win over Hibernian in December, the Jambos had lost nine and drawn one before their midweek victory.

Martin Foyle has left his role as Motherwell FC’s head of recruitment.

The Englishman has departed for Northampton Town, ending his six-year stint at Fir Park.

During his tenure, Martin was involved in the successful recruitment of a string of players who not only contributed greatly in claret and amber, but also helped generate transfer fees for the club.

“We thank Martin for his six years at Motherwell,” chief executive Alan Burrows said.

“His hard work and endeavours during that spell helped us recruit quality players, which played their part in fantastic success on and off the park.

“Martin and the club had decided to mutually part ways several months ago. Therefore, we have already appointed a replacement, who has been working with manager Graham Alexander on summer business. His appointment will be announced shortly.”

We wish Martin all the best for the future.

Paul Brownlie will be the new head coach of Motherwell’s women’s team.

The 38-year-old, who will also undertake the role of head of women and girl’s performance, will join ‘Well from the Scottish FA at the end of the current women’s season.

“I’m delighted to be given this opportunity,” said Brownlie, who will officially take over in early June. “The challenge is going to be exciting.

“First and foremost, it’s about getting Motherwell FC in the best position possible through my experience of the game, looking at how we can go and compete at the right end of the league.

“In terms of the academy, we want to get it out the best level possible, and that remit falls with me.

“We want Motherwell to be the place girls want to come to develop in Scotland. We need only to look at the success the boys have had and ask if we can mirror that success by putting in the work to make it one of the best academies in Scotland.”

Brownlie has extensive experience in the women’s game, having been a senior member of Celtic’s women’s academy for seven years.

The Scottish FA then headhunted him to be their high performance football manager, which involved the planning, coordinating, delivering and evaluating all aspects of the National Performance Centre’s performance programme, based at Heriot-Watt University, in conjunction with the Scottish FA’s national coach for girl’s & women’s football.

In addition to that, Paul was also involved in the youth and senior women’s international teams, including the Under 15s, 16s, 17s and the A squad. He also coached in the Motherwell elite men’s academy at Braidhurst between 2018 and 2020.

“We ran what I believe to be a very extensive and robust recruitment process through Sport Careers Agency, which has concluded with Paul’s appointment,” Motherwell chief executive Alan Burrows said.

“I am extremely thankful to everyone who applied and took part in that, which was both enlightening and exciting.

“In Paul, I believe I have someone who can not only lead our senior team in SWPL1 but also help us shape what we hope will be one of the best girls academies in the country.

“My aim has always been to have someone to really drive this side of the club forward. To give ownership to someone to really grow what we believe is an area of huge potential.

“We believe Paul not only has the ability and experience necessary to do that but the determination for it too. I am really looking forward to working with him.”

Motherwell put in a spirited performance but ultimately fell short as they were beaten 4-2 by league leaders and current champions Glasgow City.

Rosie Slater and Kodie Hay got on the scoresheet for the ‘Well but it was not enough to take anything from the game.

It was Glasgow City who broke the deadlock after nine minutes, Leanne Ross’ free kick getting the better of Pollard at her near post.

However, Motherwell limited Glasgow City to very few clearcut chances and it would be the women of steel who would find the next goal in the game.

Slater’s high deep cross on 31 minutes would be enough to beat Clachers in the City goal, putting Motherwell back on level terms.

Their lead however would only last a minute. Straight from kick-off, Glasgow City broke through the heart of the Motherwell team and Gallon, whilst attempting to clear the ball, fouled Colvill in the area and the referee pointed straight to the spot.

Fulton made no mistake from 12 yards and City were back in front.

The visitors thought they had put themselves on the path to three points on the stroke of half-time. After a one-two with Shine, Colvill fired into the net to make it 3-1 to City.

But Motherwell came out firing in the second half and got off to the perfect start. Inglis, after some good work down the left wing, saw her ball across palmed away by Clachers but land straight at Hay, who fired home to reduce the deficit to one goal.

Five minutes later, however, Glasgow City restored their two-goal advantage. A short corner was eventually worked to Van Wyk on the edge of the box who powered it home to make it 4-2 to the visitors.

Motherwell continued to fight and limited City to very few opportunities thereafter. The scoreline finished 4-2 with Motherwell travelling to Edinburgh on Sunday to take on bottom of the table Hearts.

Declan Gallagher and Stephen O’Donnell are in the Scotland squad for EURO 2020.

The Motherwell pair have been selected in Steve Clarke’s 26-man squad for the tournament, which starts on 14 June against Czech Republic at Hampden.

Having both played a key role in qualification for the tournament, the defensive duo have been rewarded with their place in the final selection.

Gallagher and O’Donnell are the first Motherwell pair to represent Scotland at a major international tournament.

They are also the first representatives of the club to play at a finals since Tommy Coyne represented Republic of Ireland at the 1994 World Cup.

Also included is Motherwell academy graduate David Turnbull, who earns his first call to the Scotland squad in recognition of his talent and form, having recovered from a serious knee injury while with the club.

Everyone at Motherwell FC is proud of all three boys for their selection.