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Chief Executive Leeann Dempster has written to Motherwell fans this week detailing the latest news with the ‘Well Society.

We can now offer you the unique opportunity to be part of owning Scotland’s community and family club. Our retiring Chairman has passed on his shares in the club and our new ownership model has been approved by the regulator. After 125 years a new chapter in our history begins now.

The response to the idea has been overwhelmingly positive from our fans, the wider community and from the whole of Scotland. We have an optimistic vision for a sustainable and successful club anchored in our community.  Please play your part by joining and giving what you can to make this a reality.  Please also encourage your family and friends to do the same.

Now that we won’t have the generosity of our owner to fall back on we need to ensure we secure the Club with a base for growth and success.  The Board’s financial target for the Club is to create a “financial cushion” of £1.5 million to protect us against cash flow issues and any crisis.  We will always be a Club that wants to allow our players to move on to greater opportunities if they can and to put the proceeds to work for the development of the Club.  But we don’t want to sell any of our footballing assets unless it suits the Club and the player.  Our target will help with that.

We don’t know how much the membership scheme will raise – that is up to you – but we know we need to raise a minimum of £250,000 for it to be a viable proposition and we hope we can do much better and take us some way towards our financial cushion of £1.5m.

The benefits you accrue as a member start immediately and the Society itself will be incorporated when our minimum hurdle is met.  Our hope is that an initial two places on the Board can be elected by the summer of 2012 at the latest and more can follow as we prove the model is working.  We need people of talent who pass the ‘fit and proper’ test to be a Director of a company and this great club.

This is our moment.  We can be part of the rejuvenation of our national game and show the rest of the footballing world the mettle that makes this a very special club.  Lanarkshire has never been found wanting when there is work to be done.  We have the chance to show positively what can be achieved when people take responsibility and show ambition.

It is our Club, now it can be in every true sense, forever.

Leeann Dempster
Chief Executive

For more information on the Well Society, including membership benefits, rules and membership applications, please CLICK HERE.

Motherwell get back on the road tomorrow when the travel along they M8 to face Hearts at Tynecastle.

Tickets will be available on the gate with admission prices as follows:

• Concessions are listed as Over 65s and Full Time Students.
• Fans who require wheelchair access should contact Sharon or John McCaskie on 07745 494631 or email disabledfans@motherwellfc.co.uk.

SUPPORTERS ASSOCIATION COACHES

CENTRAL BRANCH

The bus for Tynecastle will leave the Bentley Hotel at 11am. Phone Jim on (01698) 299650 or e-mail Christopher on christopher_hutton@btinternet.com.

WISHAW BRANCH

The Wishaw bus to Tynecastle will leave at 11.30am. To book seats please call Anne on 01698 470 601 or email andrew.sim48@btinternet.com.

BELLSHILL & DISTRICT BRANCH

The Hearts bus will pick up at the Fir Park Club, Motherwell at 9.50am, then the Carousel Bar, Bellshill at 10am and finally the Holytown War Monument at 10.10am. Spaces are limited so to book your seat, contact Brian Worton on 07763 061821.

***ALL SUPPORTERS ASSOCIATION COACH TRAVEL WILL BE FREE OF CHARGE***

TRAVEL

BY CAR

The stadium is located to the West of the city and is easily accessible from the bypass.

Follow the M8 until its end and then take the A720 South towards Dalkeith. Leave the A720 to join the A71 and continue forward on to Gorgie Road. You will eventually come to the stadium on the left.

If travelling from the South, follow the A702 and then take the A720 North towards Dalkeith.

Street parking is available on numerous streets around the ground.

BY BUS

Several operators run buses to Edinburgh, departing every hour from Buchanan Station in Glasgow city centre.

Further information and timetables are available online at www.citylink.co.uk.

BY TRAIN

Haymarket station is served by trains from Glasgow and is within walking distance of the ground.

Upon leaving the station, turn right and then right again on to Dalry Road, which leads to Gorgie Road. You will eventually come to the stadium on the right.

Further information and timetables are available online at www.scotrail.co.uk.

FAN INFORMATION

PARKING

Supporters using car-parking facilities in the Russell Road & McLeod Street areas are reminded that there is no access to car parks from Russell Road.

All vehicle movement will be prevented approximately ½ an hour before kick-off and for approximately ½ an hour post match to ensure the safe arrival and dispersal of pedestrians.

VISITING SUPPORTERS COACHES

Drivers of Motherwell supporters coaches transporting fans to the fixture should be aware that the coaches will be subjected to searches by the Police for any alcohol in contravention of the Criminal Law (procedure) (Scotland) Act 1995.

Coach drivers should also be aware that due to tram works Russell Road is now closed to through traffic, although pedestrian access is maintained.

After dropping supporters off at the McLeod Street turnstiles, there should be sufficient parking in Russell Road for 4 coaches to park up in Russell Road near to the Sauchiebank industrial estate, to park up facing south in preparation for dispersal. The area set aside for parking of the remaining visiting coaches is the south side of West Coates in front of Donaldson’s school.

Supporters will then be expected to walk to and from the stadium from that location via the Roseburn junction, into Russell Road and then into McLeod Street where the visiting support turnstiles are situated. Coach drivers are asked to remain with vehicles and that the travelling supporters have a contact mobile number for the driver to ensure the support is aware where to head for at the end of the game.

PEDESTRIAN ACCESS

Visiting supporters should be aware that there is a narrowing of the roadway in Russell Road near to Sauchiebank and this may slow down pedestrian access to and from the match.

A plan is in place to ensure the safety of pedestrians through this area.

Your co-operation in this matter is appreciated.

MAP

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Midfielder Nicky Law admits he is looking forward to sampling the atmosphere at Tynecastle after hearing good things from his teammates.

The home of the Jambos has won widespread from praise for its atmosphere on big matches.

And Law, going to Gorgie for the first time, hopes his first visit will yield another three points on the road.

“It’s certainly going to be a tough place to go and win if we want to maintain our excellent away form,” Law admitted.

“It’s my first time, obviously, but the other lads have spoken really highly of playing at Tynecastle so I am looking forward to it.

“Despite their problems, Hearts will probably still be there or there abouts come the split so it’s important we try and put as much light between us if possible.”

-WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW ON MFC TV-

‘Well boss Stuart McCall expects a determined and difficult Hearts to turn out at Tynecastle tomorrow, despite off-field troubles.

The Gorgie club have had their problems to seek in recent times, but turned in a terrific performance last weekend, crushing Dunfermline 4-0.

And McCall is sure his side will face the sternest test possible when they line up for the 1pm kick-off in Edinburgh.

“What is happening to the players is difficult but come kick-off, I am absolutely sure they will all be up for it,” he said.

“We’ll have to be at our very best to get a result. I used to love playing at Tynecastle when I was a player and we had two great games there last season.

“Hopefully it’ll be an exciting match for the fans that go along.”

-WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW ON MFC TV-

The Wonga Cash Dash takes place at Tynecastle tomorrow and we are looking for one ‘Well fan to represent the club against Hearts.

For those who have not yet seen it, the Cash Dash is a race in two giant Zorb balls, with one Hearts fan getting to compete against an away fan, across the Tynecastle turf.

The winner will be the fan who crosses the finishing line first, and will earn themselves £250, courtesy of Wonga.

In addition, Wonga are also donating £250 to the Big Hearts Charity.

For your chance to win £250 and to also be the supporter* that represents Motherwell, enter the Wonga Cash Dash now: CLICK HERE. Go to the Hearts Football tab and enter your details for your chance to win £250.

To enter for the Xmas Eve race, remember to go to our Facebook page HERE NOW!

The closing date for all entries is Friday 23rd December.

* One fan to be selected at random and will notified by phone or email. You must be 18 years old to take part and have a ticket to the game.

Jamie Murphy is the first Fir Park star to take part in the MFC TV 10-yard bucket challenge.

The winner, who’ll scoop a fourball at one of Scotland’s top courses as a prize, will be the player who can chip the ball into the bucket in the least amount of shots.

First up is former Scotland U21 star Jamie Murphy – who plays off a 12 at the Milngavie Golf Club.

-WATCH TO SEE HOW LONG IT TOOK THE STRIKER TO CHIP IN-

The Fast Track Tribunal has upheld the suspension offered to Steve Jennings and the midfielder will now miss the next two matches.

The club contested the original offer from the Compliance Officer after notification on Tuesday afternoon.

The player, along with club representatives, were at Hampden today, however the three-person Judicial Panel agreed with the original complaint of ‘Breach of Disciplinary Rule 200’ and the player will now sit out the matches with Hearts at Tynecastle and the Dunfermline fixture at Fir Park.

The club are disappointed with the outcome but respect the judgement of the panel.

Motherwell FC today (Wednesday) notified the SFA of the clubs’ intent to contest the fixed two-match suspension offered to Steve Jennings by the Compliance Officer.

The matter will now be referred to the Judicial Panel with a Fast Track Tribunal convened tomorrow (Thursday, 22nd December).

The club will make no further comment until after that process has been complete.

Scouser Steve Jennings has been confirm as the Cash Converters Player of the Month for November.

Jennings has excelled for the ‘Well throughout November. Together with Keith Lasley is the midfield the former Tranmere man has been instrumental in pushing the team towards 3rd in the league and keeping the gap close behind the Old Firm.

The award was presented to Steve by Laura Scobbie, who voted for Steve at the Cash Converters SPL Facebook page.

For your chance to present the December award, all you need to do is vote for which Motherwell player you think has been our stand-out performer over the last four weeks, and, if you are correct, you could be chosen at random from all entries received to congratulate our star man in person.

To cast your vote, go to Cash Converters Facebook page – Cash Converters SPL or CLICK HERE.

Referee for this Saturday’s Clydesdale Bank Premier League clash with Hearts will be the experienced Crawford Allan.

It will be Crawford’s third ‘Well game of the current season, his first was the instantly forgettable 3-0 home defeat at the hands of St Johnstone in September and the other was the 3-2 win in Inverness a month late, goals coming from Shaun Hutchinson, Keith Lasley and Tom Hateley.

He’ll no doubt be a familiar face to Fir Park fans, having handled three games last season too.

He was the man in the middle for the 4-0 win over St Johnstone last November thanks to a hat-trick from Nick Blackman and a single John Sutton strike.

Three months later he was back at Fir Park when a John Sutton penalty was enough to give ‘Well a 1-0 win over local rivals Hamilton Accies. He also handled the 1-1 draw with Kilmarnock in May when Steve Jones’ opener was cancelled out by Willy Aubameyang.

The season previous, he was the man in the middle for the 3-1 success early in Jim Gannon’s reign when John Sutton, Ross Forbes and Shaun Hutchinson gave the ‘Well all three points over Kilmarnock.

Monthly later he officiated the 1-1 draw with Aberdeen when Gary McDonald, who would later be ordered off, cancelled out a Lukas Jutkiewicz opener.

Tragically, Allan took charge of the ‘Well game on the 29th December 2007, forever etched in history as the date when Phil O’Donnell tragically passed away in the 5-3 victory over Dundee United.

Phil’s death had a profound effect on the whistler, a Grade 1 official for eleven seasons, but he won heartfelt praise for the way he handled what was an extremely difficult situation and his sensitive approach is and was appreciated by everyone at Motherwell Football Club.

In another twist of fate, Allan is only one of two referees to have ever refereed a Motherwell away game at Fir Park as the Steelmen faced hosts Gretna during the 2007/2008 campaign.

His record in charge of the ‘Well is a fairly decent one, with the Fir Parkers winning six, drawing four and losing one (the aforementioned defeat by St Johnstone three months ago) of the eleven games in total. In those games, 28 players have seen yellow, thirteen in Claret and Amber, whilst three have been sent for an early bath.

Allan will be ably assisted by Alasdair Ross and Willie Conquer with Frank McDermott on fourth official duties.