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Motherwell’s first four signings ahead of the new SWPL1 season are here.

Goalkeeper Khym Ramsay has been recruited from Rangers. She joins defender Hollie Thomson, who returns after a spell out of the game with injury.

Midfielder Lauryn Reside returns to the club after a year with Celtic, while forward Lori Gardner signs on again having spent 2019 with the women of steel.

Further additions to Eddie Wolecki Black’s side will be announced throughout the week.

Motherwell open the SWPL1 season with a trip to face Forfar Farmington on Sunday, 23 February. Kick-off at Station Park is at 2pm.

On Sunday, the team were 5-3 winners over Dundee United in the first friendly ahead of the new campaign.

The team will play friendlies against Dunfermline Athletic away on Sunday, 26 January and St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park on Sunday, 2 February.

We’re delighted to announce the return of Eddie Wolecki Black as the head of our women’s football department.

The 54-year-old returns to the club following a previous, highly-successful spell as manager in the 2018 season, where he took the team to an unbeaten SWPL2 campaign and promotion to the top flight.

He returns as the team prepare for their second season in SWPL1, having comfortably secured their status in 2019.

“I’m excited to be back at Motherwell,” he said on his return. “There’s an opportunity to grow the club further and my day-to-day remit will be doing that.

“Instantly when I came back I felt part of things again. This is a club that is determined to improve in every aspect, working together to achieve that, and that motivates me greatly.”

Wolecki Black will be responsible for all areas of women’s football at Motherwell, from first team level through to youth level, and is tasked with the strategy, growth and development of the club.

He will also lead the first team as manager, with two assistant coaches to be appointed shortly.

Motherwell chief executive Alan Burrows added: “The opportunity to welcome Eddie back was one we instantly took up when it arose.

“With the team now established in the top division, and with the pace at which the game is continuing to grow, being able to bring him in with all his experience on a daily basis is another big step forward for the club.”

After success in his first spell at the club, Wolecki Black was head hunted by Celtic towards the end of the 2018 season.

His year was at Celtic Park was also successful, with the Hoops finishing in joint second spot and improving their points tally by 13 on the previous campaign.

Prior to his time at Fir Park, the 54-year-old won four trebles in four years at Glasgow City – lifting the Scottish Women’s Premier League title, Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup each season.

He also managed SPFL sides Montrose and Airdrieonians, as well as a short stint at Lowland League outfit Edusport, now known as Caledonian Braves.

Motherwell will kick off the 2020 Scottish Women’s Premier League season at Forfar Farmington.

After securing top-flight status last campaign after promotion the season prior, Station Park will be the first venue of the new year on Sunday, 23 February.

A home match with Hibernian will then follow on Sunday, 15 March at Ravenscraig.

Donald Jennow is to step down from his role as Motherwell’s head coach, following the conclusion of the SWPL1 campaign.

Jennow arrived at Motherwell two years ago as assistant to Eddie Wolecki Black and together they helped mastermind a storming SWPL2 title-winning season.

When Wolecki Black switched to Celtic, Jennow was promoted to the top job and took his side to the final of the SSE Scottish Women’s Cup, where they lost to Hibernian.

This season, Jennow has rebuilt his team and consolidated ‘Well’s spot in the top flight, whilst again enjoying a good run in the cup, eliminated once again by Hibs at the semi-final stage.

Jennow is stepping down to concentrate on home and work life, although the former Airdrieonians assistant hasn’t ruled out a return to the dugout at some point in the future.

“I can’t thank Donald enough for his contribution to Motherwell in the two years he’s been with us,” chief executive Alan Burrows said.

“We are very sorry to be losing him, but we also understand and completely respect his reasons.

“Donald has been helping us redraw some of the structure and strategy around our women’s department and we hope to start implementing some of those recommendations very soon, whilst also looking to replace him with a high-calibre candidate.”

Jennow added: “I have really enjoyed my time at Motherwell and am grateful to Alan for the opportunity to lead the team and represent this fantastic club.

“I want to thank all the players and back room team who give up so much to do their best for the team.

“Together we secured our position in the league and reached the semi final of the Scottish Cup.

“The players can be proud of what they achieved and I will watch on and hope they continue to improve.”

Motherwell’s first SWPL1 season ended with defeat on Sunday to champions Glasgow City.

Donald Jennow’s side suffered a 9-0 reverse at Petershill Park, as the UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-finalists breached the 100-goal mark in the 21-game season.

Motherwell have now finished sixth in the eight-team league, having also reached the last four of the SSE Scottish Women’s Cup.

Motherwell are on the road for the final game of the SWPL1 season, facing Glasgow City on Sunday.

Kick-off at Petershill Park in Glasgow is at 2pm.

Tale of the tape

Glasgow City’s status as SWPL1 champions was confirmed after their last visit to face the women of steel in late October, with a 10-0 win landing them their 13th consecutive league title.

A surprise 4-1 defeat in their last outing at Celtic ended hopes of a 100% league record in 2019, and also ended a 72-game unbeaten run in the league which dated back to June 2016.

Their season won’t end on Sunday, however. The SSE Scottish Women’s Cup final awaits next Sunday against Hibernian at Tynecastle, before a UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-final double header against Wolfsburg.

Motherwell started positively on the return from the summer break, securing top flight status and reaching the semi-finals of the SSE Scottish Women’s Cup final, before losing to Hibernian.

However, they’ve now not won in seven, drawing one and losing six.

LEAGUE POSITIONS

Motherwell – sixth in SWPL1 – 19 points

Glasgow City – first in SWPL1 – 57 points

Head to head

The two teams have met twice in the 2019 season on SWPL1 business. City won 8-0 at home in the first match, before the aforementioned 10-0 victory away.

WHAT THEY SAID

“We couldn’t have picked a harder opponent to end the season against,” head coach Donald Jennow said.

“Glasgow City still have some big games coming up, so we know they will continue to be relentless in searching for another win.

“For us, it’s a chance to test ourselves again and see what we can produce. We will work on our strengths and areas we think we can exploit.

“But it isn’t all about what happens on Sunday. Our objective was to stay in the division and we’ve achieved that comfortably, as well as reaching the last four of the Scottish Cup.”

Motherwell’s hopes of finishing fifth in SWPL1 ended on Sunday, after a 3-1 defeat to Rangers.

The women of steel had the lead at Ravenscraig early on through Katie Rice’s long-range effort.

But they were pegged back to guarantee a sixth-placed finish in the eight-team league.

The objective from the off was to stay in the league, and Donald Jennow’s side matched up against their opponents well in a keenly-contested affair.

But after Rice’s strike in the 19th minute, Gregory Vignal’s side struck through Hannah Robertson and Brogan Hay to go in at the interval ahead.

Rosie McQuillan added the third in the second half, as Rangers took all three points.

Motherwell travel to take on champions Glasgow City next Sunday in the final game of the SWPL1 season.

While it is still mathematically possible to catch fifth-placed Spartans on points, with a three-point gap, their goal difference is 22 goals superior.

Motherwell: Hunter, Doran-Barr, Inglis, Crosbie, Connor, Cairney, McEachran, Adams, Rice, Gardner, Callaghan.

It’s Motherwell’s final home game of the 2019 SWPL1 season on Sunday, as Rangers visit Ravenscraig.

The women of steel are still pursuing fifth spot with two games left in the campaign.

Kick-off is at 2.30pm at Ravenscraig.

LEAGUE POSITIONS

Motherwell – sixth in SWPL1 – 19 points

Rangers – fourth in SWPL1 – 28 points

WHAT THEY SAID

“We showed character last week to come from behind to claim a point,” head coach Donald Jennow said.

“Off the back of five defeats against some of the strongest teams in the division, it was important we got back on track.

“With two games to go, we are still in with a chance of taking fifth spot. The onus is on us to get the points to put us in with a chance of achieving that goal.

“Whatever happens, our objective was to stay in this division and be competitive. We secured our status a long time ago now, and we have gone a long way towards becoming an established top flight side.

“Making it to fifth spot would be another achievement, and we will continue to push for it in our two final games.”

Match programme

You can download our Motherwell v Rangers match programme here.

Motherwell claimed a point in the race for fifth away to nearest challengers Spartans on Sunday.

Goals from Lori Gardner and Katie Rice completed a comeback draw for Donald Jennow’s side, as they arrested a run of five straight defeats.

After early chances for the women of steel, Spartans had the lead after 20 minutes.

Clelland got down the left and found Galbraith at the near post, who slotted the ball past Vincenti in the Motherwell goal.

Then with six minutes left in the first half, the hosts doubled their advantage through Katie Frew’s long-range effort.

Motherwell would not be deterred however, and halved the deficit just before the break as Gardner fired home.

The visitors continued to press and would be handed the chance from the spot with five minutes to go, with Rice dispatching the spot kick.

Motherwell should then have had a second spot kick at the death, were to be denied the chance to take all three points.

Next up is the visit of Rangers on Sunday, 3 November in the final home game of the 2019 season.

Motherwell: Vincenti, Connor, Inglis, Rolph, Doran-Barr, Adams, McEachran, Rice, Gardner, Callaghan, Cairney.

It’s a trip to Edinburgh on Sunday for Motherwell in SWPL1, as Donald Jennow’s side take on near-challengers Spartans.

After enduring defeat to Glasgow City in midweek as the league giants went for the win that would give them the title, the women of steel now face a side they’re chasing to try and finish above in the league.

Kick-off is at 1pm at Ainslie Park. Adult entry is £5, concessions £3 and Under 16s go for free.

LEAGUE POSITIONS

Spartans – fifth in SWPL1 – 20 points

Motherwell – sixth in SWPL1 – 18 points

Head to head

Motherwell are looking to claim back fifth spot in the league with a victory, albeit knowing their opponents still have two games in hand as the season races to its close.

The two sides have faced each other five times since the first meeting in 2017, which finished 4-3 to Spartans in the SWPL Cup.

Victory for then-second-tier Motherwell in the SSE Scottish Women’s Cup semi-final last October was a hugely significant win for the team, setting up a place in the final against Hibernian.

In the league this campaign, Spartans were 3-1 winners on Motherwell’s last trip east, with a 0-0 draw at Ravenscraig last time out.

Spartans were also 5-0 SWPL Cup winners in Motherwell earlier this campaign.

WHAT THEY SAID

“This is a chance for us to put the disappointment of the last few weeks behind us and finish the season strongly,” head coach Jennow said.

“We’ve had to come up against all of the top four in our last five matches, so we have to ensure that doesn’t take its toll.

“Spartans are also strong, as we’ve found out this season. But we know realistically we need to get a positive result to have a chance of finishing above them in the table.”