Motherwell

Jane Lewis
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

They say never go back... yet that’s exactly what Tony Watt has done.

In fact, when it comes to Motherwell, it’s what a few others have done. James McFadden did it three times, Stephen Pearson had three spells too.

Watt maybe falls into a slightly different category. Yes, he enjoyed a fairly successful two-year spell at Fir Park before his departure in January 2022.

He was popular with fans, scored 19 goals in 70 appearances, and it looked like he’d finally found a home after flitting between eight clubs since leaving Celtic.

Yet he then uppped sticks and left for Dundee United. It was the right move for him at the time - you need to look after your family financially, right?

But some Motherwell fans didn’t see it that way. They took exception to, in their eyes, such betrayal, and it will be interesting to see how they respond to his return.

Manager Stuart Kettlewell said he "jumped at the chance" to bring the 30-year-old striker back to Fir Park.

Injuries to key players, including newly-signed striker Apostolos Stamatelopoulos, perhaps instigated the move, but Watt himself insists he "was itching to join Motherwell again and can’t wait to get stuck in".

He admits some supporters may need persuading, but at least he’s brave enough to acknowledge that.

And he seems intent in proving himself to fans. If he does that then surely the hurt they felt two years ago when he walked out will be forgotten.

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Motherwell back-up goalkeeper Matty Connelly has rejoined East Kilbride on loan until January.

The 21-year-old, who signed a new 12-month deal at Fir Park this summer, spent the final months of last term on loan at the Lowland League club, making 11 appearances.

So Tony Watt is back in the claret and amber, and he's ready to get the full Motherwell support behind him... even if he doesn't have their backing right now.

With his comments in mind, how do you feel about the striker's return to Fir Park?

Shrewd business by Stuart Kettlewell, or going over old ground?

Let us know your thoughts here., external

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Tony Watt "is ready to get people back on side" at Motherwell after re-signing for the club on a season-long loan.

The forward, who made 70 appearances during his first spell in Lanarkshire, scoring 19 goals in the process, joins from Dundee United, who he left the Fir Park club for in 2022.

"There's obviously people who may not be too happy to see me back," Watt told 30-year-old.

"I need to prove myself here and get people back on my side, but that target is firmly set in my mind.

"It's so good to be back in the building, I was itching to join Motherwell again and can't wait to get stuck in."

Despite playing an integral part in United's Championship title-winning season last term, Watt fell out of favour under Jim Goodwin and managed just 73 minutes of football across three League Cup games last month.

But the former Celtic forward has insisted he's ready to go.

“I feel fit," he added. "I’ve been training and I have a full pre-season under my belt.”

His contract at United is up at the end of the season, but manager Stuart Kettlewell is thinking of the here and now and said the club "jumped at the chance" of bringing him back to Motherwell.

“He is a player who has done well here with goals and strong performances," Kettlewell said. "We jumped at the chance to bring him back to Fir Park and Tony himself was desperate to return.

“Tony had lots of other options, both home and abroad, but he was fixated on coming back here.”

Jenna Thomson
Fan writer

The search for our first three points battles on.

I didn’t think before the game we would’ve taken anything from Rangers, but we did start to come into things more towards the end and could’ve stole a draw which is somewhat promising. Having our first goal be an own goal as well isn’t desirable to see, but helped almost get the job done.

After spending what is rumoured to be about north of £250,000 on our long-named Australian forward, - Apostolos Stamatelopoulos - for him to become immediately injured, has taken the wind right out my sails.

I don’t know if Kettlewell has the boys training for the next Wrestlemania or the first Hunger Games instead of a football match, but having this many injuries at once is frightening.

There are at least eight first-team players out which is unacceptable, especially when half are new signings. We are throwing money down the drain by signing players who then become injured two weeks later. I’m starting to wonder if they even attempted a medical with them or just handed them contracts.

Although Kilmarnock haven’t had the greatest start either to the season, I’m still cautious. I’m hoping their European games lower their standards and tire them out before they arrive at Fir Park for the next stage of the League Cup, because any luck or advantage we can get needs to be focused on.

It’s not abnormal for us to go through rough patches, usually we dip for three months every season, but having this happen at the very start gives ominous vibes if have we started is how we’ll unintentionally carry on for the rest of the season...

Lennon Miller says his only focus is Motherwell despite the 17-year-old midfielder being linked with Celtic, Rangers and Premier League clubs. (Daily Record), external

Read Monday's Scottish Gossip in full here.

Watch highlights of Rangers' narrow Scottish Premiership win against Motherwell at Hampden. (UK only)

Listen to the full episode here.

Stuart Kettlewell says the current injury situation at Motherwell is the worst he has experienced as a manager.

The Fir Park boss confirms he is now without nine first-team players following the narrow defeat to Rangers at Hampden.

Match report: Rangers 2-1 Motherwell

Vaclav Cerny's fine finish earned Rangers their first Scottish Premiership win of the season as depleted Motherwell were edged out at Hampden.

The on-loan Wolfsburg winger curled in a delightful effort on his maiden start, securing a much-needed victory following back-to-back draws with Hearts and Dynamo Kyiv, in Champions League qualifying.

Cyriel Dessers' second goal in as many games had given Philippe Clement's men an early advantage at the national stadium, Rangers' temporary home as delayed construction work continues at Ibrox.

Parity was restored when debutant Robin Propper poked into his own net, but Cerny's first Rangers goal restored a deserved lead before half-time.

Clement's side should have killed the game after the break but their performance level regressed against a Motherwell team who travelled to Hampden without seven players.

Visiting manager Stuart Kettlewell watched new striker Apostolos Stamatelopoulos limp off in the first half, but his players fought on in the second period and passed up chances to snatch a draw.

Were you at Hampden or following the match elsewhere? Either way, we want your views on the game - have your say here, external.

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Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell: "We're a little bit disappointed not to [get a result]. I thought Rangers were excellent first half, they were slick in their general play.

"We were a little bit timid in the first half and we rectified that. The lads did really well, particularly in the second half."

On mounting injury concerns, he adds: "I've never seen [a situation] like it. I think it's up to nine now and every one could be a starter.

"We've continuously had to dip into our academy. Everything in the dressing room is what we have available."

Nick McPheat
BBC Sport Scotland

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The big positive for Stuart Kettlewell will be his team's spirited second-half showing. The obvious negative is the injury to summer signing Apostolos Stamatelopoulos.

The Australia international, making his first start since April, had a limited pre-season but impressed with his link-up play early in the game, playing a role in a golden first-half chance for Lennon Miller.

If the striker is to face any time on the sidelines, he will join an injury list that is getting out of hand.

His replacement, Zach Robinson, also caused problems for the Rangers defence, firstly slicing over from inside the area before forcing Jack Butland to make a fine stop low to his left in the second half.

The Motherwell forward line were guilty of passing up opportunities in last weekend's draw with Ross County, and the League Cup group game against Partick Thistle.

That is an issue Kettlewell will be desperate to address immediately, given his side have now failed to score in their past three games.

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Robin Propper could make his Rangers debut while attacker Oscar Cortes will be out for around a month after picking up a knee injury against Hearts last week.

Nicolas Raskin is still out through injury and new signing Hamza Igamane continues to work his way towards the level of fitness required by boss Philippe Clement.

Motherwell will be without eight players if Lennon Miller fails to shake off a knock. Shane Blaney, Callum Slattery, Sam Nicholson (all knee), Ross Callachan, Filip Stuparevic (both hamstring), Harry Paton (ankle) and John Koutroumbis (calf) are all missing.

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Liam Gordon wants to replicate Theo Bair's success story at Fir Park after following the Canada striker's path from St Johnstone to Motherwell.

Bair joined the Steelmen on a free transfer last summer and went on to score 15 goals in claret and amber before sealing a big-money move to Auxerre in July.

Defender Gordon spoke to Bair - and another former team-mate in Sam Nicholson - before his move and believes he can develop under manager Stuart Kettlewell.

"I'm really enjoying it. A great group of guys who made it very welcoming for me coming in," Gordon said.

"It's good coming and seeing a club run differently. I really like what they've done behind the scenes.

"It was a big part of me coming here, I like their ambition, their ideas for the future and it's something that I just really see myself being part of.

"Theo became a much better player here and that was one of the main points for me. I felt that by me coming here I can improve as a player and as a person.

"As a footballer, that's what you want to do. You want to get better every day, don't you?

"And I can see myself getting better under the manager and with this playing squad."

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• Rangers lost their last home league game against Motherwell 2-1 in March last season, ending a 38-game unbeaten run in the league at home to the Steelmen (W31 D7). They have never suffered successive such defeats, with this their 139th such meeting.

• Motherwell's victory at Ibrox in March ended a 57-game winless run against Rangers in the league (D15 L42). The Steelmen last won back-to-back league games against Rangers in April 1960.

• Rangers have won their opening home league game in each of the last six seasons by an aggregate score of 20-1 since a 3-2 defeat to Hibernian in 2017-18.

• Motherwell have only won their first away league match in one of the last seven seasons (D3 L3), beating St Mirren 1-0 in 2022-23.

• Having drawn 0-0 with Hearts in their opening league game of 2024-25, Rangers are looking to avoid failing to win either of their opening two games in a season since 1989-90 under Graeme Souness.

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Stuart Kettlewell says Motherwell are "meticulous" in injury prevention work as he strives to cope with a mounting casualty list.

The Motherwell boss will be without seven players – and Lennon Miller is also a doubt – for Saturday’s trip to face Rangers at Hampden.

Shane Blaney and Ross Callachan are the latest absentees, joining Filip Stuparevic, Sam Nicholson, Harry Paton, Callum Slattery and John Koutroumbis.

Kettlewell said: "We've had it through pre-season, we've had it for large chunks last season and the question that will come from yourselves, I had it from someone yesterday, is if we don't delve into the exact kind of loading and what we do in training sessions.

"I can assure you that we're as meticulous with that side of things as we possibly can be.

"Some of the injuries are from impacts, completely unavoidable, and we're trying to limit time on the pitch for some players to make sure that they're fit and they're able to play in games on a Saturday.

"It gets to the point almost for me just now where we can't really train much less than what we are to prepare our players for playing a game of football on a Saturday. So it's been a really difficult juggling act."

Kettlewell, who has made 11 summer signings, would like to add "one or two" more but admits “we're going to have to be pretty creative to do that”.

Callachan, who played his first game in 16 months last Saturday, suffered a "bad" hamstring injury in training while Blaney faces up to six weeks out with a knee problem.

"Ross pulled up with a hamstring injury and the severity of it looks bad enough that it's going to keep him out for a period of time again,” Kettlewell added.

"Shane's one of the most robust guys in the team, and as soon as he put his hand up on Saturday, then I knew that there was something significant there, and we've had him scanned and that's exactly the case."

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Motherwell’s Premiership fixture against Hearts at Fir Park has been rescheduled for Sunday, 25 August at 15:00 BST.

The game has moved back 24 hours because Hearts are in Europa League play-off action on Thursday, 22 August.

Jane Lewis
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

There can be no doubt Motherwell put in a much-improved performance against Ross County compared to the previous weekend.

There was more creativity on show, more energy and a real desire to get forward, but end product was still lacking. A complaint often heard last season.

Of course Theo Bair is big boots to fill, his 15 league goals from 38 league appearances will be a miss.

After the weekend’s goalless draw, Stuart Kettlewell said his new recruits were still bedding in.

One player the club seem to be pinning much hope on is Australian striker Apostolos Stamatelopoulos. Football commentators across the land might be having sleepless nights at the thought of pronouncing his name, but Motherwell will be hoping it’s soon tripping off the tongue.

The Fir Park club will be keen he finds the kind of form he showed between February 2021 and July 2022 when, while playing for Newcastle Jets in Australia’s A-League, he scored 20 goals in 37 appearances. Similar stats to Bair, Motherwell will be after a similar impact too.

It’s a fair amount of pressure to heap on one player, but the 25-year-old will be eager to prove to his new fanbase that he can hit those sort of numbers again.

In trying to give his players more minutes, Kettlewell took his squad south for a friendly with Everton yesterday. It may have given some players a runout, but it can't have done much for confidence as they were thumped 6-0.

Motherwell will be hoping it’s not been too damaging on the morale as they head to Hampden this Saturday for a league meeting with Rangers.

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Lennon Miller is the latest player to be added to a long list of injury concerns for Stuart Kettlewell as Motherwell face being without eight players against Rangers.

The teenage midfielder is a doubt for the trip to Hampden on Saturday after being substituted with a lower leg injury in the goalless draw with Ross County.

Shane Blaney also picked up a knock in the side's league opener and Motherwell have confirmed he will be out for the weekend, along with Ross Callachan, Sam Nicholson, Harry Paton, Callum Slattery, Johnny Koutroumbis and Filip Stuparevic.

Summer signing Callachan made his first appearance for 16 months off the bench against his former club but is now set for more time on the sidelines.

Meanwhile, Stuparevic has a hamstring injury and Nicholson, Paton, Slattery and Koutroumbis all feature on a long-term absentee list.

The Fir Park side lost 6-0 in a friendly with Everton on Tuesday.

Image source, PA Media

Motherwell were thrashed 6-0 by Premier League side Everton in a behind-closed-doors friendly on Tuesday.

Portuguese striker Beto opened the scoring just after the half-hour mark before a second-half collapse from the Scottish side, who conceded three goals in four minutes after the break.

Jake O'Brien, the £16m summer signing, powered in the second, with youngster Harrison Armstrong and Neal Maupay adding quickfire strikes.

Forward duo Maupay and Beto completed braces in the closing stages to round off the rout.

Jenna Thomson
Fan writer

I was hoping I’d at least make it until September before I had to write my first critical column, but here we are.

Motherwell were a colossal let down on Saturday.

We are not pressing enough up front and it is painful to watch. We can’t keep signing attacking players that fall flat when they’re called into action.

Our midfield is lacklustre and has no creativity. The only players that can get some sort of praise are Andy Halliday and Lennon Miller, even if Halliday can only last 60 minutes on a good day. Normally Miller is a consistent 8/10 player, and I hardly ever have anything negative to say, but he was non-existent on Saturday.

I don’t know if the pressure of being so young but so vital to the team is maybe taking its toll on him, or if the rumours about teams being interested in him is impacting his confidence, but he was not his usual self at all.

With every error made I could visualise the zeros being deducted from his potential selling price.

The one saving grace in the game was Aston Oxborough. Watching a 'keeper command his box and defend set pieces so well was a breath of fresh air. Basics in goalkeepin,g but after watching a season of Liam Kelly struggle to even pass the ball up the pitch, it was a welcome sight.

He still has to work on his distribution but overall, I am hugely impressed and wish he would have got more game time last season especially after Kelly was struggling for so long.

Going into our game against Rangers although they have been poor, I still don’t fancy our chances unless we park the bus and defend through our teeth for a 0-0 draw.

I will happily eat my words if we leave Hampden with three points and three goals for the Steelmen and we can pretend this piece never existed as we will be the best team in Scotland and the best league winners...