Motherwell

We asked for your thoughts after Motherwell ended the season with a disappointing defeat to relegation-threatened St Johnstone.

Here's what you had to say:

Kevin: Dreadful season. Stuart Kettlewell lucky to still be in a job. If he doesn’t hit the ground running at the start of next season he should be sacked. Three clean sheets in 38 games, 15 games without a win and only five home victories says it all. He talks a good game but this season hasn’t backed it up. He’ll need to next season!

Andrew: What a total shambles. If a game defines a season this was it, inept defensively and toothless through the middle. Unfortunately under the current management the team are no better than a bottom-four side. This will no doubt continue next season unless action is taken to rectify the position.

William: Another shambolic defensive performance.

Image source, SNS

• Adama Sidibeh has scored a goal in each of his last three games in the Scottish Premiership, his longest scoring streak in the competition.

• Motherwell have scored 23 goals in the last 15 minutes of the second half, only Celtic (26) and Rangers (24) have scored more in the league this season.

• Graham Carey has assisted nine goals this season (one in this game), more than any other St Johnstone player in the Scottish Premiership.

• Motherwell have scored 15 goals via substitutes in the top flight this season, only Rangers (16) and Celtic (21) have scored more.

• St Johnstone have beaten Motherwell for the first time in the Scottish Premiership since 1 February 2023, a run of four games without a win.

• Georgie Gent has now assisted two goals in four appearances in the league against St Johnstone.

Watch highlights as St Johnstone secure their Premiership survival with a 2-1 win away at Motherwell.

Available to UK users only.

Were you at Fir Park or following the match from home? Either way, we want your views on the game and Motherwell's season – have your say here.

Image source, SNS

Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell: "I'm trying to stay as positive as I can. I really wanted to go out on a high and get a performance and result that keeps everyone over the summer.

But on reflection we found ourselves in a really tough spot this season. We showed a lot of personality and a lot of character. We scored as lot of good football and scored goals to get us back into a more comfortable position.

"But it's fair to say I want a whole lot more for this football club. We've had a knack of punching above our weight. The disappointing part was lamented today by the defensive actions.

"The two goals we concede are so avoidable. Greta quality from Graham Carey on the first, but the second goal has to be avoided and sorted much quicker and easier.

"That's been a bit of the story of our season. We have to improve on that - and that's not just the backline either.

"We want to be as creative and free scoring as we have been, but you need that stable backline and that's something we're going to work hard on over the summer."

Thomas Duncan, BBC Sport Scotland

Motherwell had nothing to play for here except eighth place, and they end the season ninth.

It's been a mixed campaign filled with lots of goals, with Stuart Kettlewell's side proving themselves capable of scoring plenty, but conceding too many too.

Their home form has been a source of frustration, but their away form a positive. In essence it's been an inconsistent campaign from the Steelmen.

The loss of Blair Spittal - who got 13 goals and 11 assists - and others like Georgie Gent means Kettlewell will have work to do on a tight budget to build a competitive squad for next campaign.

But in the depths of winter when they went 15 without a win, they would have settled for comfortably staying in the league.

Image source, SNS

Motherwell make three changes for their final game this season.

Stephen O'Donnell and Dan Casey drop to the bench and Andy Halliday misses out altogether.

In come Bevis Mugabi to the defence, and Davor Zdravkovski and Harry Paton in midfield. Could it be a rare tweak to a back four?

• Follow the action

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, SNS

Motherwell striker Jon Obika is back to fitness while Barry Maguire (chest), Callum Slattery (knee) and Adam Montgomery (hamstring) remain out.

Tony Gallacher will be assessed with regards a return for St Johnstone as he works his way back from a calf problem. Sven Sprangler (knee) remains on the sidelines.

Image source, SNS

• All three league meetings between Motherwell and St Johnstone this season have been drawn; the last fixture to be drawn four times in a Scottish top-flight campaign was Dunfermline Athletic v Inverness Caledonian Thistle in 2011-12 (Dundee v Kilmarnock could also be drawn four times this season).

• St Johnstone have only lost one of their last eight league meetings with Motherwell (W3 D4), and are unbeaten in their last three such away visits (W2 D1).

• After their 4-1 win over Livingston, Motherwell are looking to win back-to-back home league games for just a second time this season, after doing so in their first two such matches.

• St Johnstone must win this match and hope Ross County fail to beat Aberdeen to avoid a place in the play-offs. The Saints have, however, lost 19 league games this season, last losing 20+ in a top-flight campaign in 2001-02 (27), when they were last relegated.

• St Johnstone’s Craig Levein has lost each of his last four MD38 games in the Scottish top-flight, twice with Dundee United (2007-08, 2008-08) and twice with Hearts (2017-18, 2018-19). He last avoided defeat on the final matchday in a season in the top tier in 2006-07, when his Dundee United side drew 0-0 with Motherwell, while his last such win was also over Motherwell with Hearts in 2003-04 (3-2).

Motherwell finish their season at home to St Johnstone on Sunday, looking to bounce back from Wednesday's defeat to Hibernian.

What team would you choose if you were in Stuart Kettlewell's position?

Put yourself in the manager's shoes and choose your Motherwell team here.

Image source, SNS

Motherwell striker Jack Vale - who will return to parent club Blackburn after Sunday's game against St Johnstone - has not ruled out a future return to Fir Park.

The 23-year-old has scored three goals in 13 appearances for Motherwell and is keen to continue playing first-team football.

"Knowing how important it is to start games and build up your match-fitness, now I have had a taste of that, I just want to carry on doing it," he said.

"I have one more year at Blackburn and from what they have been saying I just have to keep doing what I am doing and see what happens in the summer.

"You never know where you are going to end up in football. This is my fifth loan now so I can't tell where I am going to be in the next year or so.

"This is the most I have enjoyed my football, definitely, playing at Motherwell, so there's no reason I wouldn't want to come back but I just have to see what happens. I have loved it here."

Image source, SNS

Stuart Kettlewell says the entire Motherwell squad know whether they have a future at Fir Park after a series of contract discussions.

With only eight first team players currently signed on beyond the summer, the manager has required "patience" as he makes preparations for pre-season.

A shift in the mindset of modern footballers is a factor behind deals taking so long to be concluded, according to Kettlewell.

“There’s been a real clarity in terms of conversations between myself and players,” he said.

“Now, whether there are agreements in place or not, everyone knows where they sit, whether there is going to be an offer, whether there is an offer or whether they will be moving on from the football club.

“Some players will have decisions to make themselves for what is right for them and their family but everyone will know what the willingness is of the football club and they have done for a little bit of time now as well.

“There is a bit of patience required but I would like to have as many of the group together before we head to Holland for pre-season.

“That’s the plan but it’s hard to get deals across the line. A lot of players now sit and wait to see if the grass is greener on the other side, not necessarily ones that are here.

“It’s a wee bit different to what football used to be like, players were always hell-bent on getting their futures sorted."

Andy Halliday, on loan at Motherwell, will leave Hearts this summer. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription), external

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip

Watch the best of the action as Hibs begin life after Nick Montgomery with a comfortable win over Motherwell. (Available to UK users only)

Hibernian began life after Nick Montgomery with an emphatic Scottish Premiership victory over Motherwell.

The Easter Road club, searching for a fifth permanent manager in under three years, ensured club greats Paul Hanlon and Lewis Stevenson a winning farewell in their final home match, and climb above their visitors into eighth place.

A quickfire double in the final five minutes of the first half ignited the contest, Myziane Maolida rolling home a penalty and Martin Boyle volleying into the bottom-left corner.

Boyle blasted Hibs' third beyond Liam Kelly early in the second period, leaving Motherwell labouring in vain to plot a route back.

Motherwell fans, were you at Easter Road? What was your assessment of a disappointing night?

Let us know here.

Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell tells BBC Radio Scotland: "Overall I’m annoyed and frustrated with the players. We looked ragged, we didn’t play with a purpose or enough aggression.

"I am left so confused as to how the first goal is a penalty. Not so long ago we had an incident against Aberdeen and the Aberdeen player is further away and raises his arm towards the ball and I was told it was in such close proximity it couldn’t be given as a penalty.

"I don’t even know if Stephen O’Donnell is a yard away. I really hope we start to find some clarity."

Image source, SNS

By Jamie Lyall, BBC Sport Scotland

For Motherwell, this was an entirely forgettable evening. A match which stalled all the momentum built up in recent weeks, four wins from five on the road, and one defeat from six in total.

Their defending was tame, second to too many balls and leaving too great a space for Hibs’ attackers. Motherwell's paltry return of three clean sheets in 37 league games must improve next term.

In attack, even Theo Bair, normally so deadly, had a quiet night.

Image source, SNS

Unsurprisingly following a 5-1 thrashing of Ross County in Dingwall, Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell names an unchanged side for tonight's trip to Easter Road.

Jack Vale returns from suspension but must make do with a place on the bench.

Blair Spittal will look to add to his impressive haul of 11 assists - only Matt O'Riley has more in this season's Premiership - while Theo Bair will bid to burnish his 15-goal league tally.

Image source, SNS

Hibernian: Wollacott, Cadden, Bushiri, Hanlon, Stevenson, Triantis, Newell, Campbell, Boyle, Vente, Maolida.

Substitutes: Johnson, Levitt, Doyle-Hayes, Amos, Le Fondre, Marcondes, Tavares, Obita, Moriah-Welsh.

Motherwell: Kelly, O'Donnell, McGinn, Casey, Blaney, Gent, Miller, Halliday, Spittal, Nicholson, Bair.

Substitutes: Oxborough, Mugabi, Paton, Zdravkowski, Butcher, Vale, Shaw, Devine, Ebiye.

Image source, SNS