Motherwell

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Motherwell have added another defender to their ranks this week after signing Australian stopper Johnny Koutroumbis on a two-year deal.

The 26-year-old - capped at under-23 level by Australia - moves to Fir Park from A-League side Perth Glory.

The move comes after former Crystal Palace defender Kofi Balmer joined on a free transfer earlier this week.

“There has been a lot of work to get Johnny here,” manager Stuart Kettlewell told the official Motherwell website.

“Johnny is a good player who has a wealth of experience in a good league. I’ve spoken with him and he is very ambitious.

“We both feel this is an excellent opportunity for him to develop and push into that next chapter of his career.

“He’s now got plenty time to adjust and settle before the competitive season begins.”

If you could only buy one, sell one, and loan out one player at Motherwell, who would you pick?

That was the question we asked you to answer, with the transfer window now open.

Here are some of your thoughts:

Jim: Buy Simon Murray, sell Theo Bair, reluctantly. Happy to see two signings already, but only if they are going to get the chance to have an impact on the team. I would rather have quality over quantity.

Stuart: Sell Bair, I can't believe his stock will get higher after doing a great job this year. Loan out Mark Ferrie, think he needs game time. Buy a goalscorer, team always needs one to survive.

David: We really need a decent keeper and centre-backs who can defend properly. If I was forced to pick one player I’d go for Shamal George from Livingston. The signings so far don’t inspire much hope or quality.

Lee: Motherwell badly need to sign a winger, a flair player that can run with the ball and take on defenders. For the last couple of seasons we have lacked this pace and width in the team. Most of our midfielders are cut from the same cloth (CM).

The transfer window opens on Friday and we want to know what matters to you most this summer.

If you could only buy one, sell one and loan out one player at Motherwell, who would you pick?

Click here, external to let us know.

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Motherwell have signed Wales Under-21 midfielder Tom Sparrow on a two-year deal.

Sparrow, a former Wolves youth product, joins having departed Stoke City after making four appearances for their senior side.

The 21-year-old had a loan spell at Motherwell's Lanarkshire rivals Hamilton Academical in 2023, plus stints at Telford United and most recently Chester, where he played nine times last season.

"Tom has had a taste of Scottish football and Stoke thought highly of him," manager Stuart Kettlewell said.

"It's great to get the move done early in the window," Sparrow added. "It means I can get a full pre-season under my belt and get to know everyone.

"I'm really excited about the prospect of next season having spoken to the manager. He's full of optimism and it's hard not to get excited for what he's trying to build."

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Barry Maguire has joined Championship newcomers Hamilton following his Motherwell exit.

The 26-year-old spent time with Accies' youth academy before switching to Fir Park.

The midfielder made 78 appearances for Motherwell during his nine-year stint, scoring two goals.

We asked for your views on the Barmack family's proposed investment into Motherwell.

The Well Society are against it, but are you? Here's what some of you had to say:

Jim: The Barmack's offer is derisory and an insult to everyone who holds this proud old club so dear. Their proposal should be kicked out the park.

Matthew: Staying with what we currently have is really moving backwards, the investment, fresh knowledge and direction is positive with further opportunities if the team and the joint owners deliver the results.

Edward: I’m stunned the board support this. On what measure is the club worth so little? Barmack and his wife are trying to 'sell' their Netflix connections as the vehicle with which to steal our club. No way!

Liam: We should not accept the offer as I feel we are selling the club too cheaply. I don't feel that they have the club's interest at heart, purely a business deal.

Ian: As I see it with these valuations, all the risk is being taken by the Well Society for little return and Erik Barmack could control the club with ease and undervalue the role of the society.

Anon: The Well Society are a bunch of amateurs who don't have a clue on how to run a business never mind a football club. It's a popularity contest to see who gets voted on to the board. Motherwell need an owner with a bit of vision otherwise we'd be as well closing up shop.

William: Fan ownership is a lovely idea, but it has failed to generate enough money. Compromises need to be made if the club is to survive in the top flight.

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A second Well Society board member has resigned following the group's recommendation to reject Erik Barmack's investment proposal.

Maureen Downie, who served on the board for almost nine years, has stood down with immediate effect.

In statement, she said: "While differences of opinion are to be embraced as they ensure all perspectives are considered, I'm at odds with the strategic direction currently being taken."

Well Society co-chair Douglas Dickie also resigned on Monday, saying his position was "untenable".

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Representatives from Celtic, Hibernian and Ross County feature on the SPFL board for the 2024-25 season.

County director James MacDonald, Hibs non-executive chairman Malcolm McPherson and Celtic chief executive Michael Nicholson make up the Premiership contingent.

Paul Hetherington (Airdrieonians) and Graeme Mathie (Ayr United) will represent the Championship, while Andrew Allan (Alloa Athletic) and Allan Maitland (Clyde) have been elected for League 1 and 2.

In a statement, the SPFL say clubs also "voted unanimously" to approve a recommendation that a new Ifab protocol for permanent concussion substitutes is used across all SPFL competitions.

"Each team will be allowed one concussion substitute per match in addition to the normal number of substitutes and substitution opportunities," they say.

"If that concussion substitute is used, the other team is allowed an additional substitute."

Motherwell have signed centre-half Kofi Balmer on a two-year deal, with the option of another 12 months.

The 23-year-old arrives at Fir Park as a free agent after leaving Crystal Palace.

He spent the first half last season on loan at Port Vale in League One before dropping a division to join AFC Wimbledon.

The Northern Irishman played 17 games for Wimbledon, scoring once.

"There was a lot of interest from other clubs, so it tells you we've got a good player on our hands," manager Stuart Kettlewell told the Motherwell website.

"He's played a lot of football for a boy his age but we still think with our coaching we can get more out of Kofi and make him even better."

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Co-chair Douglas Dickie has announced he will step down from the Well Society board after finding himself in an "untenable" position.

In the wake the group's opposition to the potential investment from Wild Sheep Sports, Dickie says he "cannot align" with "much of the content" in the statement.

"I find my position of co-chair of the Well Society untenable and I announce my resignation from that position with immediate effect," he said.

"I also intimate my resignation from the Well Society board at the same time."

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Following the investment update, external from Motherwell, which details potential plans for Wild Sheep Sports to become the club's majority shareholder, the Well Society board released a lengthy statement outlining why they oppose the proposal.

Here are the reasons why the ownership group, who currently have a 71% stake in the Fir Park club, are against the deal put forward by the Barmack family:

• The Well Society outline that the proposal would end fan ownership - "the only way we can safeguard the club's long-term future," they add - by reducing their shareholding from 71% to a maximum of 46%.

• The group feel the club's valuation of "under £4m" is "completely unacceptable" and say the Barmack family's offer of £1.95m over a six-year period for a 49% stake "drastically undervalues" the club.

• The Well Society add that Wild Sheep Sports "would immediately receive disproportionate influence in the boardroom" for an initial outlay of £300,000 for 8% of shares.

• The deal would place "unfair demands" on Well Society members, who they say will have to "invest or raise a further £1.35m" and write off half of a £868,000 owed by the club.

• The group also believe plans for membership growth could be "severely hampered" and they would "no longer be able protect the long-term future of the club".

The details of the Barmack family's potential Motherwell investment are out.

The Well Society board are against it, but are you? Is it something you would like to see go through? Or does it need more work?

Have your say here, external.

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Motherwell midfielder Lennon Miller made his first start for Scotland's U21s in a heavy defeat to Austria.

Scott Gemmill's side suffered a 5-0 loss in Wiener Neustadt on Friday, conceding four goals in the opening 17 minutes.

Seventeen-year-old Miller made 32 appearances for the Fir Park side last term, forcing his way into Gemmill's international squad.

He also has five caps at U19 level.

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The results are in. And they may be a surprise.

We asked you to cast your vote on whether the Scottish Premiership should keep VAR or scrap it.

More than 3,000 of you responded to the poll - and while there was a clear majority, it was no landslide.

Those in favour of ditching VAR totalled 67% of voters, while 33% were in favour of favour of keeping it.

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Bevis Mugabi will leave Motherwell after four-and-a-half years in North Lanarkshire, the club has announced.

The 29-year-old made 125 appearances for the Steelmen after joining in September 2019 from Yeovil Town.

Last month, Motherwell said the Ugandan international had been offered a new deal and negotiations were ongoing.

However, it was confirmed on Friday that Mugabi will depart having scored seven goals for the club.

“We can confirm that Bevis Mugabi will be departing the club,” a statement read.

“With 125 appearances for the club, he leaves with everyone’s best wishes for the future.

"His service to the club is immensely appreciated by everyone. All the best, Bevis.”

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BBC Scotland will continue to broadcast live matches and highlights from the Scottish Cup for another five years.

The new deal extends the BBC's arrangement of showing a game from each round - up to and including the final - on a free-to-air platform.

The contract also allows the broadcaster to produce "near live digital highlights".

The Scottish Youth Cup final will also be shown live for the next five years.

• Read the full story

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Championship trio Blackburn Rovers, Cardiff City and Sunderland are all admirers of Motherwell striker Theo Bair, but Bundesliga newcomers St Pauli are in pole position to sign the 24-year-old. (HITC), external

Read Thursday's Scottish gossip

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Controversy and VAR have been intertwined ever since its implementation in the Scottish top flight in October 2022.

From handball decisions to fouls and penalties, managers and fans alike have had grievances over the technology - and the length of time taken for decisions to be made.

With the 2023-24 season complete and the new campaign a number of weeks away, would you rather see VAR scrapped from Scottish football or persevered with?

Cast your vote here.

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Motherwell have extended "role model" Stephen O'Donnell's contract by two years, keeping the right-back at the club until 2026.

The 32-year-old has made appearances for the Fir Park club since arriving as a free agent in 2020.

O'Donnell's contract was set to expire this summer, but manager Stuart Kettlewell says he was keen to keep him at the club due to the defender's experience.

“Stephen is an excellent professional,” he said.

“From availability to a high standards shown in training, he is a role model for young players.

“In my time here, he has been tremendous. Last season, he was asked to play in a number of positions but applied himself impeccably.

“It’s another player signed up early which is something I’ve been wanting to do.”