Motherwell

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Motherwell striker Theo Bair says his recent hot streak in front of goal has lifted a weight off his shoulders.

The Canadian has three goals and an assists in his last two league outings, taking his goal tally for the season to five.

“You get that cushion and think ‘now I know I can do it’. So let’s just see how far I can take it," Bair said.

“As a striker, going into games knowing you have one or two goals, you are going ‘I need to score, I need to score, I need to score’.

“Now you are going: ‘I know I can score, if I don’t score I know I can score next game’.

“It’s not like you are stressed about it, it’s more that you are relishing it, you are enjoying it and you look forward to trying to get the goals.”

Bair also spoke about the "sad" departure of fellow striker Mika Biereth, who was recalled by Arsenal earlier this week, but says Motherwell will rally in his absence.

“I won’t lie, I really enjoyed playing with Mika, so it’s sad,” Bair said.

“But I think that as a team we will come together and get the goals we need, because that’s how football works. We don’t have a choice really. But he will be missed, for sure.”

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Motherwell have signed Hearts midfielder Andy Halliday on an initial loan deal, ahead of the player signing a one-year contract in the summer.

The 32-year-old has been out of favour at Hearts this season, having featured in just three league matches this campaign and in no games since the start of November.

“I’m delighted we have been able to get Andy on board,” manager Stuart Kettlewell said.

“There was other clubs interested in Andy so the fact he has came here, says a lot for me.

“To get a player with the ability, experience and versatility that Andy possesses is a huge positive for us. It will give everyone a boost going into our next match.”

Motherwell have moved to land Scott Fraser on loan from Charlton Athletic, with the playmaker keen to make a return to Scotland for family reasons. (Daily Record)

Read the rest of Friday's gossip.

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Stuart Kettlewell admits Motherwell cannot "magic up more funds" to replace key players, but hopes the club can get "some over the line" in January.

Motherwell have had a tough week, with loan striker Mika Biereth being recalled by Arsenal and Callum Slattery ruled out for the season with an injury suffered in training.

The 'Well manager said that injury had already “massively” altered his January plans before the surprise loss of Biereth.

“Callum has played almost every minute and been a huge player for us,” Kettlewell said. “I think for the first seven or eight games of the season Callum Slattery was right up there in the top performers in the division. He has been good in a lot of other games as well.

“That injury was a huge blow for me, especially for Callum, and the club. It starts to point you in different directions and you start to have a look at different types of players that we probably didn’t think we were going to need.

“So that makes it a big challenge because you are another starter down but we are not able to magic up more funds to replace that.”

There has been more movement at Motherwell recently - wing-back loanee Brodie Spencer was recalled early by Huddersfield, Conor Wilkinson joined Colchester and Pape Souare was released.

Kettlewell signed Celtic left-back Adam Montgomery on loan earlier this week, while Barry Maguire and Nathan McGinley are back from temporary spells and other transfer talks remain ongoing.

“There’s been plenty of conversations, some of them are still spinning and some of them are trundling along, and several aren’t,” said Kettlewell, who remains without the injured Oli Shaw, Shane Blaney and Lennon Miller for Saturday’s Scottish Cup tie against Alloa.

“Other clubs in this division can blow us out of the water for instance.

“There’s plenty of knockbacks and disappointment in there but I do hope we are in a decent position with a couple of players and I would love to think that over the next few days we can try and get some of them over the line.”

Abdallah Sima and Lawrence Shankland.

Those are the only two players in the Scottish Premiership this season who can boast a better goals per 90 minutes figure than Mika Biereth (of those who have played more than 750 minutes).

It is just one of the reasons the striker being recalled by parent club Arsenal is a massive blow for an already struggling Motherwell.

The 20-year-old has six goals and five assists in 11 league starts for the Fir Park side this season.

Lawrence Shankland is the only other player with more goals and assists than Biereth - outside of Celtic and Rangers.

Worryingly for Motherwell, they have managed just two wins with the striker in the side - a 2-1 win against Hibs in August (he scored the winner) and against bottom side Livingston last month (he provided an assist).

With their most lethal weapon up top gone and one of their strongest midfield options in Callum Slattery out for the season with injury, it is shaping up to be a crucial transfer window for Stuart Kettlewell.

Motherwell return to domestic action on Saturday, as they host Alloa Athletic in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup.

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

Put yourself in the manager's shoes and pick your 'Well XI here.

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Arsenal have recalled striker Mika Biereth from his loan spell at Motherwell with another loan move in the works.

The 20-year-old has been a key player at Fir Park this season, scoring six league goals in 14 games, but will play no further part for Stuart Kettlewell's side.

Biereth has been heavily linked with English Championship side Sheffield Wednesday in recent days.

St Johnstone and Motherwell have made moves for Hearts midfielder Connor Smith. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription required), external

Read Thursday's Scottish Gossip

Jane Lewis, BBC Sport Scotland

Have you ever known a football video to cause such a storm? Some branded it embarrassing, others said it reeked of desperation.

The video in question was “a shop window” according to Motherwell chairman Jim McMahon, hoping to tempt extra investment into the Fir Park club.

So far it’s had over 2.4 million views. That’s a fair amount of folk having a peek in the window!

Motherwell officials have been quick to allay any fears supporters may have over the financial state of their club. They insist “they’re not in trouble or desperate”, but are merely seeking additional sources of income, to work alongside the fan ownership scheme currently in place.

The worry might be if no-one bites and the club find themselves lagging behind other clubs who are getting external investment. Fans will be hoping potential suitors don’t walk on by the window, merely admiring the creative display.

Away from making movies, the squad are preparing to return to action after the winter break. On Saturday, a Scottish Cup home tie against League One Alloa Athletic awaits. 17 places separate the clubs in the SPFL. It should be a game Motherwell see off.

And history is largely on their side too. The sides have met 12 times previously, with the last one coming in August 1996. Goalless after extra time, the Steelmen lost the penalty shootout 4-2.

They are unbeaten in the other 11 meetings though, with nine wins and two draws.

Motherwell have won all three of their previous Scottish Cup ties with Alloa. The latest meeting in the famous old competition was in 1986, They also met in 1953 and 1922.

Hardly recent encounters, but the same outcome would do very nicely for Stuart Kettlewell's side.

Former Motherwell captain Stephen Craigan says the side is weaker than last year and a corner must be turned for them to remain in the top flight.

Stuart Kettlewell's side sit ninth in the Scottish Premiership, but broke their 16-match winless run before the winter break with a victory against bottom side Livingston.

"If their form continues as it has over the next three or four months Motherwell won’t be a top flight club," Craigan said on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"The biggest frustration for me watching the games is the manner of the goals that they concede.

"There's a fight and there's a desire amongst the players. The question you have to ask is, are they good enough?

"As a squad and a group, I don't think they're as good this season is what they were last season.

"But when you lose players like Kevin Van Veen, Sean Goss, James Furlong in the summer, this season is always going to be much different because when you take quality players out of the squad, Motherwell don't have the finances or the resources to go and replace that kind of quality."

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Jenna Thomson, Motherwell fan

The last seven days have certainly been interesting for Motherwell.

From trying to convince Hollywood celebrities to become investors to potentially signing Andy Halliday, the club has kept us on our toes.

We have announced our first signing of the January window in the form of Adam Montgomery. The 21-year-old was recalled by Celtic and should hopefully make an impact in our defence.

We have reportedly been given permission to speak with Andy Halliday which seems to have split opinion. If he is willing to don claret and amber, it is only fair to give him an opportunity to prove himself.

Many Well fans were quick to write off Tony Watt when he first signed, only for him to become one of our best players before he departed.

Having a player like Halliday, who is more than happy to dive in headfirst and tear through some opponents when required, could be a huge boost for both our defence and our midfield since Callum Slattery is confirmed to be injured for the rest of the season.

If we can get three more through the door it should give us the much-needed resurgence we have been craving.

In the meantime, I hope the Well Bois have been brushing up on their Taylor Swift lyrics...

Liam McLeod is joined by Motherwell legend Stephen Craigan and BBC fan columnist Jenna Thomson to review the Steelmen’s season so far.

• Listen to the podcast and subscribe here.

Andy Halliday could leave Hearts this month as the midfielder is attracting interest from elsewhere in the Premiership - including Motherwell. (Scottish Sun)

Read the rest of Tuesday's gossip.

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The January window is a curious beast.

Notoriously tough to navigate, you never quite know what quality of player is going to stumble through the door and be thrust into the madness of a midway season. Sometimes, they're a revelation. Sometimes, they're rotten.

We're asking you to cast your mind back and tell us the best player Motherwell have signed in a winter window, and the January transfer that still gives you nightmares to this day.

Let us know.

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Motherwell have signed Adam Montgomery on loan from Celtic until the end of the season.

The 21-year-old left-back was recalled from his loan at Fleetwood Town last week - where he made six appearances in the first half of the season.

Several Scottish Premiership rivals and English clubs were reportedly keen on Montgomery's services, having already been on loan at Aberdeen and St Johnstone in previous seasons.

The move comes after Brodie Spencer left Stuart Kettlewell's side, when he was recalled by parent club Huddersfield Town two weeks ago.

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Sean McGill, BBC Sport Scotland

Stuart Kettlewell calls the news that Callum Slattery will miss the rest of the season for Motherwell a "massive blow".

The 29-year-old has been a near ever-present in the Steelmen's engine room this season, having missed just one game all season.

Since his arrival in North Lanarkshire in 2021, the midfielder has earned the respect of the Fir Park faithful, showcasing the technical proficiency you'd expect from a graduate of the Southampton academy - widely recognised as one of the best conveyer belts of talent in English football for large parts of the new millennium.

While not a perfect player, Slattery provides plenty of bite and guile in the centre of the park. He's also being capable of a moment of magic, that last-minute free-kick at Rugby Park last season springs to mind.

In a campaign of immense pressure so far for Motherwell, their midfield man has so often been the source of reprieve. Slattery's tally of fouls won stands at 64, not far off double that of the second most upended player in the division - Kilmarnock's Danny Armstrong on 36.

With his contract set to expire in the summer, it's a distinct possibility that he's already donned the claret and amber for the final time.

Even more pressing is what Motherwell do without him. Blair Spittal is carrying Kettlewell's side on multiple fronts once the numbers are crunched, but he can't be the only man showing up in the middle of the park.

It is hoped that the promising Lennon Miller can make his own return from injury in the early months of the year. Beyond the youngster's reintroduction, options begin to look pretty sparse.

January window in full swing, supporters may be hoping that Kettlewell is assigned some funds to add another body into his midfield options. While the idea of being in financial instability was refuted by the top brass, last week's much-discussed viral campaign to attract investment showed that investment is a priority at the moment.

Getting a new man in to replace the injured Slattery would only add to the sense of unease on the business side of the fan-owned club. Their hopes of shaking off their woeful run in the first half of the season may have already been dented before the winter break has even drawn to a close.

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Callum Slattery will miss the rest of the season after suffering a serious knee injury in training.

The 24-year-old has made 25 appearance in all competitions for Motherwell this season, and could well have had his final outing at Fir Park with his contract set to expire in the summer.

Motherwell are leading the chase to sign Adam Montgomery, with several Scottish Premiership rivals and English clubs keen on the 21-year-old Celtic left-back after he was recalled from his loan with Fleetwood Town last week. (Daily Record), external

Read Monday's Scottish Gossip in full here.

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Dundee are poised to sign Ricki Lamie, currently on a season-long loan from Motherwell, on a pre-contract to keep the 30-year-old centre-half at Dens Park beyond the summer. (Daily Record, print edition)

Read Saturday's Scottish Gossip in full here.

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