The 2016–17 season is Motherwell's thirty-second consecutive season in the top flight of Scottish football and the fourth in the newly established Scottish Premiership, having been promoted from the Scottish First Division at the end of the 1984–85 season. Motherwell will also compete in the League Cup and the Scottish Cup.
Season review Following the conclusion of the 2015–16 season, Brett Long, Jack Leitch, David Clarkson and Wes Fletcher were released by the club following the end of their contracts, whilst loan players Connor Ripley and Morgaro Gomis returned to their parent clubs. Also at the end of the 2015–16 season, first team players Steven Hammell, Stephen McManus, Craig Samson, Keith Lasley, Craig Moore, James McFadden, David Ferguson, Ben Hall and Scott McDonald were all offered new contracts, as were Under 20 players Dylan Mackin, Robbie Leith, Jack McMillan, Ross MacLean and Ryan Watters. Lasley signed a new one-year contract on 22 June 2016.
On 2 June 2016, Motherwell were drawn into Group F of the 2016–17 Scottish League Cup, resulting in matches against Rangers, Annan Athletic, East Stirlingshire and Stranraer at the end of July. On 5 June 2016, Motherwell announced their first 4 pre-season friendlies, with another two to be confirmed at a later date. Steven Hammell signed a new two-year contract with Motherwell on 29 June, with Scott McDonald signing a new one-year on 1 July 2016.
On 9 July 2015, Motherwell announced that assistant manager Steve Robinson had left the club to take up the vacant Oldham Athletic managers job.
On 7 December 2016, Ross MacLean signed a new two-and-a-half-year deal with Motherwell, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2019.
Transfers On 23 June 2016, Motherwell announced their first signings of the season, with Ben Heneghan, Richard Tait and Jacob Blyth all joining the club. Motherwell announced Dean Brill as their fourth summer signing on 27 June. Two days later, 29 June, Stephen Pearson left the club and returned to the Indian Super League with Atlético de Kolkata. On 5 July, Motherwell announced the signing of Carl McHugh on a free-transfer after his Plymouth Argyle contract had expired. Craig Clay became Motherwells sixth summer signing on 10 August, signing a two-year contract.
On 15 August 2016, Louis Laing joined Notts County on loan until 16 January 2017.
On 31 August, transfer deadline day, Motherwell saw the departure of Marvin Johnson to Oxford United for an undisclosed fee, and Luke Watt to Stranraer on loan until January 2017. Also on the 31st, Motherwell signed Ryan Bowman on a two-year contract from Gateshead for an undisclosed fee, and Luka Belić on a six-month loan deal from West Ham United.
On 14 September, Lee Lucas, who had been on trial early in the summer, signed a short-term deal with the club until January 2017.
January Transfers On 1 January 2017, Motherwell announced that Dom Thomas had moved to Queen of the South on loan until the end of the season.
On 26 January, Motherwell signed midfielder Elliott Frear from Forest Green Rovers, with Russell Griffiths joining the club on loan for the remainder of the season from Everton the following day. Also on the 27th, Luka Belić loan came to an end, Dean Brill was released by the club, Dylan Mackin joined Alloa Athletic on loan for the remainder of the season, and Zak Jules joined until the end of the season from Reading.
On 31 January 2017, Motherwell signed Sunderland goalkeeper Oliver Pain on loan until the end of the season, whilst Luke Watt joined East Fife for the remainder of the season.
February On 1 February, Motherwell announced that Shea Gordon had joined their U20's.
On 2 February, Stephen Pearson returned to the club, signing a contract until the end of the season.
On 28 February, manager Mark McGhee was sacked by the club, with Steve Robinson being put in temporary charge.
March On 15 March, Robinson was given a permanent contract as the club's manager. On 23 March, Kieran Kennedy left the club by mutual consent.
Squad
No. Name Nationality Position Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed in Contract ends Apps. Goals Goalkeepers 1 Craig Samson GK Kilmarnock 2015 2017 42 0 13 Russell Griffiths GK on loan from Everton 2017 2017 4 0 31 Oliver Pain GK on loan from Sunderland 2017 2017 0 0 41 P. J. Morrison GK Academy 2015 0 0 Defenders 2 Richard Tait DF Grimsby Town 2016 2019 31 1 3 Steven Hammell DF Southend United 2008 2018 574 5 4 Ben Heneghan DF Chester 2016 2018 43 0 6 Stephen McManus DF Middlesbrough 2013 2018 155 6 15 Joe Chalmers DF Celtic 2015 2017 32 0 21 Zak Jules DF on loan from Reading 2017 2017 10 1 25 David Ferguson DF Academy 2013 2017 16 0 30 Jack McMillan DF Academy 2015 15 0 43 Adam Livingstone DF Academy 2015 2 0 Midfielders 7 Lionel Ainsworth MF Rotherham United 2014 2017 127 23 8 Carl McHugh MF Unattached 2018 2018 22 2 12 Chris Cadden MF Academy 2013 2018 69 7 14 Keith Lasley MF Plymouth Argyle 2006 2017 485 23 17 Elliott Frear MF Forest Green Rovers 2017 2019 15 1 18 Lee Lucas MF Unattached 2016 2017 11 0 20 Craig Clay MF Grimsby Town 2018 2018 39 1 26 Allan Campbell MF Academy 2015 7 1 27 Ross MacLean MF Academy 2014 2019 8 0 32 David Turnbull MF Academy 2015 0 0 33 Barry Maguire MF Academy 2015 0 0 34 Jake Hastie MF Academy 2016 3 0 36 Shea Gordon MF Stalybridge Celtic 2017 4 0 88 Stephen Pearson MF Unattached 2017 2017 142 24 Forwards 9 Louis Moult FW Wrexham 2015 2018 76 36 11 Ryan Bowman FW Gateshead 2018 2018 24 2 19 Jacob Blyth FW Leicester City 2016 2018 9 0 24 James McFadden FW Unattached 2015 2017 123 44 35 Dylan Falconer FW Academy 2015 0 0 77 Scott McDonald FW Millwall 2015 2017 215 74 Away on loan 22 Craig Moore FW Academy 2011 2017 29 1 23 Dom Thomas MF Academy 2013 2018 39 0 28 Luke Watt DF Academy 2014 8 0 34 Dylan Mackin FW Academy 2013 3 0 Left during the season 5 Louis Laing DF Nottingham Forest 2015 2017 29 2 11 Marvin Johnson MF Kidderminster Harriers 2015 2018 64 11 13 Dean Brill GK Inverness Caledonian Thistle 2016 2017 0 0 16 Kieran Kennedy DF Leicester City 2015 2017 25 0 21 Luka Belić FW on loan from West Ham United 2016 2017 0 0 42 Josh Moore MF Academy 2015 0 0
Transfers
In Date Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref. 23 June 2016 DF Ben Heneghan Chester Undisclosed 23 June 2016 DF Richard Tait Grimsby Town Undisclosed 23 June 2016 FW Jacob Blyth Leicester City Undisclosed 27 June 2016 GK Dean Brill Inverness Caledonian Thistle Undisclosed 5 July 2016 MF Carl McHugh Unattached Free 10 August 2016 MF Craig Clay Grimsby Town Undisclosed 31 August 2016 FW Ryan Bowman Gateshead Undisclosed 14 September 2016 MF Lee Lucas Unattached Free 26 January 2017 MF Elliott Frear Forest Green Rovers Undisclosed 31 January 2017 MF Shea Gordon Stalybridge Celtic Undisclosed 2 February 2017 MF Stephen Pearson Unattached Free
Loans in Date from Position Nationality Name From Date to Ref. 31 August 2016 FW Luka Belić West Ham United Six-month 27 January 2017 GK Russell Griffiths Everton 31 May 2017 27 January 2017 DF Zak Jules Reading 31 May 2017 31 January 2017 GK Oliver Pain Sunderland 31 May 2017
Out Date Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref. 29 June 2016 MF Stephen Pearson Atlético de Kolkata Undisclosed 9 July 2016 MF Josh Law Oldham Athletic Free 31 August 2016 MF Marvin Johnson Oxford United Undisclosed
Loans out Date from Position Nationality Name To Date to Ref. 19 July 2016 FW Craig Moore Ayr United 31 May 2017 15 August 2016 DF Louis Laing Notts County 16 January 2017 31 August 2016 DF Luke Watt Stranraer January 2017 1 January 2017 MF Dom Thomas Queen of the South 31 May 2017 27 January 2017 FW Dylan Mackin Alloa Athletic 31 May 2017 31 January 2017 DF Luke Watt East Fife 31 May 2017
Released Date Position Nationality Name Joined Date Ref. 8 September 2016 MF Josh Moore 27 January 2017 GK Dean Brill Colchester United 31 January 2017 31 January 2017 DF Louis Laing Inverness Caledonian Thistle 16 February 2017 23 March 2017 DF Kieran Kennedy AFC Fylde 23 March 2017 31 May 2017 GK Jordan Pettigrew 31 May 2017 GK Craig Samson St Mirren 7 June 2017 31 May 2017 DF Joe Chalmers Inverness Caledonian Thistle 14 July 2017 31 May 2017 DF David Ferguson Ayr United 13 July 2017 31 May 2017 MF Stephen Pearson 31 May 2017 MF Tom Fry 31 May 2017 MF Lee Lucas Merthyr Town August 2018 31 May 2017 FW Scott McDonald Dundee United 24 July 2017 31 May 2017 FW Craig Moore Ayr United 1 June 2017 31 May 2017 FW Dylan Mackin Livingston 20 June 2017 31 May 2017 MF Lionel Ainsworth Plymouth Argyle 1 June 2017
Trial Date From Position Nationality Name Last club Date To Ref. 23 July 2016 MF Lee Lucas Swansea City 31 August 2016 26 July 2016 MF Craig Clay Grimsby Town 10 August 2016
Friendlies
Competitions Premiership
League table
Results by round
Results summary
Results
Scottish Cup
League Cup
Group stage
Knockout stage
Challenge Cup
Squad statistics Appearances
|colspan="14"|Players away from the club on loan:
|colspan="14"|Players who left Motherwell during the season:
Goal scorers
RankingNationPositionNumberNameScottish PremiershipScottish CupLeague CupTotal1 FW9 Louis Moult1512182 FW77Scott McDonald902113 MF12Chris Cadden30254 MF7 Lionel Ainsworth4004MF11Marvin Johnson10346 MF8 Carl McHugh2002FW24James McFadden2002FW11Ryan Bowman2002 Own goal200210DF2 Richard Tait1001MF20Craig Clay1001MF88Stephen Pearson1001DF21Zak Jules1001MF26Allan Campbell1001MF17Elliott Frear1001TOTALS461956
Clean sheets
RankingNationPositionNumberNameScottish PremiershipScottish CupLeague CupTotal1 GK1 Craig Samson40262 GK13Russell Griffiths1001TOTALS5027
Disciplinary record
Number Nation Position Name Premiership Scottish Cup League Cup Total1 GKCraig Samson100000102 DFRichard Tait600000603 DFSteven Hammell200000204 DFBen Heneghan700000706 DFStephen McManus400000407 MFLionel Ainsworth100000108 MFCarl McHugh511020819 FWLouis Moult7000007011FWRyan Bowman2000002012MFChris Cadden4000004014MFKeith Lasley8000008015MFJoe Chalmers0010001018MFLee Lucas2100002120MFCraig Clay4000004025DFDavid Ferguson2000002026MFAllan Campbell1000001027MFRoss MacLean1000001077FWScott McDonald6110108188MFStephen Pearson30000030Players away on loan:Players who left Motherwell during the season:11MFMarvin Johnson10000010TOTALS6733030733
See also List of Motherwell F.C. seasons
References
External links Motherwell F.C. Website BBC My Club Page Motherwell F.C. Newsnow