Latest news with #FirPark
Daily Record
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Motherwell goalkeeper a target for Airdrie ahead of season opener
The Diamonds are looking to strengthen between the sticks Airdrieonians are targeting the signing of Motherwell goalkeeper Matty Connelly on loan. Lanarkshire Live Sport understands the Fir Park shot-stopper, who was handed his first team debut for the Steelmen earlier this month in a 2-1 win over Peterhead in the Premier Sports Cup, is being pursued by the Diamonds ahead of Saturday's Championship opener at home to Ross County. Rhys McCabe's side are currently light in the goalkeeping department with goalie coach David Hutton named on the bench for Saturday's cup defeat to Alloa, while 20-year-old Cade Melrose started between the sticks. Hutton has been a substitute in all of the club's cup matches, with Melrose taking the gloves. So the Diamonds are keen to strengthen in that department and the answer could lie with Connelly, who played regularly on loan at East Kilbride last season on their way to the Lowland League title and promotion to League Two. Connelly - who signed a new one year deal with Motherwell last month - had been expected to return to Kilby this season, but an injury to Fir Park No.1 Aston Oxborough in pre-season meant the Steelmen held on to their youth academy product for their Premier Sports Cup games, which concluded last midweek. However, with Oxborough returning in Friday night's friendly against Hertha Berlin off the bench and second choice Calum Ward starting that game ahead of Saturday's Premiership opener with Rangers, it is understood 22-year-old Connelly could be looking to go out on loan again. Connelly recently said in an interview with Motherwell's club media: 'The loans have been absolutely pivotal. 'I've always said I'd rather go out and play instead of just being a number two or a three. The excitement of playing games is the most important thing and especially getting the experience. 'My first loan at Gretna, which was brilliant, it was only a short period I was there before I got the facial injury, it was so benefical. What a place it is, great place to start. Moving to Stranraer, that was cut short but East Kilbride was so good. 'That's where I played the majority of my games, I think I played just under 50 games there last year. I've been there twice and had the chance to go back there which was a no brainer. 'Getting those games and experience is vital. It moulds you and gets you one step closer to playing first-team football here.'
Daily Record
7 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Motherwell striker hopes injury nightmare is behind him
Apostolos Stamatelopoulos wants his goal against Morton to be the start of a new chapter Apostolos Stamatelopoulos hopes his first goal in seven months means he can put last season's injury nightmare behind him. The Australian striker had barely set foot in Lanarkshire before tearing a thigh muscle in his first start, a 2-1 defeat against Rangers at Hampden, then scored in a 2-2 Fir Park draw against the Ibrox club in December, and then suffered a calf injury. As he was staging a comeback from those injuries, Stamatelopoulos fractured a wrist in a freak training accident in March that ended his season. So netting the opener in Tuesday night's 3-0 win over Morton to win Premier Sports Cup Group G and qualify for the last-16 was a major relief for the 26-year-old from Adelaide. The striker showed predatory instinct to bundle the ball in after Morton keeper James Storer had superbly parried Johnny Koutroumbis' netbound volley, his first goal since December 29. He said: 'Being out for seven months, it was a tough time. From game to game it has been a while, and it's the first time that has happened in my career, so it's taken a bit of adjusting to get back to that. 'It has definitely been tough. I mean, the whole of last season, I would have said, was pretty tough. 'There was a little bit of a run of games where I thought OK, I'm starting to feel like myself again, and then I got injured again. 'The broken wrist was in training, just a freak accident, really. We were playing small-sided games, one of the boys took a shot and hit me from like a metre away, and it shattered. It was just unlucky. 'I'm just putting it behind me and looking forward to playing games week in, week out, and scoring goals. 'It's good that I've got a full pre-season now under my belt and I feel confident in my body. 'I've still got a long, long way to go, but I'm getting there and I'm looking forward to the season. 'I mean, no-one's really going to remember in six months' time how the goal went in. 'Once that went in, it was just like a massive relief after so long.' Stamatelopoulos' next forays are likely to be in a friendly against Hertha Berlin at Fir Park on Friday night, before they host Rangers in their Premiership opener on August 2. He said: 'Getting my first one, and thankfully it happened before the season started, means I'm definitely looking forward to the next two games. 'They'll be tough, but I'm looking forward to the challenge. 'I feel like my movement was decent, I could be a little bit sharper, but that's what I live for in the box. 'There were a few times where I gambled the wrong way, and I had made a different run, I would have had another couple of tap-ins. 'It's just finding that partnership with team-mates, knowing what they want to do in certain situations, and then more goals will come, for sure. 'Hopefully by the time the season comes I'm ready to go. I mean, that was my first time I played 90, so I started cramping towards the end, but the body's getting there. 'Every single time I had an injury, I was just taking each day as it comes. Like I'll do this season, every day as it comes, each match as it comes, and go from there.'
Scottish Sun
7 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Lennon Miller edges closer to Motherwell exit as major European club line up fresh bid for £5m Scotland star
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) UDINESE are leading the race for £5million Motherwell star Lennon Miller. The in-demand 18-year-old is poised to leave Fir Park as he enters the final year of his contract. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Lennon Miller, Scotland Credit: Willie Vass 3 Udinese's Stadio Friuli or BLuenergy Stadium 3 Motherwell's Lennon Millers sits out the clash with Peterhead Credit: SNS Serie A side Udinese had a £2.5m bid for Miller rejected in January - but are ready to try again with an improved offer. Italian rivals Bologna are also keen on the Scotland midfielder, who is destined to move abroad for a club record sale. Celtic are long-term admirers of Miller but a foreign switch appeals, with German clubs also showing interest. Motherwell boss Jens Berthel Askou claimed there was 'nothing concrete' when quizzed on whether Miller had travelled abroad for signing talks this week. The Fir Park starlet missed Tuesday's 3-0 win over Morton, with the Dane confirming he was elsewhere. Miller has yet to make a competitive appearance this term as transfer talks continue with interested clubs. Udinese finished 12th in Serie A last season and don't play their first competitive game of the new campaign until August 18. Speaking ten days ago, Miller's dad Lee confirmed a move abroad could happen this month. He said: 'I think there will be a bid that comes in, if not this week then maybe next week. 'There is a lot of talk behind the scenes. Scotland youth international Lennon Miller scores from his own half on his debut for the Under-16s against England "The clubs are speaking together and we will see what happens. 'The thing is with Lennon, he just wants to play football and enjoy it. That is what he does best.' Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
The National
23-07-2025
- Sport
- The National
Motherwell boss denies Lennon Miller transfer rumour
The Fir Park midfielder is a man in demand this summer with a host of top clubs circling and his club resigned to losing him, but holding out for a record-breaking fee. The 18-year-old is believed to prefer a move abroad despite interest from Celtic, Rangers and in England. There had been a suggestion he was out in Italy for discussions with a club out there. However, Askou insists that is not the case and Miller remains with his squad even though he has not featured in any Premier Sports Cup matches. Read more: He said: "There's nothing new on Lennon. He wasn't able to be here tonight but we will hopefully see him tomorrow. "There are a lot of rumours about Lennon Miller, and I've heard a lot of funny stories and rumours, but the thing is he's still a Motherwell player and we're very happy to have him here. "When there's something concrete to comment on, we will.
Yahoo
20-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Askou 'not happy' with second half at Ochilview
Manager Jens Berthel Askou says he was "not happy" with Motherwell's second-half display as they laboured to another win over a lower-league side at Stenhousemuir. Stephen O'Donnell's fortunate back-post finish in the 41st minute proved enough to send the Fir Park side top of their Premier Sports Cup group, but Askou felt his team were too content to sit on their lead at Ochilview. "The first half was actually quite good," he said in a club video. "We found a high tempo at times, were dangerous also on set-pieces, should have produced some bigger chances. "But being 1-0 up at half time, it gave us the composure and the calmness in the team that we maybe haven't had the first couple of games where we've been chasing and chasing and chasing. "And maybe that was the reason that we slowed down a little bit in the second half, I don't know. No matter what, I'm not happy with the performance in the second half. "We need to produce more, bigger chances in a game like that when we dominate so much."
