9.20pm

A few snippets of 'Well-related news:

• Stephen Pearson has signed a new contract that will commit him to the club until 2004.  Pearo signed a new deal not so long ago under Eric Black, but it was obviously felt that wasn't it enough.

• 19-year-old former Rangers midfielder/striker Ian Russell has signed a one-year contract with the club.  No, I don't know anything about him either.

• It appears as though Kevin Gallacher will NOT be signing.

• Daniel Sengewald will miss the Hibs game after suffering an ankle injury in the Under-21 match on Monday night.

9.10am

Everyone favourite newspaper, the Daily Record, reports today that John Boyle could return to the club if a new buyer cannot be found.  A consortium led by local businessman Ian Adams is the only offer on the table for the club right now, but Bryan Jackson would not rule out the possibility of Boyle returning just five months after he put Motherwell into interim administration:
"It is a possible scenario if nobody else came in for the club.  He is happy to take a back seat right now while I run the club but I honestly don't think he knows what he's going to do.  I can't speak for John but it does seem he has an open mind about what he'll do further down the line."

Guess the Record must REALLY be struggling for a Motherwell related story this morning!

Meanwhile, Terry Butcher gave his reaction to the news that Preston had dropped their interest in James McFadden:
"If that is the case, I'm delighted. With the transfer deadline coming up, it will mean James will be with us until January.  He can concentrate on his football now. But he is a mature player and I don't think it has affected him unduly.  It has been flattering but he just wants to play for Motherwell and get on with his job.  He has a lot of good friends around him who are keeping his feet on the ground anyway.  The way he has been training and playing, he has been unfazed by it all."

Time for a new opinion poll!

Can Motherwell avoid the drop this season?