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5.45pm

Today's result: Rangers 4, Motherwell 0.

I think the least said about this the better.

Team (4-4-2): Marshall, Quinn, Craigan, Corrigan, Hammell, Fagan, Adams, Burns, Dair (McDonald 80), Clarkson, Craig (Wright 76).
Subs not used: Corr, Kinniburgh, McDonald.

Booked: Quinn, Craig.

1.45pm

Representatives of the Motherwell Supporters' Trust will make a presentation to Bryan Jackson  & Anne Buchanan of PKF at half-time during the Dundee Utd game next Saturday to thank them for all their hard work over over the past two years.  It is an opportunity for the fans to show their appreciation to both of them for the work they carried out in saving the club during it's spell in administration.

In today's press, Terry Butcher admits that if he manages to sign up all his out-of-contract players on new deals, he won't have any money left for new signings.  With Aberdeen reportedly interested in Derek Adams and Steven Craig, TB said:
"If all of them come back and say they are staying then that is the budget gone. I won't be able to bring people in.  It's frustrating but we are all realists. I know the restrictions but I'll be delighted if we can keep everyone together.  They have been brilliant and can only get better. We are a young squad and will continue to improve.  That's why we want them here.  If one or two say they want to leave then it will free up money and we can see what is out there but even then we can't afford transfer fees."

In a separate article, TB says the following on the club's emergence from administration:
"It’s all been a bit of a whirlwind and I haven’t had time yet to reflect properly on it since we came out of administration. It’s certainly been an incredible experience for me and I think everyone at the club has learned a lot about themselves over the past two years.   It’s not easy, it’s not pleasant at all. Dundee are finding it out now, as are Livingston if not to quite such a severe degree.   It wasn’t nice seeing that stamped on every letter I signed or in having to turn players down for trials simply because even those kind of costs were outwith our budget. The bottom line was that we had to stay positive and I’ve always been a positive person.   It could have been a lot worse, the club could have gone out of business. We have survived it, although I don’t expect there to be a dramatic difference now we have come out of administration. There are still tight restrictions in place and we have to keep running a tight ship here." 

With Gordon Marshall, Keith Lasley, Scott McDonald, Derek Adams, Scott Leitch, Jason Dair, David Partridge, David Cowan, Steven Craig, Kevin MacDonald, Barry John Corr and Kenny Wright all out of contract, Butcher is optimistic he will retain "at least 75 per cent" of them:
"I will have no axe to grind with any player who decides to leave the club, but I hope most of them will want to stay because of the special spirit we have at this club and the way people are treated.   I’ve got players here on a fraction of the wages the Old Firm pay and without being flippant about Celtic and Rangers, I have players who are far more committed to the club.   They are a wonderful group of lads to work with and I don’t want them to break up. What we have here is special and I have the nucleus of a squad I believe can build on what we have done this season and make Motherwell a very solid club." 

Meanwhile, Stevie Hammell has hit out at the length of time it has taken to offer these players new deals:
"They've left it too late if you ask me.  They should've had it all tied up sooner than this because the boys can all leave in the summer.  They don't know what's going on and I don't think they deserve that after the season they've had.  Deals should have been offered a long time ago.  But that's the way they've gone about it and I just hope that they can still get the boys tied up before people start leaving.  But there is a danger the boys out of contract could walk away.  I just think the club should be trying hard to keep this team together - hopefully they will over the next week or so.  No one could have imagined that we'd be in the top six.  As a reward they should be given new deals."

Hammell himself has over two years left on his contract, and added:
"I am happy and wouldn't have signed if I didn't want to be at Motherwell.  After next season I'll have another year left.  Hopefully by then I'll have improved a lot more and maybe look then to step up."

Stephen Craigan won in his 5th cap for Northern Ireland in midweek when they took on Serbia and Montenegro in Belfast.

Keith Lasley will miss this afternoon's game against Rangers and next week's match with Dundee Utd through suspension - our first of the season!

The Under-21s drew 1-1 at Fihill in midweek, with our goal coming from William Kinniburgh.  Team:
Reid, Nevile, Bollan (M Quinn), Higgins, Kinniburgh, Maguire (McStay), Connelly, MacDonald, Coakley, Scott (Grant), Russell. 
Subs not used Calder, Cameron.

Cast your vote in our TWO new opinion polls:

Should Bryan Jackson be offered a job in some capacity by MFC once the club is out of administration?

and

Who should captain the side while Scott Leitch is injured?