PREDICTED LEAGUE FINISH: Ninth
LAST SEASON: 11th, 36pts
NOTABLE INS: Joe Chalmers (Celtic), David Clarkson (Dundee), Wes Fletcher (York City), Kieran Kennedy (Leicester City), Louis Laing (Nottingham Forest, loan made permanent), Louis Moult (Wrexham)
NOTABLE OUTS: Stuart Carswell (St. Mirren), Lee Erwin (Leeds United), Paul Lawson (Formartine United), Bob McHugh (Falkirk), Simon Ramsden (Gateshead), Ross Stewart (Albion Rovers), John Sutton (St. Johnstone), Nathan Thomas (Mansfield Town), Conor Grant (Everton, end of loan), George Long (Sheffield United, end of loan), Mark O'Brien (Derby County, end of loan), Anthony Straker (York City, end of loan), Adam Cummins, Zaine Francis-Angol, Fraser Kerr, Iain Vigurs
LAST SEASON'S BEST XI (departed players crossed out):
Scott McDonald's return to Motherwell in February, seven and a half years after he left for Celtic, was of enormous significance - the results (seven wins in the thirteen matches he played) prove that. It wasn't just the Australian international's own abilities, but the way he seemed to inspire his teammates, especially young forward Lee Erwin.
Erwin has left for Leeds United, but to the delight of all down Fir Park way McDonald has turned down lucrative offers from elsewhere to sign a new deal. 'Skippy' has given everyone at the club a spring in their step.
Aside from McDonald, many of Ian Baraclough's previous signings were from the 'let's sign loads of players and hopefully a few won't be duds' school of thought. Harsh? Not really. Motherwell were staring relegation in the face for long periods of last season, and even though the likes of McDonald and fellow returnee Stephen Pearson really galvanised them, many of the others were loanees who weren't worth keeping on - central defender Louis Laing being the exception.
But one of the major reasons for appointing Baraclough was his self-professed list of contacts, especially down south. And he's rustled up a few interesting players. Up front, Louis Moult and Wes Fletcher have been added to replace Erwin and John Sutton, with the former commanding a transfer fee from Wrexham. Fletcher has been a regular in League Two for the last two years, so he's unlikely to be a slouch. In defence, the arrival of Leicester youngster Kieran Kennedy, along with the permanent purchase of Laing, might be a sign that the fading Stephen McManus' days are numbered.
Kennedy might also be used at right-back though, which was a huge problem position last season occupied at times by various luminaries as Simon Ramsden, Frazer Kerr, Anthony Straker and Josh Law. He can't do any worse than those predecessors. And Motherwell surely can't defend any worse than they did for most of last season. Having a fit Stevie Hammell all season will help considerably, though they are still searching for a quality goalkeeper; a smartarse would say that, even if the rumours linking them with Craig Samson are true, the search still isn't over.
The one area Baraclough hasn't added to so far is midfield. He certainly has ability in the wide areas, with Marvin Johnson's blistering pace on the left and Lionel Ainsworth's trickery coming in from the right, but the trick is getting them to play well more often than one game in three. In the centre, Keith Lasley (36 in September) looked much less leggy when he had the tireless Pearson to do all the running, but can they get yet another full season out of the housewives' favourite? This might be the season that Jack Leitch, injured for most of 2014/15, makes a breakthrough in that area of the pitch, while fellow youngster Dom Thomas may become more than a supersub on the wing.
That leaves just one pressing question - why sign David Clarkson again? My theory is that he's needed to make up the numbers (with McDonald, Pearson, Lasley and Hammell) in a five-a-side team called 'Steelmen 2003/04'. It's the only logical reason I can think of.
It does seem pretty certain that Motherwell will be much, much better than they were last season. Are Baraclough's new boys good enough to keep them away from the drop? Probably. Are they good enough to drag them up to the heights of Stuart McCall's last two full seasons? Er, I wouldn't put my mortgage on that one...
THE SQUAD (players born after 1 January 1994 in italics)
Goalkeepers: Dan Twardzik
Defenders: Joe Chalmers, David Ferguson, Steven Hammell, Kieran Kennedy, Louis Laing, Josh Law, Steven McManus, Craig Reid, Luke Watt
Midfielders: Lionel Ainsworth, Chris Cadden, Marvin Johnson, Keith Lasley, Jack Leitch, Ross MacLean, Stephen Pearson, Dominic Thomas
Forwards: David Clarkson, Wes Fletcher, Scott McDonald, Craig Moore, Louis Moult
THE BEST XI?
Lawrie Spence (LS) has ranted and spouted his ill-informed opinions on Narey's Toepoker since September 2007. He has a life outside this blog. Honestly.
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