Friday June 11 – Sunday July 11
The World Cup will provide hours and hours of TV football and a chance to see many of the best players on the planet. Unfortunately there are no Motherwell players on show (remember Tommy Coyne 16 years ago?) and no team will play in claret and amber though Spain might bear a passing resemblance?
With that distraction out of the way we can concentrate on the Mighty ‘Well.
Thursday June 17
The SPL will reveal the new season’s fixtures and we’ll know the key clashes. Who will we face for the opener, the New Year match and the last game before the split? Will we face a horror start – remember 2008/9 when we met the rest of the top six in our first five games?
Monday June 21
The draw for the first and second qualifying rounds of the Europa League will take place in Switzerland. And we’ll be in the pot to make one of forty games in round two. We’ll be seeds and (whisper it) there’s every chance that we should progress to the next stage. Those who hope to travel will be hoping for some of the less exotic locations.
Thursdays, July 1/8
The first qualifying rounds of the Europa League are played. If the draw pairs us with the winner of a first round tie then we’ll get a look at them in action.
Saturday July 10
There are unconfirmed reports that we’ll be at Somerset Park to play Ayr United as they start their centenary year. Thank goodness we have some competitive games to prepare the team for the season and therefore fewer friendlies.
Thursday July 15
Motherwell’s season will begin with a Europa League tie. What a way to get ready for the fair fortnight!
Friday 16 July
The draw for the third round will take place before the second round is complete. With any luck we’ll still have an interest in the outcome. We’ll be seeded and if the earlier rounds go to form we’ll face one of this list of 35.
|
Kalmar FF |
Swe |
|
FC Luzern |
Sui |
|
Lausanne Sports |
Sui |
|
Cercle Brugge |
Bel |
|
FC Nordsaeland |
Den |
|
Bnei Yehuda |
Isr |
|
Stabaek IF |
Nor |
|
Slovan Bratislava |
Svk |
|
FK Ventspils |
Lat |
|
Molde FK |
Nor |
|
FC Beroe Stara Zagora |
Bul |
|
Viktoria Plzen |
Cze |
|
FK Jablonec |
Cze |
|
IFK Goteborg |
Swe |
|
Maccabi Tel-Aviv |
Isr |
|
Apollon Limassol |
Cyp |
|
Aalesunds FK |
Nor |
|
Hajduk Split |
Cro |
|
Dukla Banska Bystrica |
Svk |
|
FC Nitra |
Svk |
|
Rabotnicki Skopje |
Mac |
|
Inter Turku |
Fin |
|
Honka Espoo |
Fin |
|
MyPa-47 |
Fin |
|
NK Maribor |
Slo |
|
Gefle IF |
Swe |
|
Dinamo Minsk |
Bls |
|
OFK Belgrade |
Srb |
|
Spartak Zlatibor Voda |
Srb |
|
Zrinjski Mostar |
Bos |
|
FK Baku |
Azb |
|
Garabag Agdam |
Azb |
|
Jagiellonia Bialystok |
Pol |
|
Ruch Chorzow |
Pol |
|
Cibalia Vinkovci |
Cro |
|
|
Thursday 22 July
The second leg against, we hope, Minnows FC. Notice there is only one week until the next round – some slick organisation will be needed.
Thursdays July 29/August 5
The third qualifying round
Friday August 6
Draw for the fourth qualifying round. Fingers crossed that we’ll be involved because a real pay day could be on the way if we get this far.
Saturday August 14
The SPL season kicks off this weekend.