Home sweet home as O’donnell joins Well

Motherwell once failed to tempt a schoolboy Stephen O’donnell with a signing pitch that included strawberry tarts, but the Scotland international has now finally joined his local team.

The full-back, who hails from neighbouring Wishaw, was without a club after rejecting a new Kilmarnock contract and has signed with Motherwell until January after Stephen Robinson suffered several injury blows.

O’donnell, 28, said: “The club is on my doorstep, I know a lot of people involved, added into the mix you are playing in Europe, they finished third last season and they play a good, attractive brand of football, on a grass pitch, which will be a nice change. When I was younger, my best friend’s dad was the coach of the under-14s, Tom Mccafferty. Him and Chris Mccart entertained me at a Celtic game here. And I remember the strawberry tarts were incredible.

“I was at Aberdeen at the time and I loved playing my football for Aberdeen and it was never really a goer.

“I have had a lot of texts from people who have Motherwell at their heart and I’m delighted to be here now.”