Motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell explain why players must match fans’ cup excitement with Dundee
Kettlewell has been delighted with the buzz around the Lanarkshire town
The players’ efforts must equal the enthusiasm of the supporters, according to Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell, as they prepare for their Premier Sports Cup quarterfinal matchup with Dundee United on Friday night.
Kettlewell has been pleased with the support shown by the locals for the Fir Park match, which has a spot in the Hampden semifinal up for grabs.
Leaflets have been handed out to homes and businesses, posters have been placed in the town, and the club hope for a bumper crowd as a result.
Kettlewell said: “I think there’s a bit of general excitement when you get to this stage of a cup competition.
“You’re playing at home, under the lights, I think it always has that wee extra-special feel.
“I don’t think it gives you a God-given right to think you’re going to get through, but for players, staff and supporters, I think it has that slightly different feel to it from the league action.
“When you’ve worked hard to get to this stage, you always look forward to the occasion.
“When you look at what the community is pouring into it at Motherwell, we’ve got volunteers going door-to-door, handing out flyers, leaflets, to try and drum up a bit of support and see if we can get as many people in here as we possibly can.
“We’re a proper community club, that’s what we are, and I think that has been really evident in the last few days and weeks, where everybody is buying into that excitement of the cup.
“My job is to make sure the players give the supporters and everyone who comes here to back us on Friday something to cheer about.”
Kettlewell added: “The football match will always take care of itself, and that’s the most important thing, but I was really eager for the game to be on the Friday night, because I just feel that there is something that wee bit more special, with all due respect.
“I come from a really honest, hard-working background, and when you do your week’s graft, earn your money to try and watch and support your team, I think there’s an extra good feeling about that.
“On a Friday night a working man or woman can have a couple of drinks and come and watch their team and enjoy it with friends and family.
“I’m big into that, I see the sentiment in that, and hopefully us as a club can deliver a performance that matches what can be a nice weekend for Motherwell supporters.
“The fans are incredibly proud of their town and team, and that’s just one more small sign that they want to celebrate by making this area as lively and colourful as they can on Friday.
“The fact that it’s a cup quarterfinal is an incentive, and I’m sure it always has that little extra edge to it, but supporters want to relive that experience after not having been to Hampden or experienced that cup run in a number of years.”
