Well Society To Welcome Syrian Guests to Cup Tie

Date: 25th July 2017

Around forty Syrian refugees currently residing in Lanarkshire will be making their way to Fir Park on Saturday, as Motherwell play host to Berwick Rangers in the ‘Well’s last match of the Scottish League Cup group stages.

Invited and hosted by the Well Society – the group which ensured Motherwell F.C. became the first fully fan-owned Scottish top flight football last season – Saturday’s guests could be potentially treated to a goal-fest, with the Steelmen notching up nine goals in the opening two League Cup matches against Queen’s Park and Greenock Morton.

The move signals both the continuation of the club’s heavily community-based ethos, while signalling a greater desire by the Well Society to be involved with local people.

There are around two hundred Syrian refugees now living in Lanarkshire as a result of the UK Government’s Syrian Vulnerable Peoples Resettlement Scheme which aims to resettle 20,000 refugees from camps around Syria by 2020.

Commenting, the Well Society’s Jason Henderson said:

“Motherwell is truly a community club by any definition – the club’s identity and history is entwined with not just the town of Motherwell but with Lanarkshire in its entirety; the Motherwell F.C. Community Trust carries out incredibly worthwhile work on a daily basis; and this season marks the historical first campaign with our club being fully community-owned.”

“With all that in mind, we want to play a bigger part in the wider community – not just engaging with and supporting Motherwell fans where we can, but also doing so for the community as a whole and this is a great example of that.”

“Lanarkshire has welcomed a large number of refugees from Syria over the past couple of years, families who have been forced from their homes thousands of miles away and are working hard to now build their lives as our neighbours and friends – we want to give them the opportunity to enjoy a day out at Fir Park on Saturday, take in the experience of a Scottish cup tie, and, with any luck, cheer the Steelmen on to victory!”

Ryan Murrant, Marketing & Fan Engagement Manager at Motherwell F.C., added:

“Saturday’s initiative is the result of fantastic work by the Well Society – inclusion is what this club and the community is about, and being able to welcome our Syrian guests to the Berwick Rangers match highlights that.

“The club is grateful to Jason and the rest of the Well Society Board, as well as both North and South Lanarkshire Councils, for making this happen – it goes without saying we hope all our guests enjoy their day and hopefully get a goal or two to celebrate.”

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