Ross County to foot travel costs for Motherwell fans

By John Lees
Published on 31/07/2012 01:53

Ross County have offered to pay for Motherwell fans to make the 370-mile round trip to their Clydesdale Bank Premier League opener at Dingwall on Saturday.

Motherwell supporters can travel free of charge to the Global Energy Stadium on any official supporters’ association coaches.

Many Motherwell fans are forking out to travel to Greece for the Champions League third qualifying round second-leg tie against Panathinaikos next midweek, and the club’s chief executive Leeann Dempster said: “I would like to acknowledge and thank Roy MacGregor and the rest of the board at Ross County for such a wonderful gesture.

“It is particularly welcome given the additional costs, travelling and sacrifices ‘Well fans have to make due to the clubs’ participation in European competition.

“It’s also a clear demonstration of football clubs in the SPL working together and showing solidarity in difficult financial times.”

“I hope many Motherwell fans can make the journey north for our first ever competitive match at the Global Energy Stadium to open what is sure to be an exciting season ahead.”

The match will be County’s first in the SPL, and it was announced last night that referee Alan Muir will take charge of the match.

Calum Murray will the official who blows the first whistle of the new season when he referees Celtic’s match against Aberdeen. It was finally confirmed yesterday that the match at Celtic Park – which will see the title flag unfurled prior to kick-off – will start at 12.45pm on Saturday.

Euro 2012 referee Craig Thomson returns to action at Tannadice on Sunday as he takes charge of Hibernian’s trip to Tannadice to face Dundee United. That match – which kicks-off at 1pm – takes place on the Sunday because United are in Europa League action this midweek.

Of the other referee appointments announced by the SPL yesterday, Stevie O’Reilly is the man in the middle for the Hearts v St Johnstone clash at Tynecastle, Bobby Madden takes charge of Kilmarnock versus Dundee at Rugby Park, and Steven McLean will officiate at the St Mirren v Inverness Caledonian Thistle game.