Motherwell's Fir Park pitch torn up after Europa Conference League qualification party

The dust has barely settled on Motherwell's Euro party at Fir Park last night.

But the pitch on which the players secured 2-1 win over Hearts and a place in the Europa Conference League qualifying rounds has already been ripped up to make way for a new and improved hybrid surface for next season.

Fans and players will soon be digging out their passports for a trip to Europe, but for now the only digging going on is on the playing surface in ML1.

The current grass pitch is being cleared this morning, along with the previous one which lies beneath, and the club will install an enhanced drainage system, irrigation system, and put in new undersoil heating piping.

Plans are also in place to reduce the slope of the pitch, which runs from the Cooper/Hunter Stand corner to the McLean/O'Donnell Stand, which will enhance the sight lines in both the Cooper and McLean stands' lower corners.

And club chief executive Alan Burrows posted on Twitter this morning that work is now well underway, with diggers tearing up the turf.

Motherwell's win over the Jambos mean they now go into Saturday's final game of the season at new crowned champions Celtic safe in the knowledge there will be European football at Fir Park next season.

The Steelmen sit fourth going into that clash and as long as they match or better Dundee United's result at Ross County they will finish the season there, meaning one less qualifying round to play in the Europa Conference.

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