Motherwell: McGhee wants perfect pitch

MOTHERWELL manager Mark McGhee admits he can only stomach the huge hole in his transfer budget brought on by pitch repairs because it will allow his team to play their best football at Fir Park again.

Work began on the total overhaul following Well's 2-1 defeat by Kilmarnock.

McGhee, installed as early favourite to replace Jimmy Calderwood at Aberdeen, will see any attempts to replace the likes of Well's Stephen Hughes and Graeme Smith, who both look set to move on when their contracts expire, hampered by the improvements to the undersoil heating and laying of new turf.

"It's £250-300,000 that I won't get to spend on players but we can't have a football club and hope to achieve the things we want to achieve, and play the quality of football we desire to play, on a pitch like this," the Motherwell boss said. Some of the football on Saturday was excellent on such a diabolical surface."