It was an odd season for Motherwell, who would've started the season looking for a top-six place. However, some poor recruitment coincided with a massive injury list that ultimately cost Mark McGhee his job back in February. Steve Robinson was promoted to first-team manager and the upturn in performances and results was decent, but in the end Motherwell only just escaped.
The loss of Marvin Johnson after the opening day win at Kilmarnock really set Motherwell back. He scored the winner that day, but the Steelmen lost most of their flair when he left and only ended up winning four of their remaining 20 games towards the end of 2016.
McGhee responded by bringing in Elliott Frear and Stephen Pearson to bolster his injury-hit squad, but with just one win in their next seven games and six defeats - including heavy losses to Aberdeen and Dundee, McGhee was shown the door. Robinson focused on making Motherwell hard to beat, and really pulled back on the attacking approach that had been adopted under McGhee. By now however they were scrapping around the bottom of the league and struggling to get a run of results. Initially performances took an upward turn, however defensive errors continued to cost them, with the goals of Louis Moult single-handedly keeping the Steelmen above the relegation play-off position.
A vital home win over Inverness towards the end of the season eased relegation concerns, and it led to a strong finish for the Fir Park side which meant that they stayed up by the skin of their teeth to end a forgettable season, and another summer overhaul is set to take place under Robinson.
In the Betfred Cup, Motherwell got out of their group stage but lost in the second-round in a 5-0 rout at Celtic Park back in August, and their Scottish Cup effort ended after a fourth round defeat at Rangers.
