Motherwell hit with big injury blow and make huge captain call ahead of Rangers clash

Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell has revealed Lennon Miller will captain the club vs Rangers after an injury to Stephen O’Donnell.

The 18-year-old will become one of the youngest-ever Fir Park skipper on a huge stage, with the Light Blues to come at Hampden on Premier Sports Cup semi-final duty. Vice-captain Stephen O’Donnell puled up with a muscle injury in the midweek win against Dundee United in the Premiership and won’t be fit for Sunday.

Miller captained the side after he exited the game and will continue to do so in Mount Florida. Captain Paul McGinn is already missing while Ross Callachan, Harry Paton, Callum Slattery, Sam Nicholson and Jack Vale have been long-term absentees.

Kettlewell has Liam Gordon and Tony Watt returning from ineligibility. He said of the injury and Miller: “Stephen won’t make it. I can’t put a time scale on it but he will not be available for Sunday which is a shame as he has always been available since the minute I walked in.

“Bad timing on that front, doesn’t matter when that happens, you lose a good player with good experience. A bit of the walking wounded with one or two others, nothing that I think will keep anybody out the game but a couple of tidy-ups, a couple of bangs, dead legs.

“One or two other wee issues but we get the extra day with the game on the Sunday to make sure that is tidied up. Providing any disaster, Lennon will captain the side on Sunday. He got the armband on Wednesday.

“You talk about how you perform, you talk about leaders in do as I do. He’s maybe not the loudest voice in there but the level of performance leads other players and at times what he can do on a football pitch can be an inspiration to others.”