When Hearts were in financial difficulty over paying wages their players responded by upping their game and getting good results. Motherwell manager Stuart McCall is wary that a similar boost to performance levels may face his side when the Steelmen travel to East End Park today. The Pars are yet to win at home this season; are three points behind Hibs at the bottom of the SPL; and players, management and staff received only 60% of their February wages this week. The club point to the delay in receiving the £84,000 in ticket revenue from the Rangers' game in Fife on 11 February as the cause of the wages delay. Third-placed Motherwell's visit to Dunfermline is the Pars' last game for three weeks - due to the William Hill Scottish Cup quarter-finals and the Scottish Communities League Cup final - and will bring in revenue to allow further payment of 20% of wages, with the remaining balance promised within 10 days. Motherwell manager Stuart McCall anticipates the siege mentality in Jim McIntyre's squad and is prepared for a fight. McCall said: "It might just galvanise everyone. But we'll just concentrate on what we can do. If we can put in the level of performance that we have been doing of late we'll be confident of going and hopefully bringing the three points back. We've not won away for a wee while. We need to get back on track with an away victory and we're looking to do that at Dunfermline. We're well aware of that (Dunfermline looking for a first home win). We don't want it to happen tomorrow. They've got four away victories and when they came here, they'd got the same amount of away victories as we had had at home." Motherwell lost 1-0 to SPL leaders Celtic last week and want to bounce back with a win at East End Park. Defender Steven Hammell, who has begun discussions about a contract extension, said: "It will be a different proposition going to Dunfermline. They're fighting for their lives, they've got some off-field troubles now, but we've got to go and be professional and look to get three points. They're unlucky to have that (home) record, but we don't want to be the first team to be beaten. We know if we're not at our best we will come away with nothing." Hammell has sympathy for the players at Dunfermline and Rangers, having had a similar experience when Motherwell were placed into administration 10 years' ago. Hammell said: "We've been there, we've been where Rangers are and Dunfermline, to a lesser extent - hopefully everything will be okay there. It's not nice at all. Motherwell have learned from that. It was a hard lesson to learn but they've come out of it well and we're in a strong position - it helps the players on the pitch." Despite the prospect of taking part in Champions League qualifying next season should they finish second in the table - or should they finish third and Rangers not satisfy UEFA requirements - McCall anticipates the Fir Park finances will be tightened next season. The manager said: "We will have to see where we finish, but I would imagine, at this moment in time, we'll be looking to cut the budget. That's just the state of affairs at the minute in football."
Source: FOOTYMAD
