Mark Gillespie might not be a Motherwell player come the summer- but breaking a Fir Park record would be the perfect send-off for the Well’s current number one.
The Englishman arrived from Walsall in the summer of 2018. Initially performing as second choice behind Trevor Carson, Gillespie claimed the number one shirt following the Northern Irishman’s DVT blow.
He’s had the Steelmen’s keeper position for over a year now. His contract is expiring in the summer and Stephen Robinson has already confirmed Carson will be the club’s number one next season, who unlike Gillespie, has signed a new Well deal.
The uncertainty over his future won’t faze Gillespie though. With Motherwell’s clean sheet record currently standing at 20, held by number two Carson, the Fir Park number one hopes that can be broken as he sits with 15 clean sheets himself.
“Hopefully 20 shut-outs is achievable,” said Gillespie. “The manager is massive on getting behind the ball and organisation. You can see it a mile off that we’re well coached and by the time it gets to me we’ve managed to keep it out.
“It’s a good record and one we need to continue because that’s the base we look to play off. It’s massive having an international goalkeeper in Trevor pushing me. He’s an international goalkeeper high on quality.
“We get on great and it’s brilliant to have him pushing me. I’m just focusing on the football, I’ve left everything else to my representatives. But it was decided by both parties to let me concentrate on football and the club focus on their business.
“Nothing was sorted so it has been decided just to see where we’re at come the end of the season. It’s a big summer but I love my football and hopefully the fans can see I’ll put my body on the line until the end of the season and try to help the team do as well as we can.
“We will have another conversation in the summer and see where that goes. But I’m loving my time here. I had a good conversation with the gaffer and goalkeeper coach.
“I have loads of respect for the staff who have helped me massively and I’ll try to repay that. It would be fantastic for everyone at the club if we take third spot and we’ve got our eyes on the Cup too because we desperately want to give the fans something to cheer about.”