EVEN at the end of a season that exceeded all expectations, the dreams and the reality are very different propositions for Motherwell and manager Stephen Robinson.

Silverware eluded the Steelmen on two occasions, while a top six finish was out of their grasps by the narrowest of margins. When the time comes to reflect, there will rightly be pride, but a nagging sense of what might have been will dominate the thought process.

There will be few opportunities for Robinson to look back, though. If you stand still in football, you will quickly be left behind.

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The defeats – 2-0 on both occasions – to Celtic in the finals of the League Cup and the Scottish Cup have been painful for Motherwell. There has been no silverware or silver lining and even the consolation prize, a boost to the Fir Park budget, may not offer as much comfort and solace as many would expect.

“We lose 60 per cent of our income and player sales to previous chairmen so I’m not sure how lucrative these runs have been,” Robinson said.

“What it does, is put the cub on a sturdy footing and gives us a bit of financial security for the next two years.

“We won’t go out and spend £200,000 or £300,000 on players – that won’t happen I can assure you.

“The maximum we can spend on a player is 10 or 20 grand – so it’s an incredible gap when you consider who we were playing in the cup final.

“But we have to find a way. I knew that when I took the job.

“We have a group of supporters that are proud of the players and perhaps if we can gain a few more it will put some more money into the coffers as well.

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“We are setting targets and my target is to improve. The expectation increases. Does it put more pressure on me and the players? Yes, but that’s the nature of the job.

“I think every Motherwell fan is realistic about what we can or can’t spend and my job as manager and Martin Foyle as chief scout is to scour the country the country and try to get another Charles Dunne, Cedric Kipre or Curtis Main.

“I’d love to go put and spend £2million meaning I didn’t have to waste my summer going around non-league in France and looking at players but that’s where we are.

“And when you get to cup finals and give people a day out then it makes it more special.”

Those deals with former Fir Park chiefs John Boyle and Les Hutchison are outwith Robinson’s control. He has plenty of others to focus on, however.

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The nucleus of a squad are already in place for next season but if higher league placings are to be achieved and cups are to be won rather than just competed for, Motherwell will need to continue on the upward curve that Robinson has set them on.

The Northern Irishman will always strive for the top. He is constrained by the bottom line, though.

“I don’t know the finer details of the financial arrangements so it would be wrong for me to comment on how or why that could be done,” Robinson said when asked if some of those funds could be given back.

“Of course, we would love to when you consider the money we have brought in this season with sales of players and two cup runs.

“Fresh money could transform the football club – perhaps a new training ground or an improved training ground, or a couple of players that could make us a really good side. But I don’t know the ins and outs of it or how that can be done.

“Even a portion of this money would help. We’ve got our set targets and that’s based on a budget.

“However, I have to say the current board has backed me as much as they can.

“But first and foremost, their duty is to make sure the club is financially stable.

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“Of course, it would be great if we had more backing – if someone put money in or there were deals to be done with former chairmen.

“That’s not my job. I simply have to deal with the constraints I have to work under.”

Motherwell may have been short of quality at the crucial moments on Saturday but accusations of a lack of effort can scarcely be thrown at this side.

The same could be said of the League Cup final back in November where goals from James Forrest and Moussa Dembele won it for Brendan Rodgers’ side.

It was Callum McGregor and Olivier Ntcham that did the damage second time around as two more of Rodgers’ star-studded ranks came to the fore.

On both occasions, Motherwell came just short. Having recovered from adversity once, they will now aim to do so once again.

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Robinson said: “It was in the middle of the season and we also lost six or seven players to injury.

“But I think psychologically we responded to that defeat by getting to within a point of the top six and, of course, reaching another cup final.

“We will respond again. The lessons we have learned is that when you’re playing against a very good side you can’t stand off people like McGregor and Ntcham.

“We’re the youngest side in the league and we have to learn.

“I’m limited to what I can do money-wise. If you look at McGregor, he’s probably on 15 times more in wages that most of our boys.

“So that’s the gap in class we’re trying to bridge with honest boys who are learning their trade and we’re a club that will continue to do that.

“It’s a hard task but we have to aim to do better next season.

“We have managed to retain a lot of the players so what I have to do is make the squad better in three or four different areas.

“So I know where I have to improve and I know the board will back me as much as they physically can – but you have to remember we have 4000 fans.

“I’m speaking to three or four right now because I feel we need more energy, more pace and maybe a little bit more ownership of the game in the middle of the park.”