Motherwell F.C. facts for kids
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| Full name | Motherwell Football Club | |
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| Nickname(s) | The Well, The Steelmen | |
| Founded | 17 May 1886 | |
| Ground | Fir Park | |
| Capacity | 13,677 | |
| Chairman | Kyrk Macmillan | |
| Manager | Jens Berthel Askou | |
| League | Scottish Premiership | |
| 2015–16 | Scottish Premiership, 5th | |
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Motherwell Football Club is a Scottish professional football team. They are based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, and play in the top Scottish league. Motherwell has stayed in the top flight of Scottish football since 1985. During this time, they won the Scottish Cup in 1991.
The team wears traditional claret and amber colours. They play their home games at Fir Park, which has been their stadium since 1896. Motherwell's main rivals are Hamilton Academical and Airdrieonians. These rivalries are strong because the clubs are located close to each other. Their matches are known as the Lanarkshire derby.
Motherwell has won four major trophies in Scotland. They won the Scottish League title in 1931–32. They also won the Scottish Cup twice, in 1951–52 and 1990–91. Their fourth major trophy was the Scottish League Cup in 1950–51.
Some people believe Motherwell F.C. fans started the "Viking Thunder Clap" chant. This chant became very popular with fans of the Iceland national football team. It involves fans clapping together slowly at first, then speeding up. The chant gained international attention during Euro 2016.
Contents
Club History
How Motherwell FC Started
Motherwell FC was formed on May 17, 1886. Two local factory teams, Glencairn FC and Alpha F.C., decided to join forces. They met in a pub and aimed to create one strong club for the whole town. Their first game was a success, as they beat Hamilton Academical 3–2.
In the early years, the club faced some challenges. There wasn't a regular league to play in, and sometimes players were late for matches after working long shifts. On August 5, 1893, the club decided to become professional. They were then accepted into the national league, becoming the only team from Lanarkshire to play at that level.
Before 1895, Motherwell played at different locations. These included Roman Road and Dalziel Park. The pitch at Dalziel Park was small and often muddy. So, Lord Hamilton gave them land on his estate. This new ground was named Fir Park, and it has been Motherwell's home for over 120 years.
The club continued to grow. They hired their first and longest-serving manager, John 'Sailor' Hunter. He led the club through its most successful period. In 1913, the club changed its colours from blue to the famous claret and amber. Some say this was inspired by the success of Bradford City, who wore similar colours. Others believe it was Lord Hamilton of Dalzell's horse racing colours.
Success in the 1920s and 1930s
Motherwell had a very successful time after World War I. Under manager John Hunter, they finished third in the league in 1919–20. After a tough season in 1924–25, they steadily improved. They finished in the top three for seven seasons in a row.
In the summer of 1927, the club toured Spain. They won six out of eight games, losing only one. This included a great 3–1 win against Real Madrid and a 2–2 draw with Barcelona. After their success in Spain, they went on another tour, this time to South America. They lost only three of their first ten games there. The tour ended with a 5–0 loss to a Brazilian League Select team.
Motherwell won their first and only Scottish League championship in 1931–32. They won 30 out of 38 games and scored 119 goals. An amazing 52 of these goals were scored by Willie MacFadyen. He still holds the record for most goals in a single season for the club. He is also one of the club's top goalscorers ever, with 251 goals. Motherwell won the championship on April 23, 1932. This happened when Rangers could only draw their game, giving Motherwell the title without them even playing. Between 1904 and 1947, this was the only league title won by a club other than the "Old Firm" (Rangers or Celtic).
In the two seasons after their league win (1933–34 and 1934–35), Motherwell finished second. They had also been runners-up in 1926–27 and 1929–30. They also played in three Scottish Cup finals during this period (1931, 1933, and 1939), but they lost all of them.
After World War II
After World War II, the team changed a lot and wasn't immediately successful. However, they soon won two major trophies. They won the League Cup in 1950 and the Scottish Cup in 1952. The club was then relegated for the first time in 1952–53. But they were promoted back to the top league the very next year.
Bobby Ancell became manager in 1955. During his time, talented Scotland players like Ian St John and Charlie Aitken played for Motherwell. However, the club couldn't keep its best players, and they didn't win any trophies. Ancell resigned in 1965, and the club was relegated again in 1967–68.
1970s and the McLean Era
Motherwell quickly returned to the top division in 1969. They usually finished in the middle of the league table. In 1975–76, the league changed to a smaller 10-team Premier League. Willie McLean and his assistant Craig Brown (who later became manager) led the team. They helped Motherwell finish fourth in the league with players like Bobby Graham and Willie Pettigrew. In the 1975–76 Scottish Cup, they beat Celtic but lost to Rangers in the semi-final.
The 1980s and 1990s
Motherwell was relegated and promoted twice in the early 1980s. Then, under manager Tommy McLean, the club won the Scottish Cup in 1991. However, after this win, star player Tom Boyd was sold. The team's performance dropped for two years. But then, after signing Paul Lambert, they had two great seasons. They finished third in 1993–94 and second in 1994–95. The 1995 second-place finish was their best since 1933–34.
When Tommy McLean left in 1994, many of his players were sold. A lot of money was received, especially for Phil O'Donnell who went to Celtic. This money was used to buy new players. The club had several managers, including Alex McLeish and Harri Kampman. In August 1998, John Boyle bought the club. Billy Davies became manager, and the club spent a lot of money on players like John Spencer and Andy Goram. But these investments did not lead to success on the field.
The 2000s
By the end of Billy Davies' time as manager, the club was in financial trouble. Eric Black was briefly in charge, but the club was losing almost £2 million a year. In April 2002, the club went into administration, which is like a company needing help with its money. Black resigned, and Terry Butcher took over. The club had to let go of 19 players and replace them with younger ones. John Boyle also put the club up for sale. Motherwell finished last in the league in 2002–03. Normally, this would mean relegation. However, they avoided it because Falkirk, who won the First Division, did not have a stadium that met the Premier League rules.
Despite having few resources, the club found many talented young players. When these players, like Stephen Pearson and James McFadden, moved to other clubs, they brought in money from transfer fees. John Boyle also removed the club's debt to him. By the end of the 2004–05 season, Motherwell's finances were much better. They were no longer losing as much money as other Premier League clubs. The club also reached the League Cup final, but they lost to Rangers.
Butcher left for Sydney FC in 2006, and his assistant Maurice Malpas took over. Malpas resigned in May 2007 after only one season. After a short time with Scott Leitch as temporary manager, Mark McGhee was appointed. In his first season, McGhee led the club to third place in the league. This meant they qualified for the UEFA Cup for the first time in 13 years. They were beaten by French team AS Nancy. Mark McGhee left Motherwell for Aberdeen in June 2009. Jim Gannon replaced him, and then former Scotland manager Craig Brown took over when Gannon left.
2010 to Today
Craig Brown helped Motherwell finish 5th in the SPL, which meant they qualified for European competitions. In the 2010–11 season, they played in the Europa League. They beat Breiðablik and Aalesunds but lost to Odense in the play-off round. This stopped them from reaching the group stages. Brown left Motherwell for Aberdeen on December 10, 2010. Stuart McCall became the new manager. That season, Motherwell reached the Scottish Cup Final but lost 3–0 to Celtic.
In the 2011–12 season, Motherwell reached the qualifying round of the Champions League for the first time. They finished third in the league. Normally, only the top two teams qualify for the Champions League. However, Rangers, who finished above them, had financial problems and were not allowed to play in European competitions. So, Motherwell took their place. In the Champions League qualifying round, Motherwell played against Greek team Panathinaikos. Motherwell lost both games and were knocked out.
The 2012–13 season was even more successful in the SPL. The club finished second in the league and qualified for the Europa League again. Their striker Michael Higdon won the PFA Scotland Players' Player of the Year award. Goalkeeper Darren Randolph, defender Shaun Hutchinson, and midfielder Nicky Law were all chosen for the PFA Scotland Team of the Year.
Motherwell joined the European Club Association in June 2013. They were the fifth Scottish club to join this group. They were invited because they had consistently qualified for European competitions between 2008 and 2013. In the 2013–14 season, Motherwell were knocked out of the Europa League by Russian team Kuban Krasnodar. On January 22, 2014, Motherwell won their 40th Lanarkshire Cup. They beat Hamilton Academical 1–0. On the last day of the 2013–14 Scottish Premiership season, Motherwell won 1–0 against Aberdeen with a goal in the 93rd minute. This win moved them above Aberdeen to finish second in the league for the second year in a row. They qualified for European football for the sixth time in seven seasons.
Despite three successful league seasons, Motherwell started the 2014–15 Scottish Premiership poorly. This led to manager Stuart McCall resigning on November 2, 2014. Ian Baraclough was appointed in December 2014. However, Motherwell ended up in a relegation play-off after losing to St Mirren. In the play-off finals, Motherwell played Rangers. Motherwell won the first game 3–1 at Rangers' home stadium, Ibrox Stadium. They then won the second game 3–0, securing their place in the top division. On September 23, 2015, Motherwell parted ways with manager Ian Baraclough. Mark McGhee returned in October 2015 but was sacked in March 2017 after a bad run of results.
On October 28, 2016, Motherwell became a fan-owned club. The supporters' group, Well Society, took over the club. On October 13, 2017, Manager Stephen Robinson extended his contract until May 2020. On December 31, 2020, Robinson resigned, and Keith Lasley took temporary charge.
In Popular Culture In the crime novel The Greenock Murders by Kieran James (2021), a 10-year-old boy named Wee Robbie moves from Motherwell to Greenock. He is autistic and continues to support Motherwell FC, even when he is bullied for it. At the end of the book, Motherwell beats Rangers 2–1 in a fictional 2022 Scottish Cup Final.
Club Records and Statistics
Motherwell has won four major trophies: the First Division in 1931–32, the Scottish Cup in 1952 and 1991, and the Scottish League Cup in 1950. They have also won the second-tier Scottish league four times. These wins were as the Second Division in 1953–54 and 1968–69, and as the First Division in 1981–82 and 1984–85. They also won the Milk Cup in 1983 and the Scottish Summer Cup in 1944 and 1965.
Bob Ferrier has played the most games for Motherwell, with 626 appearances between World War I and World War II. The record for most goals scored is held by Hughie Ferguson, who scored 284 league goals in 10 seasons. Willie MacFadyen's 52 goals in the 1931–32 title-winning season is a club and country record for goals in one season.
Steven Hammell holds the record for most European appearances for the club, with 19 games. The current record European goalscorer is Jamie Murphy, with seven goals. Motherwell's biggest win in European competition was 8–1 against Flamurtari on July 23, 2009.
Fir Park's current capacity is 13,742 seats. The club's average home attendance for the 2018–19 season was 5,448. The record attendance for a home match was 35,632. This was against Rangers in a Scottish Cup quarter-final replay on March 12, 1952. However, season ticket holders were not counted then, so the real number was likely over 37,000.
Motherwell's biggest win ever was 12–1 against Dundee United in 1954. Their heaviest defeat was an 8–0 loss to Aberdeen in 1979.
On May 5, 2010, Motherwell played in the highest-scoring match in the SPL. They drew 6–6 with Hibernian at Fir Park. Lukas Jutkiewicz scored the tying goal in the 91st minute. This game beat another high-scoring match involving Motherwell, a 6–5 loss to Aberdeen in 1999.
The highest transfer fee Motherwell has ever paid was £500,000 to Everton for John Spencer in 1999. The highest fee they have received was £3.25 million for David Turnbull when he moved to Celtic in 2020. This beat the previous record of £1.75 million for Phil O'Donnell in 1994. O'Donnell rejoined Motherwell in 2004. His second time at the club ended sadly when he collapsed and died on the pitch during a game against Dundee United on December 29, 2007.
Stephen Craigan holds the record for the most international caps while playing for Motherwell. He earned 51 caps for Northern Ireland during his time at the club.
European Competitions
| Competition | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| European Cup / Champions League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | −5 |
| UEFA Cup Winners' Cup | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | |
| UEFA Cup / Europa League | 28 | 9 | 3 | 16 | 40 | 37 | +3 |
| Europa Conference League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | –3 |
| Total | 34 | 10 | 3 | 21 | 43 | 48 | –5 |
Player of the Year Award
The Supporters Association started giving out this award in April 1956. The first winner was Andy Paton. He received a silver cup from Sailor Hunter. Paton was later named the "Greatest Ever" Motherwell player in 2007.
Joe Wark and Keith Lasley are the only players to win the award three times. Charlie Aitken was the first of five players to win the award two years in a row. Louis Moult was the most recent player to do this.
- 1955–56 –
Andy Paton - 1956–57 – Charlie Aitken
- 1957–58 – Charlie Aitken
- 1958–59 – Ian St John
- 1959–60 – Joe Mackin
- 1960–61 – Pat Quinn
- 1961–62 – Bobby Roberts
- 1962–63 – Bobby McCallum
- 1963–64 – Joe McBride
- 1964–65 – Pat Delaney
- 1965–66 – John Martis
- 1966–67 – John Martis
- 1967–68 – Peter McCloy
- 1968–69 – Joe Wark
- 1969–70 – Keith MacRae
- 1970–71 – Bobby Watson
- 1971–72 – Willie McCallum
- 1972–73 – Joe Wark
- 1973–74 – Bobby Graham
- 1974–75 – Bobby Watson
- 1975–76 – Joe Wark
- 1976–77 – Stuart Rennie
- 1977–78 – Gregor Stevens
- 1978–79 – Stuart Rennie
- 1979–80 – Hugh Sproat
- 1980–81 – Joe Carson
- 1981–82 – Steve McLelland
- 1982–83 – Ally Mauchlen
- 1983–84 – Andy Dornan
- 1984–85 – Graeme Forbes
- 1985–86 – Tom Boyd
- 1986–87 – Fraser Wishart
- 1987–88 – Craig Paterson
- 1988–89 – Steve Kirk
- 1989–90 – Tom Boyd
- 1990–91 – Ally Maxwell
- 1991–92 – Phil O'Donnell
- 1992–93 –
Sieb Dijkstra - 1993–94 – Brian Martin
- 1994–95 – Brian Martin
- 1995–96 – Paul Lambert
- 1996–97 – Mitchell van der Gaag
- 1997–98 –
Tommy Coyne - 1998–99 –
Ged Brannan - 1999–00 – Don Goodman
- 2000–01 – Steven Hammell
- 2001–02 –
Éric Deloumeaux - 2002–03 – Martyn Corrigan
- 2003–04 –
Stephen Craigan - 2004–05 –
Scott McDonald - 2005–06 – Graeme Smith
- 2006–07 – Mark Reynolds
- 2007–08 – David Clarkson
- 2008–09 – Stephen Craigan
- 2009–10 – John Ruddy
- 2010–11 – Keith Lasley
- 2011–12 – Keith Lasley
- 2012–13 – Michael Higdon
- 2013–14 – Keith Lasley
- 2014–15 – Lee Erwin
- 2015–16 – Louis Moult
- 2016–17 – Louis Moult
- 2017–18 – Trevor Carson
- 2018–19 – David Turnbull
- 2019–20 – Declan Gallagher
- 2020–21 – Tony Watt
- 2021–22 – Liam Kelly
- 2022–23 – Kevin van Veen
- 2023–24 –
Theo Bair - 2024–25 – Lennon Miller
Hall of Fame Members
The club started its official Hall of Fame in 2019. Five members were announced at a dinner on November 23. Four names were known before the event. The fifth, Phil O'Donnell, was chosen by a special fan vote. The 2020 event was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Only three names, Hunter, Paton, and Cooper, had been confirmed. On September 9, 2021, the club announced the event was returning. The two remaining 2020 inductees were named along with the previous three. A new group of five names for 2021 was also announced.
2019 Inductees:
- George Stevenson
- Willie Pettigrew
- Ally Maxwell
- Phil O’Donnell
- James McFadden
2020 Inductees:
- John 'Sailor' Hunter
- Andy Paton
- Joe Wark
- Davie Cooper
- Steven Hammell
2021 Inductees:
- Bobby Ferrier
- John Martis
- Tommy McLean
- Steve Kirk
- Stephen Craigan
2022 Inductees:
- Willie MacFadyen
- Willie Hunter
- Bobby Graham
- Tommy Coyne
- Keith Lasley
2023 Inductees:
- Hughie Ferguson
- Martyn Corrigan
- Bobby Ancell
- Charlie Aitken
- John Philliben
Club Managers
| Name | Tenure | Scottish League | Scottish Cup | Scottish League Cup | Promotion from Second Tier | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John "Sailor" Hunter | 1911–1946 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| George Stevenson | 1946–1955 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Bobby Ancell | 1955–1965 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bobby Howitt | 1965–1973 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Ian St John | 1973–1974 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Willie McLean | 1974–1977 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Roger Hynd | 1977–1978 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ally MacLeod | 1978–1981 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| David Hay | 1981–1982 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Jock Wallace | 1982–1983 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bobby Watson | 1983–1984 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tommy McLean | 1984–1994 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Alex McLeish | 1994–1998 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Harri Kampman | 1998 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Billy Davies | 1998–2001 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Eric Black | 2001–2002 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Terry Butcher | 2002–2006 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Maurice Malpas | 2006–2007 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mark McGhee | 2007–2009 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jim Gannon | 2009 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Craig Brown | 2009–2010 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Stuart McCall | 2011–2014 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ian Baraclough | 2014–2015 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mark McGhee | 2015–2017 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Stephen Robinson | 2017–2020 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Graham Alexander | 2021–2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steven Hammell | 2022–2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Stuart Kettlewell | 2023–2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Michael Wimmer | 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jens Berthel Askou | 2025– | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Club Honours
Motherwell has won several league titles and cups. They have six major domestic trophies. Their only Scottish league championship was in the 1931–32 season. They won with 66 points, five points ahead of the next team. They won the Scottish Cup twice: in 1951–52 (beating Dundee 4–0) and in 1990–91 (beating Dundee United 4–3). They also won the Scottish League Cup once in 1950–51 (beating Hibernian 3–0). They also won the now-finished Summer Cup in 1943–44 and 1964–65.
They have also won the second tier of Scottish league football four times. Other notable cup wins include the Scottish Qualifying Cup once and the Lanarkshire Cup forty times. Their most recent Lanarkshire Cup win was in 2014. Their most recent appearances in major finals were in the Scottish Cup (losing 2–0 to Celtic) and the Scottish League Cup (losing 2–0 to Celtic), both in 2017–18. Their best league performance recently was finishing second in the Scottish top flight in 2012–13 and 2013–14. They have qualified for European competition ten times.
In the summer of 1927, Motherwell won an unofficial 'Copa del Rey' trophy in Madrid during their tour of Spain. They beat Swansea Town 4–3 in the semi-final and hosts Real Madrid 3–1 in the final.
Below is a list of honours won and other achievements by Motherwell.
| Honour | Year(s) | Ref(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scottish League Championship
(currently known as Scottish Premiership) |
Champions | 1931–32 | |
| Runners-up | 1926–27, 1929–30, 1932–33, 1933–34, 1994–95, 2012–13, 2013–14 | ||
| Third-place | 1919–20, 1927–28, 1928–29, 1930–31, 1958–59, 1993–94, 2007–08, 2011–12, 2019–20 | ||
| Scottish League First Division | Champions | 1953–54, 1968–69, 1981–82, 1984–85 | |
| Runners-up | 1894–95, 1902–03 | ||
| Scottish Federation | Runners-up | 1892–93 | |
| Scottish Cup | Winners | 1951–52, 1990–91 | |
| Finalists | 1930–31, 1932–33, 1938–39, 1950–51, 2010–11, 2017–18 | ||
| Scottish League Cup | Winners | 1950–51 | |
| Finalists | 1954–55, 2004–05, 2017–18 | ||
| Summer Cup | Winners | 1943–44, 1964–65 | |
| Lord Provost Charity Cup | Winners | 1952–53 | |
| Scottish Qualifying Cup | Winners | 1902–03 | |
| Finalists | 1896–97, 1901–02 | ||
| Southern League Cup | Finalists | 1944–45 | |
| Lanarkshire League | Champions | 1898–99 | |
| Runners-up | 1900–01 | ||
| West of Scotland League | Champions | 1902–03 | |
| Lanarkshire Cup | Winners | 1894–95, 1898–99, 1900–01, 1906–07, 1907–08, 1911–12, 1926–27, 1927–28, 1928–29, 1929–30, 1931–32, 1932–33, 1936–37, 1939–40, 1949–50, 1951–52, 1952–53, 1953–54, 1954–55, 1955–56, 1956–57, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1963–64, 1968–69, 1972–73, 1976–77, 1980–81, 1982–83, 1984–85, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2013–14 |
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| Finalists | 1887–88, 1893–94, 1895–96, 1897–98, 1914–15, 1922–23, 1925–26, 1950–51, 1960–61, 1962–63, 1969–70, 1970–71, 1974–75, 1992–93 |
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| Lanarkshire Charity Cup | Winners | 1917–18 | |
| Lanarkshire Express Cup | Winners | 1914–15, 1920–21, 1923–24, 1925–26 | |
| Lanarkshire Consolation Cup | Winners | 1892–93 | |
| Finalists | 1889–90 | ||
| Airdrie Charity Cup | Winners | 1892–93 | |
| Wishaw Charity Cup | Winners | 1913–14, 1914–15 | |
| Rosebery Charity Cup | Runners-up | 1932–33 | |
| Express Ibrox Disaster Fund | Winners | 1901–02 | |
| Franco-Scottish Friendship Cup | Co-Winners | 1960–61 | |
| Co-Runners-up | 1961–62 | ||
| Airdrieonians Tournament | Winners | 1887 | |
| Copa del Rey | Winners | 1927 | |
| Copa Barcelona | Winners | 1927 | |
| Isle of Man Tournament | Winners | 1989 | |
| Sir Matt Busby Shield | Winners | 2009 | |
| Five / Six-a-Side Competitions | |||
| Tennents' Sixes | Runners-up | 1987–88, 1988–89, 1990–91 | |
| Lanarkshire Police Sports | Winners | 1920 | |
| Runner-up | 1925 | ||
| City of Glasgow Police Sports | Winners | 1924 | |
| Motherwell FC Sports | Winners | 1920, 1922, 1924, 1925 | |
| Falkirk Pro Sports | Winners | 1925 | |
| Lochwinnoch Sports | Winners | 1926 | |
| Runners up | 1924 | ||
| Ayr Professional | Winners | 1921 | |
Current Squad
First-Team Players
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Development Team Players
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Retired Numbers
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After O'Donnell's death in 2007, only one player has worn the number 10 shirt. David Clarkson, who is O'Donnell's nephew, wore the shirt until he left the club in July 2009. While not officially retired, no other player has been given the number 10 shirt since then.
Club Staff
Board of Directors
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Majority shareholder | The Well Society |
| Chief executive | Brian Caldwell |
| Chairman | Kyrk Macmillan |
| Director | Greg Anderson |
| Director | Grant Jarvie |
| Finance director | David Lindsay |
Coaching Staff
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Manager | Jens Berthel Askou |
| Assistant manager | Max Rogers |
| First team coach | Jonathan Obika |
| Goalkeeping coach | Neil Alexander |
| Head of coaching | Richard Foster |
| Academy director | David Clarkson |
| Head of recruitment | Nick Daws |
| Performance analyst | Graeme McArthur |
| Lead physiotherapist | David Henderson |
| Lead sports scientist | Liam Jukes |
| Kit coordinator | Alan MacDonald |
Sponsorship and Kits
Motherwell was sponsored in the 2019–20 season by online gambling company Paddy Power. This was part of their 'Save our Shirt' campaign. Before that, Bet Park sponsored the team from the start of the 2018–19 season. Commsworld was the main sponsor from the 2010–11 season. When the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League started, the team briefly had www.chooselife.net as their main shirt sponsor. This was because a new sponsorship deal wasn't ready in time. The team still has suicide prevention sponsorship on the arms of their shirts. They have also been sponsored by a local IT company called Log in to Learn, whose name appeared on the back of the shirts. For the 2009–10 season, the team was sponsored by JAXX, a German gambling company. They took over from Anglian Home Improvements, who sponsored the club from 2006 to 2008. Before this, the club had a long partnership with Zoom Airlines. This airline was partly owned by club director John Boyle. Zoom Airlines kept advertising space at Fir Park until they stopped operating in August 2008.
The sponsor from 2002 to 2004 was a local company called The Untouchables. Before that, the club had a long partnership with Motorola, which lasted 11 years until 2002. This ended as Motorola reduced its manufacturing in Scotland. Before Motorola, local car dealer Ian Skelly had sponsored the club since 1984.
The club has had many different kit manufacturers since the 1970s. Currently, Macron is the official kit supplier. They started in the 2014–15 season, replacing Puma. Puma had a 3-year deal with the club. Before Puma, the kits were supplied by Canterbury. They were announced as the official kit supplier for four years starting in the 2009–10 season, taking over from Bukta. However, Canterbury faced financial problems after less than one year of the contract. Major brands like Adidas, Admiral, Hummel, Patrick, Pony, Umbro and Xara have all made kits for Motherwell.
Kit and Main Sponsors Over Time
| Period | Kit Manufacturer | Shirt sponsor (front) | Shirt sponsor (sleeve) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974–1976 | Umbro | None | None |
| 1976–1979 | Admiral | ||
| 1979–1982 | Adidas | ||
| 1982–1983 | Patrick | Scottish Brewers | |
| 1983–1984 | None | ||
| 1984–1985 | Ian Skelly | ||
| 1985–1987 | Admiral | ||
| 1987–1990 | Matchwinner | ||
| 1990–1991 | Admiral | ||
| 1991–1992 | Motorola | ||
| 1992–1994 | Hummel | ||
| 1994–1998 | Pony | ||
| 1998–2002 | Xara | ||
| 2002–2004 | The Untouchables | ||
| 2004–2006 | Zoom Airlines | ||
| 2006–2007 | Anglian Home Improvements | ||
| 2007–2008 | Bukta | ||
| 2008–2009 | JAXX | ||
| 2009–2010 | Canterbury | ||
| 2010–2011 | Puma | Commsworld | |
| 2011–2014 | Cash Converters | ||
| 2014–2016 | Macron | ||
| 2016–2017 | Motorpoint | ||
| 2017–2018 | McEwan Fraser Legal | ||
| 2018–2019 | Bet Park | ||
| 2019–2020 | Paddy Power | ||
| 2020–2023 | Paycare | ||
| 2023–2024 | G4 Claims | ||
| 2024– | DX Home Improvements |
See also
In Spanish: Motherwell Football Club para niños
