Motherwell F.C.
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| Full name | Motherwell Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Well The Steelmen The Dossers | ||
| Founded | 17 May, 1886 | ||
| Ground | Fir Park Motherwell, North Lanarkshire | ||
| Capacity | 13,742 | ||
| Chairman |  John Boyle | ||
| Manager | Maurice Malpas | ||
| League | Scottish Premier League | ||
| 2005-06 season | Scottish Premier League, 8th | ||
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Motherwell Football Club is a Scottish football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. Motherwell currently play in the Scottish Premier League; their home stadium is Fir Park and they are managed by Maurice Malpas.
History
Formatory years
In 1886, two amateur teams based in factories in Motherwell - Glencairn F.C. and Alpha F.C. - were invited to field a select team from both of their squads to play a similar select side form Glasgow. This amalgamated side competed in a charity competition, and talks afterwards fully merged the two sides into Motherwell Football Club on May 17, 1886 - winning its first-ever match against Hamilton Academical by 3 goals to 2. The club used Alpha's ground for the next three years, before residential development forced them to move into the Airbles district of the town. In 1893, the club's Annual General Meeting agreed that the club would become professional; in that year, they applied to the Scottish Football League, and were one of ten admissions to its then-new Second Division for the 1893-94 season. In 1896, the club moved ground again, to its current site at Fir Park - the land for which had been gifted from the estate of Baron Hamilton of Dalzell, the owner of the factory which initially spawned Glencairn F.C.[1] After ten seasons in Division Two, Motherwell finished second in the table in the 1902-03 season, and were elected to the First Division (modern-day promotion was not used for the Scottish Football League until 1922) when it expanded from twelve clubs to fouteen in 1903. Motherwell's club colours were primarily blue at this time, although changed to its now-standard amber and claret for the start of the 1912-13 season, these being the racing colours of Baron Hamilton.[2]
1920s and 1930s successes
Motherwell enjoyed a successful period in the aftermath of World War I, managed by John Hunter. The club placed third in the 1919-20 season - and although narrowly avoiding relegation in 1924-25, it steadily climbed the table and enjoyed seven successive seasons finishing in the top three. Motherwell's first (and to this day only) First Division league championship came in 1931-32 - with 30 wins in 38 fixtures, scoring 119 goals - a record 52 of which were scored by Willie MacFadyen, who remains to this day one of the club's all-time top goalscorers with 251 goals. Motherwell also contested three Scottish Cup finals in this period - in 1931, 1933 and 1939, although were defeated on all three occasions.
Post-World War II period
Following the breakup of the squad after World War II, the club was not as instantly successful, although capturing its second major trophy with the 1950 Scottish League Cup - and claimed the Scottish Cup at the fourth time of asking at the conclusion of the next season. However, the club's first-ever relegation followed at the end of the 1952-53 season, although the club were again promoted the next year. Following their return to the First Division, Bobby Ancell took management of the club in 1955 and presided over an era in which many highly regarded Scotland stars like Ian St. John and Charlie Aitken played for the club. However, Motherwell were unable to keep their assets - St. John notably attracted a high transfer fee from Liverpool - and no trophies were won in Ancell's era, with his resignation coming in 1965 amidst a downturn in form which eventually saw the club relegated back to the Second Division at the conclusion of the 1967-68 season.
1970s recovery and the McLean era
Motherwell were immediately promoted back to the First Division in 1969, maintaining a mid-table position. When the 18-team First Division was superceded by a new 10-team Premier League for the 1975-76 season, Motherwell improved to fourth in the table, but only maintained their position in the Premier League briefly. Relegation down to the now-First Division and promotion back to the Premier League occurred twice in the early 1980s, before a a successful decade under manager Tommy McLean which culminated in a famous Scottish Cup win in 1991. However, as in the late 1950s, this squad's Scotland internationals - including Tom Boyd and Ian Ferguson - were sold. Fortunes initially faded, although the club reached another brief zenith with third- and second-placed Premier League finishes in the mid-1990s.
Financial troubles
With Tommy McLean's departure to Hearts in 1994, much of his squad was broken up; a large fee in particular was paid by Celtic for Phil O'Donnell. Much of this money was reinvested in the squad, while the club cycled through managers including Alex McLeish and Harri Kampman. At this point, in 1997, John Boyle bought the club and installed Billy Davies as manager. Davies paid large transfer fees and wages to a number of prominent players including ex-Scotland internationals John Spencer and Andy Goram. The investment though failed to provide results on the pitch, and by the end of Davies' tenure the club was in financial trouble. Eric Black was briefly in charge with the club floating near the foot of the table before it was placed in administration in April 2002 with losses approaching GPB 2,000,000 yearly.[3] Black resigned, and was replaced with Terry Butcher. The club's outlook remained bleak as they were forced to release their highest-paid stars and replace them with younger players; Boyle also placed the club up for sale. Relegation in 2002-03 - normally automatic following a last-place finish in the league - was avoided on a technicality, as First Division winners Falkirk lacked a stadium meeting Premier League regulations.[4]
Emergence from administration
Despite the lack of resources, Butcher was able to find a number of young talented players to play for the club; crucually, when many of these moved on, including Stephen Pearson and James McFadden, they brought revenue in the form of transfer fees, and with John Boyle waving the club's personal debt to him, its financial future was assured by the conclusion of the 2004-05 season with the club's yearly losses falling to one of the lowest figures in the Premier League[5] and the club coming out of administration in time to avoid a ten-point Premier League penalty which was being phased in for teams in administration[6]. On the field, the club also managed to reach the League Cup final, although they were comprehensively defeated by Rangers. Butcher moved on to Sydney at the end of the 2005-06 season, and was succeeded by his assistant Maurice Malpas.
Records and statistics
The club has won four major trophies in its history; the First Division in 1931-32, the Scottish Cup in 1952 and 1991, and the Scottish League Cup in 1950. In addition, it has won the second-tier Scottish league on four occasions; as the Second Division in 1953-54 and 1968-69, and as the First Division (beneath the Premier League) in 1981-82 and 1984-85. It also won the Milk Cup, in 1983.
Bob Ferrier holds the record for the number of Motherwell appearances, with 626 in the inter-war period. The goalscoaring record is held by Hughie Ferguson, who scored 284 league goals in 10 seasons in the 1910s and 1920s. Willie MacFadyen's 52 goals in the title-winning 1931-32 season remains a club (and country) record for goals in one season.
Fir Park stadium's current safety certificate limits the capacity to 13,742, all-seated in accordance with the Taylor Report. Its average home gate for the opening of the 2006-07 season was 6,738[7]. The club's record attendance for a home match is 35,632, against Rangers in a Scottish Cup quarter-final replay on March 12, 1952.
The record transfer fee paid by the club was that to Everton for John Spencer in 1999 (GPB 500,000) and the highest received was that for Phil O'Donnell for his move to Celtic in 1994 (GBP 1,750,000). O'Donnell has since rejoined the club.
Current squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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References
- ^ Motherwell F.C. - Club History
- ^ "A Brief History of Motherwell F.C." - www.motherwellfc.org
- ^ "Motherwell in turmoil" - bbc.co.uk, April 24, 2002.
- ^ "Falkirk denied promotion" - bbc.co.uk, May 23, 2003.
- ^ "Scottish Soccer Clubs Still In Debt" - World Soccer, January 18, 2005.
- ^ "Motherwell plans still on course" - bbc.co.uk, January 27, 2004.
- ^ Motherwell Statistics 2006/07 - ESPN Soccernet