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In many supporters eyes the transfer fee paid to secure the services of Davie Cooper was the best piece of business Tommy McLean ever did as Motherwell manager. 

Signed in August 1989 the wing wizard joined Motherwell from Rangers for a mere £50,000 and his influence quickly helped the club progress to the next level.

Having been a bit part figure in the latter part of his time with Rangers in some quarters the signing was viewed as something of gamble but Davie found himself revitalised at Fir Park. ‘Well fans marvelled at the displays Cooper and his team-mates produced and with a new found belief Motherwell registered wins against both halves of the Old Firm and topped the table for the first time in decades following a memorable win against his old side Rangers.

In that first season at the club Cooper helped the Steelmen come within a whisker of European football and his form so impressive he regained his place in the Scotland squad after an absence of more than two years.

Indeed, barring injury, he would also have been part of the Scotland squad that travelled to the 1990 World Cup Finals in Italy.

The club continued to progress the following season culminating in winning the Scottish Cup for the first time since 1952 and in doing so allowed Coop to fulfil a lifetime’s ambition in celebrating a Cup win in an open-top bus.

After more than 150 league appearances and having assisted so much in the development of countless Motherwell players, perhaps most notably attack minded full-backs such as Tom Boyd and Rob McKinnon, Cooper returned to his first club Clydebank in late 1993 on a free transfer.

As is often the case fate would have it that he’d have one last match at Fir Park when ‘Well drew Clydebank in the League Cup where of course he was given a wonderful reception.

In March 1995 when filming a TV show aimed at developing the talents of future generations, Cooper tragically passed away aged just 39 after suffering a a brain haemorrhage. Motherwell FC moved quickly to mark his passing renaming the newly built North Stand, the Davie Cooper Stand, in his memory.

Our limited-edition 1991 commemorative tartan scarf is available again and you can pre-order yours now.

The first batch completely sold out but by placing your order now, you can receive this fantastic memento, made to celebrate the 25th anniversary scarf of that glorious day in May, in time for Christmas.

The scarves are 100% lambs wool and are fantastic quality, priced at £25.

When you pre-order, we will issue you a voucher that can be redeemed when delivery of scarves arrive.

Please contact the club directly on 01698 333333 or you can buy online from motherwellbuyonline.co.uk

‘Well fans should note there has been a delay with a recent order and production run to which the club apologises to those who currently hold a voucher but assure them these will be distributed shortly.

Referee for Saturday’s Ladbrokes Premiership clash with Celtic at Parkhead is John Beaton.

John will be handling his first Motherwell match of the campaign so far and took charge on three occasions last term.

The first was a 2-2 draw with Dundee back in late January. The Steelmen were on course to take all three points when Chris Cadden and Stephen Pearson had the visitors ahead, but a controversial late penalty from Kane Hemmings levelled things up at 2-2.

His other ‘Well game was also in the Highlands, when McGhee’s men all but secured top-six with a terrific 1-2 win at the Caledonian Stadium.

It was role reversal this time though with Motherwell scoring late on; Marvin Johnson’s ‘last kick of the game’ winner added to Lionel Ainsworth’s opener in what turned out to be a vital three points in the race to finish in the top half.

And the last time Beaton officiated a Motherwell match was the penultimate game of last season, when a brace from Stephen Pearson and a goal from skipper Keith Lasley secured all three points away to Ross County, as well as a fifth placed finish in the league.

His overall record in charge of Motherwell matches reads five wins, three defeats and three draws from eleven matches. ‘Well have scored twenty-one and conceded fifteen.

Thirty-seven players have gone into the book during those games, eighteen of them wearing Claret and Amber, with just two red cards: Joe Shaughnessy in a League Cup tie against Aberdeen in 2013/14 and Darryl Westlake last season, in a 1-1 draw with Killie at Fir Park.

John will be ably assisted by Alastair Mather and Gary Hilland, with Kevin Graham on Fourth Official duties.

Extended highlights from Excelsior Stadium as Dylan Mackin scores a hat-trick in a 4-0 win over Dunfermline U20s.

Stephan Craigan insists he will keep pushing his players after they put in a brilliant performance to win 4-0 against Dunfermline.

A hat-trick from Dylan Mackin and a strike from Jake Hastie secured all three points for the youngsters at the Excelsior Stadium.

But it wasn’t all plain sailing for Craigan’s side, with both sides struggling to create too much in the opening 45 minutes.

Speaking to MFC TV, Craigan explained that he expected changes from his side after the break.

He said: “The message at half time was that we were taking too many negative touches and by that I mean our first touch was always back the way towards our goal.

[pullquote]Once the goal goes in it opened them up a bit, the game opens up a bit in general and we have players that we feel can hurt people.[/pullquote]

“We wanted to try and change that in the second half by having a positive touch by having a different body language and looking forward instead, but then if you can’t go forward that’s when you can then look back.”

He added: “I just felt that early on they pressed us high and we couldn’t break their line of midfielders or get beyond them and because we were taking negative touches we couldn’t get that final ball in behind them.

“The goal naturally changed things. Once the goal goes in it opened them up a bit, the game opens up a bit in general and we have players that we feel can hurt people.”

The second half performance was up there with the best his side have played this season, the manager admitted.

He said: “We deserved to win it tonight, even in the first half when we didn’t have as much threat we still looked like we could score goals.

[pullquote]Even after a performance like this I’m going to keep pushing them. We’ll be back in on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday – we’ll get ourselves shaped up and we go again.[/pullquote]

“But it’s just another building block – we scored four goals and got three points. Parts of our performance tonight were as good as it’s been this season. The first time we spoke back at the start of the season I mentioned consistency and players are doing that now, they’re putting in consistent performances, but its consistent performances at a high level, it’s not regular 6s or 7s, we’re getting 8s or 9s, and when you get that you’re always going to be a threat.”

And even after such an emphatic result, the Northern Irishman insisted he wants more and more from his team.

He said: “I’m pleased because I see what the boys do and what they’re trying to do but that’s also why I get frustrated and I told them this today. I see them in training and how good they are but then they can go in to games and be sloppy and give the ball away.

“But even after a performance like this I’m going to keep pushing them. We’ll be back in on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday – we’ll get ourselves shaped up and we go again.”

Motherwell U20s returned to winning ways in emphatic style tonight, overcoming an experienced Dunfermline side 4-0 at the Excelsior stadium.

And there were some spells of terrific football from the youngsters, who hit their stride in the second half and comfortably picked up three points thanks to a goal from Jake Hastie and a Dylan Mackin hat-trick.

Manager Stephen Craigan named a young team, looking to extend his sides unbeaten run to five matches, with David Ferguson the only over-aged player in the starting eleven.

Visitors Dunfermline, on the other hand, had five first-team players included in their squad, in the shapes of Richards-Everton, Fordyce, Hopkirk, Weddeburn and Hutton.

And it was David Hopkirk who had the first shot on goal of the night, arriving in the fifth minute, but it deflected kindly in to the arms of PJ Morrison and never troubled the young stopper.

Down the other end, Jordan Armstrong – starting on the left of the back four – won the Steelmen a corner after eight minutes when the youngster played a delicate through ball towards Mackin, forcing Richards-Everton to turn it behind. From the following delivery, David Ferguson rose well but couldn’t get on the end of Tom Fry’s cross.

It took nearly half an hour for the first real opportunity of the game to arise, when Mackin slipped in Jake Hastie in the 28^th minute, with the winger lacing a left-footed shot at goal from quite a tricky angle. David Hutton got a good hand to the ball to push it away and keep the game goalless.

A few minutes later and a sandwich between a number of players resulted in a free kick for the visitors just outside the Motherwell box. Hopkirk stepped up but his curled effort was wayward and soared comfortably over the bar.

A number of neat interchanges nearly led to a brilliant goal for Motherwell with just over ten minutes left in the half. MacLean’s dinked effort would have been the final touch to a fantastic team goal, but it was off target.

Hutton produced another good save in the 41^st minute of the match, getting down low to deny Jake Hastie yet again. On the rebound, Dylan Mackin had an opportunity to test Hutton once more but the big forward struck high and wide.

It was level going in to the break, with neither side really doing too much to deserve a lead but Motherwell edging the match in terms of chances.

In stark contrast to the first 45 minutes, it took just five minutes for there to be a real opportunity, with Jake Hastie being fouled clumsily in the box by Richards-Everton in the 50^th minute and the referee awarding a penalty. Hutton did well to save the penalty but Mackin was on hand to nod home the rebound and give Craigan’s side the lead.

And just minutes later it was 2-0. Jake Hastie surged forward on the break, avoiding a couple of challenges to get his cross-field ball away towards MacLean. What seemed like a good interception to stop Hastie’s pass turned out differently for Dunfermline, with Dylan Mackin stepping up to thunder a first-time left-footed rocket low and hard past the helpless Hutton.

Jake Hastie, looking as lively as ever, was inches away from adding a third for the ‘Well, twisting and turning and getting away from Richards-Everton with ease, before sending a terrific effort narrowly wide of the post.

In the 67^th minute, it looked like it was three for the hosts. A Tom Fry free kick was flicked on by Dylan Mackin towards MacLean at the back post who side footed from close range past Hutton, only to be denied by the linesman’s flag.

But before long it actually was three, and it was a terrific goal too. Ross MacLean collected the ball out on the right, skipping past a challenge and threading an inch-perfect diagonal through ball into the path of Jake Hastie who was cutting in from the left flank and rifled high past Hutton in to the top corner.

Substitute Ciaran Lafferty looked like he was going to pull one back for Dunfermline but his effort from just inside the box was over the crossbar and the Steelmen remained three goals ahead.

And then came Stephen Craigan’s first change of the night, replacing Tom Fry with Dylan Falconer in the 76^th minute.

Three minutes later and it was time for Jake Hastie to leave the park. The youngster was replaced by James Scott after a stunning performance.

With just under ten minutes remaining, Dylan Mackin grabbed his third of the night and his side’s fourth. Falconer fed MacLean the ball out on the right and the midfielder looked up, curled a great ball on to the head of Dylan Mackin who had a simple header to complete his hattrick.

Ryan Watters made his return from a long injury lay-off, replacing hat-trick hero Mackin with eighth minutes left.

And the Steelmen saw out the game keeping their clean sheet intact. A brilliant second half performance and a deserved win which see’s Craigan’s side remain second in the Development League table, just one point off leaders Ross County.

Motherwell: Morrison, McMillan, Ferguson, Maguire, Armstrong, Campbell, Fry (Falconer ’76), Turnbull, Hastie (Scott ’79), MacLean, Mackin (Watters ‘ 82)

Unused subs: Trialist, Watt, Livingstone

Dunfermline: Hutton, Duncan, Duthie, Richards-Everton, Fordyce, Horne (Galloway ’65), Lochhead (Crawford ’71), Wedderburn, Smith, Hopkirk, Luke (Lafferty ’65)

Unused subs: Dunn, Morrison, McLair

A true Motherwell legend, Joe spent the whole of his senior career with the Steelmen making 469 league appearances over sixteen years at the club.

Signed by Bobby Howitt from Irvine Victoria in 1968, Joe instantly made an impression with the Motherwell support going in goals early on in his debut against Tranmere, something he would have to do more than once in his time in claret and amber.

Many of his early appearances were as an inside forward and he netted a memorable hat-trick in a win over Montrose as ‘Well stormed to the Second Division title in 1968’69.

But think of Joe Wark and you think of the hundreds of sterling displays in the left-back role he would make his own.

A consistent performer, he was a darling of the Motherwell support and received a well deserved testimonial in 1978 against West Bromwich Albion. Unfortunately what wasn’t forthcoming was a call up to the Scotland squad which to this day the very mention of has ‘Well fans of a certain vintage shaking their heads in bemusement. Compensation, of a sort, came with a Scottish League cap in a match against their English League counterparts in 1976.

Having enjoyed title success in his first season Joe was able to celebrate the same as his career neared its conclusion when ‘Well won the First Division title in 1981’82 under David Hay.

Used sparingly by Hay’s successor Jock Wallace, it was under Bobby Watson that Joe played his last senior games for the Steelmen before hanging up his boots at the age of thirty-six at the end of season 1983’84.

There was however one last hurrah for the immensely popular full-back when he was rewarded with a Benefit Match against an Old Firm select in January 1985. Step forward twenty years or so and the Joe Wark story was told to a new generation of Motherwell fans and celebrated once more by those who had witnessed him in the flesh through his involvement with the ‘Remember Well initiative’.

Producing his own ‘Memory Book’ Joe’s career was captured through a series of reminisces and photographs for the benefit of those, like Joe, who suffered from dementia.

After a courageous battle with the illness Joe passed away in the autumn of 2015 aged 67.

Tickets for the Ladbrokes Premiership match with Celtic on Saturday 15th October at Parkhead (3.00pm KO) are now on sale from the ticket office. 

And the club can today confirm that the Well Shop will be selling tickets this Saturday (8th October), and next Saturday (15th October) between the hours of 10am and 1pm.

Ticket prices are as follows:

• Concessions are listed as 65 and over and 16 and under
• Fans who require ambulant or wheelchair access should contact Sharon or John McCaskie on 07745 494631/ 07711 992161 or email disabledfans@motherwellfc.co.uk

Fancy good value drinks and an atmosphere to take in the World Cup qualifiers this Saturday night? Why not come along to the Centenary Suite Bar here at Fir Park.

The bar will open at 6pm before Scotland vs Lithuania kicks off at 7:45pm.

And there are some great value drink offers, including £2.80 pints of Foster’s or Kronenberg, as well as bottles of Bulmer’s at the same cost.

Situated in the Phil O’Donnell stand, the bar will again be open from 6pm for Scotland’s away clash with Slovakia on Tuesday night at the same kick off time of 7:45pm.

Results may have been mixed so far this season for the Fir Parkers, but one thing has remained constant throughout.

Richard Tait has quickly established himself as a trusty, consistent performer in Mark McGhee’s side – slotting in to the back four seamlessly alongside fellow new signing Ben Heneghan and veteran defenders Stephen McManus and Stevie Hammell.

Joining Motherwell in the summer from Grimsby Town, the defender admits he is “loving” his new club.

At 26 years of age, Tait boasts a mature attitude beyond his years and contributes going forward as well as protecting his own goal.

His assists have been an example of this, with the full-back most recently turning provider for Scott McDonald’s equalising goal against Partick Thistle.

[pullquote]I love being around the club, all the boys are great and I can’t complain at all – it’s the best move I could’ve made.[/pullquote]

Tait admitted: “We worked on those crosses to the back post in training on the lead up to the game, cutting back on to my weaker foot and whipping it in and my cross came off and led to the goal so I was happy with that.”

With his attitude and work-rate a hit among his teammates, Tait has been a great addition to Mark McGhee’s squad.

The defender admitted he has learnt a great deal from his those around him ay Motherwell and admires the attitude of the team.

“We’ve got so many lads in the team who are natural winners,” Tait said: “so when the weeks come that we don’t quite hit our heights there’s players in the team who can step up and we can still come away with a point or even three on tough match days.”

Winning is something naturally engrained in Richard Tait’s game and approach, not solely down to his ability, but also because of his close bond with the club already.

He said: “I’m absolutely loving it here at Motherwell. I love being around the club, all the boys are great and I can’t complain at all – it’s the best move I could’ve made and I’m really pleased with how it’s working out at the minute.

“I want to go from strength to strength football wise and play my best for Motherwell, that’s my aim.”

With four assists to his name in all competitions this season already, Tait wants to keep that side of his game developing.

[pullquote]So far this season we’ve been trying to find our feet a little but one of the encouraging things is that we’re still getting results and we’re sitting in the top half despite not hitting our consistent best every week.[/pullquote]

He said: “It’s an important part of my game and I have said it since I joined that I want to add more assists to my game and get forward a bit more, but first and foremost my job is to keep a clean sheet and if we can do that then happy days and if I can contribute in any way going forward then that’s even better.”

With two wins, three draws and three losses so far this season, the Steelmen have had a mixed start in terms of results, but find themselves sitting sixth in the league table, something Tait finds reassuring.

He said: “So far this season we’ve been trying to find our feet a little but one of the encouraging things is that we’re still getting results and we’re sitting in the top half despite not hitting our consistent best every week.

“We know that the table is really tight at the moment so points are hugely important at this stage.”

He added: “We’ve done well in some games then poorer in others and the important thing is how we bounce back from results like Friday night.”

There’s a lot to play for as the Ladbrokes Premiership starts to take shape, and for ‘Well defender Richard Tait, he will be hoping to continue his consistent performances after the international break ahead of a big clash with Celtic.