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Ahead of Motherwell’s trip to Rugby Park on Saturday, we look back on one of the ‘Well’s impressive victories at the home of Kilmarnock.

On January 16, 2010, the Steelmen faced up against strugglers Killie and managed to secure three points for the first time under Craig Brown.

It dealt Jimmy Calderwood a painful defeat in his first game in charge of Kilmarnock, but meant that Motherwell remained in the top half of the table, narrowly ahead of Aberdeen.

Jim O’Brien opened the scoring with a left-footed shot into the bottom corner in the 55th minute and he then doubled his tally 20 minutes from time with another close-range drive past keeper Cammy Bell.

Eight minutes later, Lukas Jutkiewicz completed the win for Motherwell from inside the box with good finish.

The match was nearly called off due to burst pipes forcing the closure of the stands behind both goals at Rugby Park.

But it went ahead and two of Brown’s changes to his sides last outing combined for the first effort on goal in the fourth minute when John Sutton headed Keith Lasley’s cross narrowly over the bar.

Lukas Jutkiewicz scuffed a shot wide from 18 yards before Frazer Wright intercepted Sutton from point-blank range.

On-loan Everton striker Jutkiewicz was inches from opening the scoring in the 14th minute with a left-footed strike from 10 yards as Motherwell continued to dominate the match.

Motherwell broke the deadlock 10 minutes after the break though when O’Brien fired a left-footed shot in to the bottom corner.

Mark Burchill could easily have levelled moments later, but he headed Mehdi Taouil’s cross over the bar.

O’Brien made it two in the 70th minute before Jutkiewicz wrapped up the points for the visiting Steelmen just eight minutes later, when he found the corner of the net on the rebound after Sutton’s initial shot was blocked.

The referee for Saturday’s Ladbrokes Premiership clash with Kilmarnock is Bobby Madden.

The match will be Bobby’s third in charge of the Steelmen this campaign – after the 38-year-old took charge of the 3-0 loss away to Hearts and the 3-1 home loss to Aberdeen.

The official took charge on five occasions last term too.

The first was the second game of the season and the first at Fir Park which ended in a disappointing 2-0 loss to Dundee United.

The official then took charge of a further four matches in the 2015/16 season – all away from home.

The second match Madden oversaw was a 1-0 win against Kilmarnock, when a late strike from Louis Moult secured all three points for the Fir Parkers.

The ‘Well met Madden next at Celtic Park, on a memorable day for Mark McGhee’s men. Nir Bitton gave Celtic the lead before Moult equalised and then fired Motherwell in to the lead from the penalty spot.

The English striker enjoys scoring when Madden is in charge, as he bagged another goal the next time the Scot was in charge. His strike away to St Johnstone wasn’t enough for the Steelmen though, as the hosts won 2-1.

The last time Madden officiated a ‘Well match though ended with a disappointing 4-1 loss against Aberdeen at Pittodrie.

His overall record in charge of the Steelmen reads six wins; thirteen defeats and one draw from nineteen games. The Fir Parkers have netted 26 times, and conceded 42. In those nineteen games, he has booked 54 players, 26 of those cautions flashed at players wearing Claret and Amber.

Three players have been sent for an early shower, Anthony Stokes for a lunging tackle on Keith Lasley at Celtic Park last season, Stuart Carswell – who came off the bench against Partick and picked up two yellows – and Keith Lasley in the last match Madden was in charge for, after the skipper picked up a late red card for a late challenge on Kenny McLean.

Bobby will be ably assisted by David McGeachie and Dougie Potter, with Barry Cook on Fourth Official duties.

Tom Boyd is a player whose place in Motherwell folklore is assured. The images of him high in the old Main Stand at Hampden Park in May 1991, Scottish Cup aloft, head shaking in near disbelief, will never be forgotten. 

What a way to bring down the curtain on your Motherwell career after eight years.

Boyd achieved notoriety in his youth for becoming one of the first players to earn a professional contract through the government supported YOP/YTS training programmes. He made his Motherwell bow soon after earning that contract during the ill-fated 1983’84 season.

He played regularly under Bobby Watson and then Tommy McLean during the First Division title winning year of 1984’85 and impressed the latter so much he was soon rewarded with the club captaincy.

Tom won the Motherwell fans Player of the Year award as recognition of his performances and growing promise during season 1985’86 and again in 1989’90. By this stage both Motherwell and Boyd had been transformed.

Having settled into a left-back role, Boyd flourished on the left hand side of the pitch playing alongside the great Davie Cooper who helped take his game to previously unseen heights.

Having progressed through the Scotland youth ranks, a B international cap followed before finally a full international cap came his away against Romania in September 1990. In time, he would go on to represent his country 72 times.

1991, one of the finest years in the clubs history, culminated with Boyd captaining ‘Well to Scottish Cup glory on his final appearance for the Fir Parkers.

Having been coveted by several sides, Tom elected to join Chelsea within days of the Hampden win for a reported £800,000 fee. His time at Stamford Bridge however, failed to go as well as he might have hoped and he returned to Scotland to join Celtic in a swap deal with Tony Cascarino in 1992.

There, the defender would see out the rest of his career making more than 300 league appearances for the Parkhead club adding another 3 League titles, 3 League Cups and 2 Scottish Cups to the honours he gained whilst at Fir Park.

In 2002, Tom received an MBE for his services to football.

Motherwell Football Club has today (Tuesday) parted company with manager Mark McGhee.

The decision, taken by the Board following consultation with the ‘Well Society, comes after a disappointing run of results, culminating in Saturday’s loss at home to Dundee.

Stephen Robinson, flanked by assistant James McFadden and Under 20s boss Stephen Craigan, has agreed to take temporary charge whilst a new permanent manager is recruited as swiftly as possible.

The club wishes to thank Mark for his work during his second spell at Fir Park, particularly getting the club into the top-six during the 2015/16 season and wish him every success in the future.

The best of the action from Excelsior Stadium where Ryan Bowman’s second half penalty was enough to give the Under 20s three points over Celtic.

Striker Ryan Bowman said he feels “up to speed” after scoring the winning goal as Motherwell beat Celtic 1-0 in the Development League tonight.

And MFC TV caught up with the Englishman, who bagged his first goal for McGhee’s side earlier this month.

Bowman said: “I feel really good considering I haven’t played for a while. Fitness wise I felt up to speed and it’s always nice to get a goal.

[pullquote]I feel really good considering I haven’t played for a while. Fitness wise I felt up to speed and it’s always nice to get a goal.[/pullquote]

“I got my first goal for the first team away to Aberdeen, it wasn’t nice getting beat but a goal’s a goal and I’m just happy to get more minutes and more game time and obviously the goal too.”

He added: “As a striker, obviously if you score goals it’s going to give you confidence and it was good for James McFadden the assistant manager and Stephen Robinson to be here.

“The main thing is getting the minutes and the three points too.”

U20s boss Stephen Craigan hailed his sides work ethic as they beat Celtic under 20s 1-0 in the Development League tonight.

A penalty from Ryan Bowman secured the points for the Steelmen, but Craigan admitted that the hard work of the team impressed him.

Speaking to MFC TV at full time, the Northern Irishman said: “When you play against good sides you know it’s going to be tough work, they deal with the ball very well, they move the ball and they’re good in one-on-one situations.

“Coming in to tonight’s game the message was ‘you’ll have to look after your own performance’.

[pullquote]It was more about the work ethic first and foremost and because we only played Celtic three of four weeks ago it was fresh in our minds about how to go about it.[/pullquote]

“It was more about the work ethic first and foremost and because we only played Celtic three of four weeks ago it was fresh in our minds about how to go about it.”

He added: “The intensity was better, we squeezed the game better, particularly in the first half.

“It also sets a little marker down that when you play against good sides you have to close the gap and it’s a little taster before the cup game in April too.”

Motherwell under 20s returned to winning ways tonight with a hard fought performance against Celtic at the Excelsior Stadium.

A Ryan Bowman penalty and a sturdy defensive showing secured all three points for the Steelmen, who moved to within two points of league leaders Hibernian.

Stephen Craigan called upon senior players Ryan Bowman, Elliott Frear and David Ferguson as the under 20s looked to end a poor run of form.

However, an in form Celtic side presented a tough task for the Steelmen, who narrowly lost the last time to two sides met earlier this month.

Celtic were the side perhaps just on top for the opening 30 minutes, edging possession and having more efforts on goal than their claret and amber opponents, but it remained goalless.

Michael Johnston and Theodore Archibald looked lively down either flank, with January signing Kouassi Eboue in the middle of the park for the Hoops.

Oliver Pain didn’t have many saves to make, but was nearly undone by a powerful low strike from Johnston, which thundered back off the stoppers near post.

He was then saved by full back Adam Livingstone, who cleared centre back Sam Wardrop’s goal bound header off the line following a corner.

Motherwell had a couple of half chances, perhaps the best of those arriving at the feet of Shea Gordon, who couldn’t quite escape his marker to break through one on one and was eventually closed down by the onrushing Conor Hazard in the Celtic goal.

The second half got off to a better start for the onlooking ‘Well fans when Elliott Frear collected the ball on the right flank, cut inside and danced past Calvin Miller only to be tripped in the process. Referee Calum Haswell pointed to the spot immediately.

Bowman stepped up and made no mistake, lifting his penalty high and hard down the middle past the helpless Hazard to give the Steelmen the lead.

Frear looked lively and ten minutes later picked the ball up centrally, skipped past his man and couldn’t get his shot away thanks to a cynical trip. The referee somehow didn’t give the freekick, but Bowman rushed in to collect the loose ball, turned neatly and struck a ferocious strike at goal but it was right at Hazard who could only palm it away.

With a yellow card to his name and the likelihood of him picking up a second increasing, Hastie was replaced by Jordan Armstrong in the 70^th minute.

Celtic substitute Josh Kerr nearly levelled from four yards when he got on the end of a cross. But Pain managed to produce an outstanding reaction save to deny the visitors a levelling goal.

Midfielder Conor McManus got on the end of a corner in the 82^nd minute, but his glancing effort flashed across the face of goal and out for a goalkick.

The Steelmen held on though and secured all three points thanks to a strong defensive performance and a Ryan Bowman penalty.

Motherwell U20s: Pain, Fry, Livingstone, Maguire, Ferguson, Campbell, Frear, Turnbull, Bowman (Mackin, ’80), Hastie (Armstrong, ’70), Gordon

Unused subs: Pettigrew, Scott, Agyeman, Rintoul

Everyone knows somebody who has a birthday coming up soon, so why not celebrate at Fir Park with friends, family or even your Sunday football team?

Party packages have already proved popular and our recent guests even got to meet some of the ‘Well players!

Match tickets are included in all our box packages so contact us now to celebrate a special day and ask us how we can tailor your Birthday in a Box.

Email hospitality@motherwellfc.co.uk or call 01698 333 333

One of the more recent success stories to have come through the Motherwell youth set up is Jamie Murphy, now on the cusp of both top flight football in England with Brighton and Hove Albion and international football with Scotland.

The former Knightswood Secondary School pupil was involved in Motherwell’s youth sides before he had even reached his teens and would go on to make the full journey to the Steelmen’s first team.

Given  his debut by Maurice Malpas in April 2006 as a substitute against Celtic at Parkhead, by quirk of fate Jamie’s final game in claret and amber was also against Celtic at that very same venue.

In the intervening period Jamie would make more than 200 appearances for ‘Well, represent his country up to U21 level and become the club’s record European goalscorer.

Murphy’s first Motherwell goal came in the final game of the 2007’08 campaign, a penalty against Hibernian at Easter Road and would be the first of many memorable strikes.

A hat-trick against Albanians Flamurtari in the Europa League continues to live long in the memory with one of his finest goals reserved for the National Stadium where his surging run and shot helped Motherwell comfortably see off St Johnstone to reach the 2011 Scottish Cup Final.

Equally adept at playing as an attacking left-winger or more centrally Jamie moved to Sheffield Utd for a reported £100,000 fee (with add ons) taking his leave on an emotional afternoon at Celtic Park in early January 2013.

Taking a little time to settle in Yorkshire Jamie would spend two-and-half years in League One with the Blades, before making the progression to the Championship.

Signed by Brighton in August 2015 he has become an integral part of a Seagulls outfit pushing hard for promotion to the English Premier League.

With Gordon Strachan shortly to announce his first Scotland squads of 2017 it seems only a matter of time before Murphy,who was a non-playing member of the squad for the 2016 friendly matches against Denmark and the Czech Republic, will earn that elusive first cap for Scotland.