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John Martis is to join the Motherwell FC Hall of Fame.

The Ancell Babe will be inducted at our event on Saturday 13 November. Limited tickets remain available.

Martis was only 17 years old when he was signed by manager Bobby Ancell from Royal Albert in November 1957.

A native of Motherwell and an apprentice plumber, he made his debut on 2 January 1958 in a 3-1 win over Hibs at Fir Park.

“Motherwell had played on New Year’s Day at Airdrie losing 4-1,” he recalled. “At that time, they were losing centre-halves through injury as though there was no tomorrow.

“Drew Paton was the first to be injured followed by Archie Shaw. Then came Willie Cowie and finally Jim Forrest. We were due to play Hibs and Andy Weir and myself had reported at the ground at midday to board the bus for the reserve game at Easter Road.

“Mr Ancell told us to go home and come back at 2pm – we were playing in the first team. To say I was excited was a total understatement. Playing against Joe Baker aided and abetted by the legendary Lawrie Reilly was dream material. Happy to say we won 3-1, a great day.”

John’s early football prowess shone through at primary school level.

Selected for Motherwell and Wishaw Burgh Schools side, they went on to win the Scottish Schools Under 12 Cup in 1952 with a side containing a galaxy of future talent in the shape of Joe Baker, Bobby McCallum, Sammy Reid and Jim Conway. The interesting aspect of that side was the occupant of the outside left berth – a certain John Martis.

“It was my former Boys’ Brigade captain who converted me into a centre half,” he said. “My father and Archie Shaw had developed a firm friendship and through that association, I was invited to train at Fir Park.

“I played in a friendly for the club against Royal Albert at Larkhall and eventually agreed to join the Junior club. Mr Ancell was still keen for me to come to Fir Park, but with Royal Albert engaged in the Scottish Junior Cup, I would only sign for Motherwell once the Albert had been knocked out of the competition.

“It took about five games to beat Strathclyde Juniors, followed by Douglas Water Thistle taking us apart to the tune of 5-0 in the next round. 1957 was the year I signed for Motherwell and I spent 12 very happy years at Fir Park.”

In his first full season of 1958/59 he played in 30 out of 34 league games.

He was only 18 years old when he played in a ‘Well team that lost 3-2 in a Scottish Cup semi-final against Clyde on 5 April 1958, with Charlie Aitken hitting the bar in injury time.

A few years later, he played in the friendlies at Fir Park against Brazlian sides Bahia and Flamengo.

John received his first international honour when he won a Scotland Under 23 cap, lining up beside Motherwell teammates Willie Hunter, Andy Weir and Ian St John against England in March 1960 in a 4-4 draw at Ibrox, with St John scoring twice. Jimmy Greaves scored a hat-trick and Bobby Charlton got the other goal for the visitors. He then gained his one full Scotland cap aged 20 in October 1960 in a 2-0 defeat to Wales in Cardiff.

Essentially a defender, there must have been the occasional goal in the Martis scrapbook that took pride of place and stretched the waistcoat buttons?

“I think on balance there were as many own goals as there were good goals,” he said.

“Funnily enough, when helping renovate and redecorate my daughter’s flat under the carpets we found an old newspaper which faithfully recorded one of the few Martis goals. It’s now a very valuable newspaper and a prized family heirloom.”

The match which probably tingles the Martis memories most of all was the 1961 Scottish Cup third round tie replay against Rangers.

“We were losing 2-0 at Fir Park but an Ian St John goal before half-time reduced the lead and in the second half, Bert McCann found an equaliser.

“Rangers were down to 10 men when Jim Baxter was injured, but we held on and managed to force a draw. The 5-2 win in the replay at Ibrox before 80,000 must go down as probably one of Motherwell’s best results.”

John scored only two league goals whilst wearing claret and amber, both against Partick Thistle. A late winner in a 2-1 victory in January 1964 was followed by a strike in a 5-0 win three years later.

He was named the club’s Player of The Year in seasons 1965/66 and 1966/67.

Perhaps a modicum of itchy feet materialised, encouraging John to try his luck abroad. South Africa beckoned and in January 1969, off went this Lanarkshire plumber to help the defence of the Cape Town club Hellenic, in a deal reported to be in the region of £2,500.

Administered by a Greek consortium, the side failed after a mere two months, and two games played to hold the Martis interest.

A return to his grassroots in Scotland was imminent. Former colleague Pat Quinn was still parading his soccer skills with East Fife and was instrumental in having manager Jimmy Bonthrone persuade the far travelling Mr Martis to drop his anchor at Bayview Park.

John wore the black and gold colours with distinction for another six years, operating under the successive managerial directions of Bill Baxter and Pat Quinn. East Fife even achieved promotion in season 1970/71, with John at the helm.

In just over 11 years at Fir Park, John played in 295 league games, scoring two goals. He played in 59 League Cup games and 30 Scottish Cup games. Add to these totals Lanarkshire Cup and friendly games, and his record with the ‘Well is up there with the best.

The family home is only a good free-kick away from Fir Park and in the unlikely event of any stray balls landing in the Martis front garden, they’ll be despatched back into play with the same panache as was evident from his playing days at Fir Park.

Our Hall of Fame will welcome its new inductees in a special event in November.

Taking place at the Bothwell Bridge Hotel on Saturday 13 November, the event will induct the classes of both 2020 and 2021.

The event is priced at £60 for adults and £30 for children aged under 12. Limited tickets are available.

We will induct both the 2020 and 2021 intake at the event.

Buy your tickets online here now.

Current Hall of Famers include George Stevenson, Willie Pettigrew, Phil O’Donnell, Ally Maxwell and James McFadden.

The delayed 2020 class, who will also be inducted on the night, includes John Hunter, Andy Paton, Joe Wark, Davie Cooper and Steven Hammell.

Stephen O’Donnell is in the Scotland squad for their crucial FIFA World Cup qualifying matches.

The national team head to face Moldova on Friday 12 November, before a home clash with group leaders Denmark on Monday 15 November.

Steve Clarke’s side stands on the cusp of clinching a play-off berth for the 2022 World Cup, knowing a win in either of their final two group stage fixtures will guarantee their spot.

There is no spot in the squad for ‘Well goalkeeper Liam Kelly, who drops out of the selection having been in the previous two squads.

We’re hosting our first business breakfast since lockdown, offering networking opportunities for local businesses.

Chris Mitchell, the chief finance officer of Loch Lomond Group, is the guest speaker at our event, where he will discuss emerging trends in the finance and gaming sectors, including insights on the list of casinos not using GamStop. His talk will cover how these casinos operate outside traditional regulatory frameworks and what implications they hold for both players and industry stakeholders in terms of financial management and consumer protection.

It tasks place on Friday, 12 November in the Millennium Suite at Fir Park. Chris will discuss the club partnership, in addition to their sponsorship of the SPFL.

Tickets cost just £10 per person. The price includes a breakfast roll, tea/coffee and orange juice. The event starts at 8am and runs until 9.15am.

To book your place, email mhairi.daly@motherwellfc.co.uk, book online or call on 01698 338011.

Motherwell return to action after two weeks off when they face title-chasing Rangers.

Kick-off at the Rangers Training Ground on Wednesday 3 November is at 8pm.

Tale of the tape

Rangers have won their last six matches with Motherwell.

Last time out, Rangers came away with a 5-0 victory in the group stages of the SWPL Cup.

Motherwell last took something from this fixture in April 2019, when they fought back from 3-0 down to take a point.

Form Guide

Rangers come into this game after exiting the SWPL Cup to rivals Celtic, falling to a 1-0 defeat.

The Gers are unbeaten thus far in SWPL1, having only dropped points against champions Glasgow City.

Motherwell are undefeated in their last three league games, keeping three clean sheets, and have collected seven points out of a possible nine in that time.

Motherwell are on the road to Aberdeen on Saturday in the cinch Premiership.

Kick-off at Pittodrie is at 3pm.

Tickets

A cash turnstile will be in operation on the day.

Prices are as follows.

• Adults: £26
• Over 65s: £20
• Over 75s: £16
• 18-21s: £16
• Under 18s: £12
• Under 12s: £6

Fans who require ambulant or wheelchair access should contact Andy Sim on 07428 225254 or email tickets@mfcdsa.com.

Vaccine certification is not required for this fixture.

Watch live

The match is available to buy on pay-per-view from Aberdeen in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and Ireland for £13.99

To buy, head to ppv.afc.co.uk.

Due to UEFA restrictions, the game can not be sold in England.

International viewers can watch through our subscription service at live.motherwellfc.co.uk. Packages start at as little as £12.50 per month to watch all 38 cinch Premiership fixtures.

Tale of the tape

Motherwell won the first encounter between the two teams this season, with Kevin van Veen and Juhani Ojala netting in a 2-0 win at Fir Park.

Aberdeen were the victors in the last meeting at Pittodrie, winning 2-0 in January.

Form guide

After seven league games without a win, which brought five consecutive defeats, the Dons have bounced back in recent weeks.

Their run of defeats was stopped by a 1-0 home win over Hibernian. That was followed by a 2-2 draw at Rangers, before a 2-1 victory over previously undefeated Hearts at Pittodrie at the weekend.

Motherwell’s 6-1 loss to Rangers made it five league games without a win, a run which has yielded one draw and four defeats.

“We aren’t going to feel sorry for ourselves. We are going to work hard and make sure we give a better account of ourselves than we did today.”

Motherwell led but ultimately crashed to a 6-1 loss at home to Rangers.

An early goal and hopes of shocking the league leaders quickly disappeared as the Ibrox men grabbed two crucial goals before the break, before going on to run rampant in the second jalf.

Some brave home defending almost held out until the interval but a quick double from James Tavernier and Fashion Sakala gave Gers the lead and the initiative they never looked like relinquishing.

Sakala grabbed his second before O’Donnell’s sending off left ‘Well struggling to keep the Ibrox men at bay. Further goals from Glen Kamara, Sakala and Kemar Roofe inflicted defeat.

The ‘Well boss made three changes from the side which shared the points with St Mirren in midweek. Juhani Ojala failed to recover from his groin injury, allowing Bevis Mugabi to partner Sondre Solholm in the centre of the home defence. Mark O’Hara was recalled to the midfield while up front, Jordan Roberts swapped places with Kaiyne Woolery.

Rangers looked eager to make amends for allowing Motherwell to leave Ibrox with a point last month and were on the front foot from the kick-off.

After three minutes Tavernier gave Liam Kelly his first touch but his shot from 20 yards was easily held by the ‘Well ‘keeper.

The Ibrox side were comfortable in possession until Connor Goldson needlessly conceded a corner in the 12th minute.

Callum Slattery and Sean Goss worked their short corner routine and when the cross found Solholm, his downward header forced Allan McGregor to throw himself across his goal to keep the ball out.

The Rangers’ ‘keeper had no protection when Mugabi latched on to the loose ball and from the tightest of angles fired the ball into the far corner to give ‘Well a 12th-minute lead.

After that, though, the Fir Park centre backs spent most of the first half deep inside their own penalty box as Gers buzzed around the home box searching for an equaliser.

A stream of crosses were repelled by the home defence but with no out ball to relieve the pressure, Kelly’s goal was placed under almost constant threat, although the ‘keeper was expertly protected until 28th minute.

Joe Aribo worked a quick exchange with Steven Davis at the edge of the box but his final shot was blocked by Kelly’s palms.

On the half-hour mark, the Steelmen made a rare foray into the visitor’s box and almost doubled their lead. Slattery’s long ball picked out Stephen O’Donnell on the right.

His nod allowed Connor Shields to send Roberts to the byline and his cutback was destined for the inrushing Tony Watt, who under pressure from Tavernier, could only slide the ball wide of McGregor’s goal.

A careless pass from Watt then gave possession to Alfredo Morelos. Although he struck his drive from 30 yards quite solidly it was a good height for Kelly to palm over his crossbar.

Then, just when ‘Well’s rearguard action was going to hold out until half-time, Rangers hit them with a double inside three minutes.

Tavernier played a captain’s role to force his side ahead. Three minutes from the break, the Rangers’ full-back made the most of Bassey’s crossfield pass, taking the ball on the volley to drive it low into the net for a fabulous finish.

Before the home defence could recover from that blow, Tavernier’s cross from the right found Sakala rising between O’Donnell and Mugabi to power his header past Kelly from six yards to make it 2-1 at the break.

Although Ranger’ started the second half where they left off, Motherwell enjoyed their best spell of play towards McGregor’s goal before conceding a third to kill off any chance of a comeback.

There seemed little danger as Sakala cut in from the left and his finishing shot posed no great threat to Kelly until the ball took a deflection off Goss to wrong foot the ‘keeper to make 3-1.

Alexander made an immediate substitution sending on Kevin van Veen but before the Dutch striker got a touch of the ball, ‘Well were reduced to 10 men when O’Donnell picked up his second yellow card.

Roberts was then sacrificed for Ricki Lamie as the ‘Well boss aimed to make it damage limitation for the final 20 minutes.

With Rangers’ fans behind Kelly’s goal demanding more, though, that was never to be the case.

Fifteen minutes from time, a Rangers’ corner was worked out to Kamara and his low drive from 30 yards whizzed through a packed box and past an unsighted Kelly to make it 4-1 to the visitors.

Zambian striker Sakala then grabbed his hat-trick chasing a long ball to clip it past Kelly from two yards.

Then, in injury time, Roofe turned Simpson’s header over the line to complete the scoring and Motherwell’s misery.

Over the years there have been plenty of examples to back up the theory that you must be a certain level of crazy to be a goalkeeper.

As supporters, we have been captivated by the antics of the likes of Fabien Barthez, Jorge Campos and Rene Higuita. Plus, who could forget ‘Well legend Sieb Dijkstra?

Though it seems like times are changing.

Motherwell and Scotland keeper Liam Kelly’s personality could not be further removed from the names mentioned above. A cool and composed figure on and off the pitch, the 25-year-old prefers to take a more laid-back approach over berating his defence.

His methods seem to be paying off. In the first three months of the new campaign, Kelly has continued the sparkling form he demonstrated during his loan spell at Fir Park last season, producing several big performances and captaining the Steelmen in the absence of Stephen O’Donnell.

“I just want to be a normal guy,” Kelly said. “I’m quite relaxed off the pitch and try to be composed in everything that I do.

“For me to go on the pitch and start shouting and bawling, that’s not what I’m like.

“On the pitch, I’ll try to speak normally and give clear instructions from what the manager has said before the game. Of course, there are times that you will need to shout, but I never speak negatively or get on anyone’s back if they make a mistake.

“The crazy goalkeeper thing, I suppose it comes down to each person’s personality, you get very calm goalkeepers, and you get ones who are a bit crazy.

“It’s only a game of football at the end of the day. You’ll probably be going home to do the same thing no matter what the score is. I go out there and give everything I’ve got, if that’s good enough then amazing, if it isn’t on that day you’ve got to move on to the next game and try again.

“When I’m shouting it’s to be positive and to encourage. If I’m speaking to the centre backs then I’ll not have to raise my voice. Obviously the further away the player is on the pitch, the louder I need to be.

“I try not to be generic or waffle for the sake of it. That’s the last thing I want. I hate it myself when I hear players shouting the same generic rubbish that’s having no effect on the actual match.”

After his superb displays during his loan spell in the second half of last season saw him scoop the club’s Players’ Player of the Year award, Motherwell fans were desperate to see Kelly sign a permanent deal at Fir Park.

In early July they would get their wish as the keeper signed on a permanent basis, joining from Queen’s Park Rangers on a three-year deal.

It was a signing that was hailed as a real coup for the Steelmen. But it was a decision that the keeper says came easy – dismissing the notion that swapping the English Championship for the Scottish Premiership was in any way a backwards step.

“If I was going back to Queen’s Park Rangers I was going back as a number two to a good goalkeeper there,” he added. “For Motherwell to give me the opportunity to come and play was great and took me a step towards where I want to get to.

“I know the process at Motherwell, how the manager works and how the staff are. I really liked the plan sold to me by the manager. Returning here is a chance for me to progress and get better. That was the main driving force in me coming back to the club in the summer, he told me where I fitted in to his plans.

“From the minute I walked in the door at Fir Park I felt welcome, everyone couldn’t have been more helpful. I also get on great with my goalkeeping coach Craig Hinchliffe too, he is one of the top goalkeeping coaches in the country.

“I knew that coming back here I’d be happy, settled and would enjoy coming to my work every day.”

Having continually performed brilliantly between the sticks for Motherwell, it came as little surprise when Steve Clarke rewarded Liam’s displays with a call-up to the Scotland squad for the fixtures against Denmark, Moldova, and Austria.

It was the first time he had been included in the squad since 2019 and he was selected again for the October encounters with Israel and the Faroe Islands, in which the Scots took massive strides towards earning a World Cup play-off place.

With caps at every level from Under 16 through to Under 21, a full Scotland cap is still the one accolade missing from Kelly’s international CV, and he is determined to keep pushing towards the goal of making his debut for the national team.

He also admits the chance to play a part in helping Scotland to their first World Cup in almost a quarter of a century would be a dream.

“The atmosphere inside the Scotland camp is amazing,” he explained. “It’s a real pleasure and joy to go work with these guys.

“Ultimately you want to stay in the squad and the only way to do that is by playing well for your club – that’s the most important thing.

“The manager has a great relationship with the players and there’s a massive element of trust there, it’s a really great place to be a part of. It helps that the results have been good recently, but even after the Denmark game when we lost 2-0 we never got too low – the manager was very calm and level-headed. That made a huge difference in us picking up big wins in the games that followed.

“I love going away with Scotland and I love playing with Motherwell. My main target is to keep doing well for the club and to stay into the Scotland squad for as long as I can.

“Going to the World Cup would be amazing. It’s something that many unbelievable players haven’t managed to do. If I was ever so lucky enough to get the opportunity, it would be the best thing that has happened to my career and probably ever would happen.

“There’s still a long way to go though, and we have to take it one step at a time. I’m not daft, I’ve got enough awareness to know that Craig Gordon is playing unbelievably well and I’m a big fan of how he plays. It’s not a surprise to me to see him playing so well at Hearts and the position of him playing for Scotland is totally justified.

“You are only with Scotland for such a short period of time, but I think we’ve pushed him hard in training and Craig continues to play out of his skin. Long may that continue for the benefit of the country.”

With the experience of having played over 150 professional games and being involved with the national team, Kelly is well placed to offer advice to the young goalkeepers at Fir Park.

The 18-year-old Matty Connelly is currently out on loan with Gretna 2008, while PJ Morrison has had spells with Ayr, Falkirk, Cowdenbeath, Clyde and Albion Rovers.

Liam is no stranger to having gone out on loan to build his experience, having had time out on loan at East Fife and Livingston while he was at Rangers, as well as his five months with ‘Well at the end of last season.

He credits those moves as being crucial for his development and believes that both Connelly and Morrison have bright futures ahead of them.

“I’ve said this to Matty and PJ on a number of occasions, you are better playing at a lower level than not playing at the highest level,” he explained. “If you aren’t playing then people don’t know anything about you, they don’t see what you can do.

“You are better just playing games, no matter what level presents itself and whatever level you are meant to be playing at, that’ll work out itself based on your performances and ability.

“Matty is above the level he is playing at just now in my opinion and that’s been clear by his performances. Unfortunately, he’s picked up a really bad injury, but he’ll be back from that no problem knowing what type of character he is.

“PJ is a brilliant keeper with a lot of attributes that will help him play in the Premiership when he is a bit older. He just needs to get some games under his belt.

“It’s so important, as you get older you get used to the environment of a first-team dressing room and a key factor in that is racking up the games. Matty is doing that just now and PJ did it early on in his career, he’s sort of stuck just now as he’s third-choice keeper and is required here, but he trains hard every day and by that, I mean at a top, top level.

“The goalkeeping department at Motherwell is in a good place, we just need to keep trying to push each other. Everyone is fighting for the number one jersey and I’m aware of that. It is strong competition and that’s something that I enjoy.”

Competition and footballing talent is something that seems to run throughout the Kelly family, with Liam’s older brother Sean playing for Livingston and his 14-year-old sibling on the books of St Mirren as a goalkeeper.

Earlier this season, Liam and Sean had their first-ever meeting in a competitive fixture as Motherwell edged out Livingston 2-1 at the Tony Macaroni Arena.

Although he was pleased that his team claimed victory on the day, the ‘Well stopper confesses that given his time with the Lothian club, fixtures against Livingston bring with them mixed emotions.

“I think that’s the first time it has happened in a professional game, I previously played against him when I was at Rangers and he was at Queen’s Park,” Kelly recalled. “When we play Livingston it’s the only time that I want them to lose, I’ve got such a strong connection with the club and the staff there. I’m never that high if I get a win against Livi.

“In terms of my brother, I was delighted to see him play in Livingston’s win at Ross County. He had a positive impact in a great result for them. It’s the first result I look out for after our own games.

“Hopefully he can stay in the team and help them push up the table. You just want to see your family do well.”

As we approach a hectic run of fixtures between now and the end of the year, Kelly is looking forward to trying to help ‘Well move up the league table.

In his typically relaxed nature, he is keen to stress the importance of not looking too far ahead, though he is determined to continue to play a big role at the club and reward the fans for their support.

“Motherwell have been really good to me, and I think I’ve been good for Motherwell too. Ultimately I want that relationship to continue.

“That’s the only thing I’m in control of now, I control how I train and if the manager picks me, then I have control of how I play in the matches.

“I’m not trying to look too far ahead and say I’m going to do this and do that. That’s not my character at all. I want to do well at the things that I control and everything after that is a bonus.

“I’m absolutely delighted the fans are back, we all want to make them as happy as possible. We have had some good results so far and now we need to get back to picking up wins and kicking on to finish as high up in the table as possible.”

By Andy Ross

Eleven games into season 2021/22, Motherwell have completed the first round of cinch Premiership fixtures.

The opening games have been nothing short of dramatic, with big wins, frustrating defeats, controversial decisions and fans’ favourite Liam Grimshaw finally scoring his first career goal.

But despite everything that’s happened on the pitch, it will be most fondly remembered for the noise, colour and atmosphere the fans have generated in the stands.

After a full season locked out due to COVID-19, the supporters have made a huge difference to the match day experience this season.

The Steelmen end round one sitting sixth in the table on 15 points from a possible 33, and there’s no time to stop.

Next up, they face league leaders Rangers as the second round gets underway.

Stephen Craigan is the latest member of the Motherwell FC Hall of Fame.

The club stalwart will formally be inducted at our event on Saturday 13 November. Limited tickets remain available.

Motherwell have had real success with players from Northern Ireland in recent history.

Whether it was the infectious work rate and goals of Stuart Elliott, the physicality and industry of Colin O’Neill or the reflexes and distribution of Trevor Carson, the province has provided a rich source of talent.

However, none come close to matching the achievements of Newtownards-born central defender Craigan.

Crags’ Motherwell career had an unusual start. He was part of a youth team playing for Castlereagh College in a tournament in Ayr back in early 1994. The then Motherwell recruitment chief John Park was in attendance and was impressed not only by Craigan, but over half a dozen of his teammates.

After a recommendation to Tommy McLean, they were all invited to Scotland to play in a trial match. Craigan couldn’t join them though, with a pre-booked family holiday getting very much in the way.

However, Park thought enough of him to invite him back over again on his own shortly after, where he would take part in a bounce game at Fir Park, with the youths and reserves taking on the first team.

The fresh-faced, but enthusiastic, Craigan would be put through his paces when he was asked to directly mark Motherwell’s Republic of Ireland international striker Tommy Coyne, who had just returned from a successful World Cup in the United States with Jack Charlton’s side. No pressure.

He made an impression, and the newly appointed Alex McLeish saw enough to offer him, along with fellow countrymen David Williamson and Roy Essandoh, contracts to be Motherwell players.

His first season at ‘Well was very much about learning the ropes as a professional footballer, and he was farmed out to Junior side Carluke Rovers, with who the club had a formal tie with at that time through 1991 Scottish Cup hero Jim Griffin. His second season was also spent serving an apprenticeship, this time with Blantyre Victoria.

He had gained enough experience to then start to force his way into the Motherwell side, and he made his full debut against St Johnstone at Fir Park in August 1997.

Unbeknown to the young Craigan at the time, his dad had made the trip over to Scotland and was in the main stand to watch his son lock horns with fellow countryman George O’Boyle. Although it was to be a proud day for the Craigan family, a Roddy Grant goal midway through the second half spoiled the party.

He would go on to make 14 other appearances in a season that was, generally, a struggle for the Steelmen as McLeish had to navigate with the breaking up of that successful team that had challenged for the league title in the mid-1990s.

He didn’t feature much more for Alex McLeish until his departure in early 1998, when Finn Harri Kampman took the reigns in what was a very left-field appointment by the Motherwell board, who were monitoring his progress ever since he plotted MyPa 47’s infamous victory over ‘Well several years earlier. Sadly, Kampman had other ideas and game time was again limited, with the Steelmen doing their best to avoid the drop.

With the John Boyle era sweeping into Fir Park in the autumn of that year, Billy Davies was appointed as the spending on players began to increase dramatically. The expectations at the club, and the money to back it up, had risen exponentially with a raft of big names including Andy Goram, John Spencer, Ged Brannan, Don Goodman and others all arriving from England.

Space and opportunities were limited and Craigan found himself coming to the end of his contract and the realisation that if he was to make it as a professional player, he would have to end his Motherwell dream after six years at Fir Park.

John Lambie, enjoying an Indian summer with his beloved Partick Thistle, offered him a lifeline and it was to prove an inspired choice. The Jags had sunk to the depths of the third tier and the Thistle board had brought their legendary boss back for a third spell.

The club had only just managed to save itself from extinction through the ‘Save the Jags’ campaign, run by the Thistle fans to protect their club. On an incredibly low budget, Lambie performed miracles to get them into the Scottish Premier League in 2002 via back-to-back promotions, having rebuilt the team by signing the likes of Craigan, Martin Hardie, Danny Lennon, Scott Paterson and Alex Burns, as well as bringing through youth players such as Alan Archibald and goalkeeper Kenny Arthur.

Not only did they make a successful return to the top flight, but they also thrived too and finished a respectable 10th ahead of Dundee United in 11th and a then administration-hit Motherwell, who despite the flourishing of young talent like James McFadden, Stephen Pearson and others, finished in last place, only to be spared relegation by Falkirk’s uncompliant stadium.

He had also made his full international debut for Northern Ireland, winning his first cap under then-boss Sammy McIlory’s side against Finland in a friendly match at Windsor Park in February 2003, quickly followed by his second and third against Armenia and Greece respectively.

Craigan, who had formed the backbone of that successful Thistle team playing 121 matches in red and yellow, consolidated his status as a bona fide Premier League player.

He then had to make another big career call, which was to return to Fir Park, together with Jags teammate Burns and experienced stopper Gordon Marshall, on a free transfer, joining Terry Butcher’s revival plans.

It was to prove a masterstroke by Butcher, as those experienced heads together with the likes of Scott Leitch, Derek Adams, Martyn Corrigan and Phil O’Donnell complimented the immerging talent like David Clarkson, Paul Quinn, Stephen Pearson and Scott McDonald. ‘Well would finish in the top half of the table for the first time in four seasons, with Craigan, a virtual ever-present, forming a solid defensive partnership with David Partridge, Martyn Corrigan and Steven Hammell.

Butcher’s side would kick on again the following year with one of the most memorable in the modern era, with the club again finishing in the top, reaching the League Cup Final after an incredible semi-final 3-2 win over Hearts at Easter Road, which also included Craigan’s first-ever ‘Well goal, and deciding the fate of the league championship with a famous and dramatic 2-1 win over Celtic at Fir Park to prevent Martin O’Neill’s Celtic lifting the title on Motherwell’s home soil.

The now experienced defender was taking his club form into the Northern Ireland group and was involved in famous wins over England in 2005 and Spain in 2006, marshalling Michael Owen and Raul when both were at the height of their powers.

The defender would go on to be a mainstay under almost every ‘Well boss he worked with, including playing a starring role in Mark McGhee’s hugely entertaining 2007/08 side that overcame the unspeakable tragedy of Phil O’Donnell’s death to finish third and return the team to European football for the first time in 12 years.

He had the honour of following O’Donnell as club captain, and helped the Steelmen to more success with consecutive top six finishes, regular outings in European football and a Scottish Cup final in 2011, when he was again a semi-final scorer against St Johnstone before the Steelmen were edged out at the last hurdle at Hampden.

He was rewarded with a testimonial in July 2011 against his only other senior club, Partick Thistle, when he scored the only goal of the match in a 1-0 win at Fir Park.

It was fitting his last season as a player in claret and amber came in 2011/12, with Motherwell finishing in third spot under Stuart McCall and the skipper leaving a departing present of a UEFA Champions League qualifier against Panathinaikos. He had also earned a further 51 caps for Northern Ireland whilst playing for the Steelmen, taking his total haul to 54, a now Motherwell record that is unlikely to ever be surpassed.

He retired to take up a full-time role in what was becoming a blossoming media career that has carried him across the BBC, ESPN, BT Sport and Premier Sports and is rightly considered amongst the best and most knowledgeable pundits in the game.

However, it would not be the end of his love affair with the Steelmen and in the summer of 2015, he returned to the club in the capacity of the club’s Under 20s manager. Craigan’s contribution again was immense, as his professionalism and skills as a coach were demonstrated by the nurturing of talent that would go on to earn the club millions of pounds in transfer fees.

His side that not only competed at the top end of the league each season, but the pinnacle was the club’s first, and to date only, Scottish FA Youth Cup success, when the Fir Parkers ran riot, beating Hearts 5-2 at a rainy Hampden in the spring of 2016.

Chris Cadden, Allan Campbell, Jake Hastie, David Turnbull and James Scott were all mainstays in his side. They all went on to play an important role in the firs -team and earned the club almost £5m in transfer fees. It was hard to believe Craigan could match his contribution as a player whilst on the coaching staff, but he did.

With the squad having been promoted and broken up, Craigan decided to concentrate fully on his media career again and left the club with an enhanced reputation in December 2018, three-and-a-half sterling years after returning.

Over 375 games for Motherwell as a player spanning 15 years, a distinguished club captain, a record number of international appearances whilst at Fir Park, 14 games in Europe, appearances at two major cup finals and a cup-winning youth coach who was responsible for the cultivation of some of the most exciting young talent of their generation. That alone would easily grant Stephen Craigan legendary status at Fir Park, but for ‘Well fans it is much more than that. His passion and commitment on the field was clear, he wore his emotions on his sleeve and the fans loved him for it.

Anything he ever lacked in ability, and he was a far greater player than people, including himself, give him credit for, he more than made up for with sheer hard work and determination.

That’s something all fans across the world would expect, but at a working-class club, with working-class values supported by a largely working-class fanbase, it’s essential. Although he wasn’t born in this country or even grew up supporting the Steelmen, the fans will always class him as one of us, and Fir Park will always be home.

Our Hall of Fame will welcome its new inductees in a special event in November.

Taking place at the Bothwell Bridge Hotel on Saturday 13 November, the event will induct the classes of both 2020 and 2021.

The event is priced at £60 for adults and £30 for children aged under 12. Limited tickets are available.

We will induct both the 2020 and 2021 intake at the event.

Buy your tickets online here now.

Current Hall of Famers include George Stevenson, Willie Pettigrew, Phil O’Donnell, Ally Maxwell and James McFadden.

The delayed 2020 class, who will also be inducted on the night, includes John Hunter, Andy Paton, Joe Wark, Davie Cooper and Steven Hammell.