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The South Stand at Fir Park has been renamed the Tommy McLean Stand.

The former ‘Well boss, who famously guided the Steelmen to Scottish Cup success 30 years ago, became a member of the 2021 class of the club’s Hall of Fame this month.

At the ceremony, Well Society chairman Douglas Dickie announced that the traditional away stand, which was built following the club’s cup win and first venture into European football, would be forever in tribute to McLean.

“When the club tasked Well Society members to rename the only stand at Fir Park that doesn’t currently pay tribute to a legend, we consulted our members and asked them to email suggestions,” Dickie said.

“There were so many worthy and deserving names submitted for us to consider. However, one name stood out and that was our 1991 cup winning manager Tommy McLean.

”Therefore, the Society board decided that it was only right to honour him in this way.

“Tommy was much more than just the man who delivered that trophy.

“Not only did he get the team promoted back to the top flight of Scottish football in his first season, where we have been ever since, he built a squad capable of silverware and our first venture into European football.

“He also brokered what was a club-record fee of £1.75m for Phil O’Donnell to Celtic and then rebuilt another squad, this one good enough to run Rangers all the way in the 1993/94 title race.

“His success on and off the field helped solidify the club financially, which following the publication of the Taylor Report, facilitated the renovation of Fir Park into the stadium it is now, including the away stand which will now bear his name.

“Quite simply, Tommy is one of the most important figures in Motherwell FC’s 135-year existence and certainly the most influential in our recent history.

“We felt it was right for the club to pay tribute to him in this way, and for his name to be forever etched for generations to come.

“The club will spend the new few weeks making the necessary changes to update the stadium, including new signage, to honour Tommy.”

Tommy McLean himself added: “I am extremely honoured at this fantastic accolade and I would like to thank all those who suggested that the stand be named after me as a legacy to my time at Motherwell Football Club.

“I would also like to extend my appreciation to the club and the board of the Well Society for making this happen.”

The four stands at Fir Park are now named after important figures in Motherwell’s history: Davie Cooper, Phil O’Donnell, John ‘Sailor’ Hunter and Tommy McLean.

The club also has a lounge named after Joe Wark and hospitality boxes in tribute to Andy Paton, Wilson Humphries, John Martis and Andy Weir.

Stevie Kirk is to join the Motherwell FC Hall of Fame.

He will be inducted at our special event on Saturday 13 November.

A special auction is also running for a host of Motherwell items, with proceeds going to the youth academy. Bid here.

A modern-day Motherwell legend, Stevie Kirk will forever be remembered for scoring the winning goal in the 1991 Scottish Cup Final.

But his association with the Steelmen spanned more than a decade on and off the park.

Signed from East Fife in 1986, he immediately made himself a fixture in Tommy McLean’s side. Adept at finding the net, he scored one of ‘Well’s goals of the decade at Tynecastle in 1987, running the length of the field.

The following season at the same venue, Kirk volunteered to go in goals after an injury to goalkeeper Cammy Duncan. Undaunted by the task, he famously went on to save a penalty and inspired Motherwell to a 2-2 draw having been two-nil down.

But think of Stevie Kirk and it is impossible not to return to that Scottish Cup winning run.

He would have a significant impact at each stage, netting in every round, as Motherwell went on to beat Dundee United in the final.

As a result, he then also had the distinction of scoring Motherwell’s first-ever goal in Europe.

With more than 300 league appearances and his name in Motherwell FC folklore, Kirk now joins the Hall of Fame.

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.

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.

Bevis Mugabi has been called up by Uganda.

The defender returns to the national selection for two FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Kenya and Mali.

The Cranes take on Kenya in Kampala first on Thursday 11 November, before travelling to Morocco to take on Mali three days later.

Uganda sit two points behind group leaders Mali in the qualification race for Qatar 2022 with two matches to go.

They must win their group to progress to the final stage, which will see all 10 African group winners face off in a play-off round.

Motherwell showed fighting spirit to hold off a late Aberdeen comeback to secure a closely-fought victory at Alliance Park on Sunday.

Carla Boyce fired the hosts in front early on, before Chelsie Watson doubled Motherwell’s advantage in quick succession.

Boyce then prodded home the third to give Motherwell a comfortable three goal advantage after 10 minutes.

Bayley Hutchinson pulled one back for the visitors midway through the first half, but Boyce responded to net her hat-trick and Motherwell’s fourth in the second half.

Francesca Ogilvie netted a late second for the visitors, before Johan Fraser added a third to give Motherwell a nerve-racking final 10 minutes.

However, Paul Brownlie’s side stood resolute to record their third league win this season.

Motherwell would break the deadlock after five minutes. Katie Rice’s powerful strike from the edge of the box ricocheted off the crossbar, and Boyce calmly followed up to earn her first goal in claret and amber.

The hosts then doubled their advantage minutes later. Rice’s perfectly weighted free kick was misjudged by the goalkeeper, and Watson stepped up to place her strike high into the net past Gail Gilmour from a few yards out.

The women of steel continued to look threatening in the early stages and would add a third on the 10-minute-mark. Gill Inglis’ curling effort was parried away by the keeper, but only as far as Boyce, who headed home her second of the game.

The visitors pulled one back midway through the first half. Hutchinson latched onto Nadia Sopel’s long ball, and the forward skilfully chipped Khym Ramsay from distance with an exquisite strike to give the Dons a lifeline.

With the hosts continuing to dominate possession, Motherwell restored their three-goal advantage on the hour mark.

Amy Anderson’s floated free kick deflected off the underside of the crossbar and fell kindly to Boyce who rifled her effort low past Gilmour to secure a hat-trick on her first home game of the season.

With the visitors chasing the game in the second half, Aberdeen netted a quickfire double against the run of play. A quick counter attack left Ogilvie through on goal, and the midfielder coolly slotted her strike past Ramsay.

Then, less than a minute later, Hutchinson’s low-driven cross was steered past Ramsay by Fraser to give the women of steel a tough final few minutes. However, the Motherwell defence held firm to secure their third league win of the season.

Motherwell’s valiant display will be a real confidence boost for Paul Brownlie’s side, before they host Glasgow City later this month.

London Pollard has joined Motherwell.

The striker goes straight into the squad for the SWPL1 home clash with Aberdeen on Sunday.

“I have been well aware of London’s talent for several years, so to get her signed for Motherwell is a massive signing,” head coach Paul Brownlie said.

“London is still very young and as with all our youth players our approach is always holistic, they have massive commitments with academic studies and we will continue to support our youth players to provide balance with football and studies.

“London can play anywhere along the front three and that provides us with more attacking options.”

Coming through the ranks at Cove Rangers, the 17-year-old burst onto the SWPL1 scene last year at Forfar Farmington, marking her top flight debut for the Station Park side with a double against the women of steel in a 4-2 opening day win in October 2020.

She added further goals against Celtic at K-Park in December, which was enough to catch the eye of the Hoops boss Fran Alonso, who recruited the pacey forward in May of this year.

Pollard was on loan at Thistle from Celtic, and looks to be a real talent for the future.

“I’m so happy to have joined Motherwell,” Pollard added.

“I want to develop my game further and feel Paul and the coaching staff are able to do just that.

“I feel this is a place I can flourish.”

Pollard will wear the number 40 shirt this season.

“We were on the floor. We’ve stood up and shown we are ready to fight again. That’s what a Motherwell team should be.”

Kevin van Veen’s clinically-taken double gave Motherwell the win at Aberdeen.

The Dutch striker’s two goals early in the second half did the damage to ensure the Steelmen ended their barren run with all three points taken.

Graham Alexander changed three men from the side which lost last time out to Rangers.

The suspended Stephen O’Donnell was replaced on the teamsheet by Juhani Ojala, with the Finn coming in at centre back and Bevis Mugabi switching to right back.

Callum Slattery and Connor Shields dropped to the bench, with Maguire and Van Veen their respective replacements.

Motherwell came north looking for a reaction to that loss but they found themselves under siege from the off at Pittodrie.

Solholm had to react quick to deny Watkins a free shot at goal from 10 yards early on, before Kelly was called into action soon after with a fingertip touch to turn away Ramirez’s goalbound header.

Motherwell settled but the Aberdeen attacks continued to come in waves.

Kelly just about got to a one-on-one with Watkins to clear, shortly before Ferguson slalomed his way through the ‘Well defence to only fire over from the right side of the area.

Hedges also saw a header from the corner flicked off the line by the head of Ojala, as Motherwell struggled to create any chances of their own in a challenging first half.

Motherwell though have proven time and again they are clinical when the chances do arrive and that proved to be the case just five minutes into the second half.

After a period in possession in attack, Goss swung a pinpoint cross to the near post where Van Veen found himself completely unmarked.

He still had work to do, but picked his spot perfectly to steer the ball across the face of goal and into the bottom-right corner of the net.

Motherwell were invigorated and were two ahead 10 minutes later.

A free-kick from the left was met at the back post by Lamie – on as a sub for the injured Ojala.

His header back across goal found Van Veen perfectly on the penalty spot, and he showed all the composure in the world to half-volley the ball into the net.

Motherwell switched to five at the back soon after and, against a wave of Aberdeen attacks, stood firm brilliantly.

They did have Kelly to thank again, with an unbelievable double save from Ramirez’s header keeping the Dons at bay.

Tony Watt is our Paycare player of the month for October.

The striker netted three goals as the team’s standout performer across the month, a haul which already makes this season his most prolific while playing for a Scottish side.

Watt makes it three awards in a row, having also been named as the top player in August and September.

Motherwell take on Aberdeen next in the final game of the first round of fixtures in SWPL1.

Kick-off on Sunday 7 November at Alliance Park is at 4pm.

Tickets will cost £5 for adults, while children go free.

Tale of the tape

Motherwell and Aberdeen faced off in the group stages of the SWPL Cup in August, with the Dons coming away with all three points in a tightly contested 1-0 victory.

The last league meeting came in 2018 in SWPL2, where Motherwell won comfortably 4-0.

Aberdeen’s victory in August was their first victory against the women of steel in the last four encounters.

Form guide

Motherwell and Aberdeen are both locked on seven points after eight games, with an identical match record of two wins, one draw and five losses in SWPL1.

Aberdeen currently occupy sixth in the table due to a superior goal difference.

Motherwell returned to action after the international break with a 5-0 defeat against title-chasing Rangers on Wednesday night.

Prior to that, Motherwell claimed seven points in nine in the league.

Aberdeen also played on Wednesday night, where they fell to a 5-0 defeat to Glasgow City. Three days earlier, they lost 2-0 to Hibernian.

Graham Alexander previews the weekend trip north in the cinch Premiership.