It is with regret that we have learned of the death of former player Willie McSeveney.
Captain of the famous Ancell Babes era, the versatile club great passed away this week at the age of 92.
Starting at Wishaw Juniors, Willie was signed by Motherwell manager George Stevenson for £1,200 in March 1954 from Dunfermline, after he had made such an impression in a Motherwell 5-2 victory over Dunfermline in a Scottish Cup game a month prior.
He would make an immediate impact for the ‘Well in Division B, scoring four goals in his first four games in claret and amber. His debut goal against Third Lanark saw the team clinch promotion.
Little over a year later, he would be in the side which would face Hearts in the 1954 League Cup final. In front of over 55,000 at Hampden, Hearts, unfortunately, ran out 4-2 winners. He would also feature for the club in two Scottish Cup semi-finals, where Clyde and Rangers were the victors.
Fans of a certain vintage will recall his standout performance in the floodlight friendly with Brazilian giants Flamengo in 1960, when Motherwell incredibly won 9-2 against a team featuring Gerson, who went on to win the World Cup with Brazil 10 years later.
His final first-team appearance would come in October 1962 at Tynecastle but he was on the playing books until the end of the 1963/64 campaign, spending his time mainly in the reserves and using his experience to help improve the club’s younger players. He would also stay on to coach the reserve side thereafter, helping to bring through Joe Wark, Keith MacRae and Peter McCloy among others.
Across 10 seasons at Fir Park, he would make 256 appearances, scoring 28 times. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.