Legendary ‘Ancell Babe’ winger Willie Hunter is the final name to be inducted in the 2022 Motherwell FC Hall of Fame.
Hunter, or Billy to his friends and family, would become the darling of every Motherwell fan of a certain generation.
Following a few years of typical Motherwell Football Club inconsistency a major decision was taken between the boardroom and the manager’s chair during the summer of 1956.
After a year in the Fir Park hotseat, Bobby Ancell implemented a policy of no longer signing ready made “seasoned” football players from other clubs, and going back to pursuing a strategy of developing talented youngsters from Scotland’s central belt in true Motherwell tradition.
That close season would see the first moves to support the new thinking at Fir Park. Youngsters Bert McCann, William Cowie, Pat Holton and ‘keeper Alan Wylie all arrived from Queens’ Park, Kilsyth Rangers, Hamilton Accies and Penicuik respectively.
Whilst the named four signings went on to contribute to a decent season for the Fir Parkers, it was probably the youngster who had signed on from Edinburgh Norton a year later that would go on to make his name in claret and amber shine more brightly than most others.
That man was the aforementioned Willie Hunter.
Within months it had became clear that the manager had snapped up a dazzling footballer who was both a brilliant ball player and a determined performer. Willie began his Motherwell career playing, and starring, for the Fir Park reserves alongside fellow teenager Ian St. John.
He was brought into the first team at Dens Park in mid-October 1957. Although the result didn’t go to the liking of the travelling ‘Well fans, they had taken some solace from the performance of the young Edinburgh lad who had made the jump from amateur football to top division action within a couple of months with ease.
His first appearance on Fir Park came a fortnight later when Falkirk visited and left with the points following a 5-2 defeat of the hosts. Despite the loss, the name of Willie Hunter was on the lips of every Motherwell fan as they made their way home the wet Saturday evening.
His first goal came at Parkhead in April when netted the opener in a thrilling 2-2 draw between the teams. Eleven appearances for Motherwell was a good debut season for Hunter, as he tried to earn a berth in a terrific developing Fir Park squad under the guidance of Ancell.
When the team was announced for the opening day of the new season at home to Partick Thistle, Hunter’s name was included. Although it was goals from Ian St. John, twice, and Jim Forrest which won the game, it was Hunter who was man of the match having produced a sublime display.
The start of the season had been promising, with only one defeat in the first six fixtures before Third Lanark arrived in North Lanarkshire. The team that day would always be remembered as a typical Ancell Babes XI: Hastie Weir, McSeveney, Holton, Aitken, Martis, McCann, Hunter, Sammy Reid, St. John, Quinn and Andy Weir.
The Babes were on fire that afternoon, winning 8-1 as the Fir Park crowd began to realise their favourites were developing into something very special indeed.
The young inside forward Hunter only missed four games in that season, scoring 13 goals, which saw Motherwell narrowly miss out on the league title.
International honours were also on their way, with eight players being recognised in various squads, including Hunter who was capped for the Scottish league.
Willie had become a forward of uncommon grace, which had won over the Motherwell fans with performances that could not be measured merely in goals and assists, but that glistened with the flair of an artist who could deceive defenders with a subtle touch or shimmy.
Whilst these seasons were extremely entertaining for the Fir Park faithful, it was arguably two glamour friendlies that summed up that Ancell side.
18,000 punters clicked through the Fir Park turnstiles to see Athletic Bilbao despite torrential rain hammering down throughout the 90 minutes. A delightful Willie Hunter goal put Motherwell two goals up after just 25 minutes, before the visitors stunned the large crowd by levelling before the interval.
However, an Ian St. John shot two minutes into the second period was enough to give the home side a deserved win.
A couple of weeks later, it was Brazilian giants Flamengo who turned up at Fir Park on the back of an impressive 5-0 win over Manchester United. After the visitors opened the scoring six minutes in, the 25,000 crowd were saluting a wonderful goal by Hunter which seemed to inspire the Steelmen.
A St. John hat trick and a Pat Quinn penalty were soon forgotten when Hunter produced a sublime finish to leave the Fir Parkers 6-1 up, and thoroughly entertaining a by now ecstatic home support.
Another hat trick by St. John left the Brazilians shell-shocked as Motherwell trooped of the pitch having trounced the tourists 9-2. At the end of that season there was a definite air of disappointment that such a talented outfit could only finish fifth despite many memorable displays throughout the campaign.
Always amongst the goals for Motherwell, Hunter had in fact laid on far more than he had scored, which was a proud claim since he bagged more than 50 competitive goals for the Steelmen.
Whilst at Fir Park he won three full Scotland caps, four Under 23 caps and four appearances for the Scottish League. He managed 301 appearances for our club all in, scoring 61 goals.
He finally left North Lanarkshire in 1967, when Detroit Cougars paid £14,000 for his signature as the inaugural North American Soccer League was about to kick off. He went on to feature for his boyhood club Hibs before two more spells overseas at Hellenic and Cape Town City.
Following a coaching stint as Ian St John’s assistant at Portsmouth, he then had two brief spells as manager, firstly at Queen of the South then Inverness Caledonian in the Highland League.
Willie was a inside forward who played on the left hand side, with the experience and knowledge of playing as a winger; a real craftsman, skilled in ball control and distribution.
He had a brilliant football career in what was undoubtedly a tough school. His generous gifts to the game gave him little financial rewards, yet he continued to give to the game and his colleagues afterwards He was a man of substance and opinions, who was the subject of much praise from those who played with, against, or indeed, watched him.
This magical footballer was one of the most complete ever to pull our famous colours over his head, and is someone this club is proud to have played a large part in his life.
Willie Hunter is the twentieth entrant to the Motherwell FC Hall of Fame.
Our highly-anticipated Hall of Fame dinner will welcome its fourth batch of inductees later this Friday.
The event, launched in 2019, has already paid special tribute to the legendary names of the club’s long and distinguished history.
For the first time, the dinner will take place at Dalziel Park Hotel this Friday, 18 November, with host Tam Cowan inducted five new names, with Willie joining the already-announced Keith Lasley, Willie MacFadyen, Tommy Coyne and Bobby Graham.
There are only a handful of tickets left priced at £64 for adults and £30 for children aged under 12.
You can buy tickets for the dinner online here now or contact the commercial department on 01698 338 011.
The five legends inducted this year will join:
| 2019 intake |
2020 intake |
2021 intake |
| George Stevenson |
John ‘Sailor’ Hunter |
Bobby Ferrier |
| Willie Pettigrew |
Andy Paton |
John Martis |
| Ally Maxwell |
Joe Wark |
Tommy McLean |
| Phil O’Donnell |
Davie Cooper |
Stevie Kirk |
| James McFadden |
Steven Hammell |
Stephen Craigan |
* Please note that some of the colourful language on the night may not be appropriate for young children or those easily offended.
