Never fall in love with a loan player. That’s the unwritten rule when it comes to a fan’s obsession with a new recruit. But does the rule change when that loan move becomes a permanent one?
Well, for Peter Hartley, it certainly seemed to be the case. A man who showed passion every time he crossed the white line, mixed with his enforcer-type mannerism, meant he quickly established a loving relationship with the ‘Well supporters in the stands.
But his journey to Fir Park was one that came about in a strange way. Hartley joined Motherwell at the end of the summer transfer window in 2017 on loan, but what made the move that bit stranger was that he joined Blackpool on a permanent deal earlier in the window, despite Stephen Robinson wanting to bring him to North Lanarkshire.
“I spoke to Stephen Robinson in the summer, as my wife had just given birth to our first child,” Hartley said.
“At the time, I was with Bristol Rovers, and I had said to the manager that I needed to move closer to home. Lincoln,
Blackpool, Luton and Motherwell had all come in for me. Luton was out of the question straight away as it was too far away.
“I chose Blackpool, basically because it was the closest to where I lived. The conversations with Robinson were unreal and in the back of my head, I did want to go to Motherwell. After two days at Blackpool, I was thinking, what on earth have I done here?
“Pre-season started and the start of the season came next; I didn’t get in a couple of the squads. Gary Bowyer and I had a conflict of interests, so I rang Carl McHugh on my way back from a game. Ben Heneghan was departing. Carl said to give him two minutes and that he was next to the manager.
“Within 20 minutes, Robinson had rang me and told me to get up the road. He said that he’d sign me on loan until January, so I went back to Bowyer and told him that I’m away; he was like, what do you mean, you’ve just joined? But I signed the deal, didn’t look back, loved it, and still support the club now. It’s the first result I look for.”
And just like that, Peter Hartley was a Motherwell player, albeit only on loan. But in the building and straight into the action, he wasted no time in making his mark.
Something that he had been looking to do prior to arrival.
“My initial goal of the loan was to get a permanent contract because I didn’t want to go back to Blackpool,” Hartley explained.
“All I was thinking was, play well, and hopefully the manager will see enough for him to keep me. Thankfully, that happened. A lot of my friends were up there as well.
“Curtis Main joined the season after, but McHugh was there, who is my best mate, Tom Aldred also. A lot of people who I was close with in the football world were playing in the same team. That is unique.
“That speaks volumes for the success we had under Robinson because we were close as mates as well as a team. You know if you’ve got a bunch of mates on the same team together, you never want to let them down.”
It’s that good group of players who reached two cup finals in the 2017/18 season. But in only Hartley’s third game for Motherwell, he faced off against Aberdeen in the League Cup quarter-final at Fir Park.
With the chance to return to Hampden and reach a first League Cup semi-final in seven years looming, Hartley and his teammates produced one of the best performances under Robinson and thrashed Aberdeen 3-0 under the Fir Park lights.
“That game against Aberdeen stands out in my mind for one reason,” the former defender said.
“That is the most one-sided, dominant game I’ve ever been involved in as a professional player. Usually, you have 20 minutes where you’re on top and then the opposition has a spell. The momentum changes, but for that game we were the better team for 90 minutes.
“It was just relentless. Allan Campbell was superb. Cedric [Kipre], Charles Dunne, and I were all solid defensively. Louis Moult was on absolute flames. Everything just clicked; we could’ve played anyone in the league that night and won comfortably.
“On my debut against Kilmarnock, I came off with cramp. But that Aberdeen game kick started my relationship with the fans. Everyone knew what I was about after that; it was a good base to build from.”
That wonderful 3-0 win setup a semi-final match against Rangers at Hampden.
Although the task may have seemed daunting to a supporter, in the dressing room, there was always the feeling that the upset could be a possibility.
“It’s all about belief,” the former skipper added.
“And that’s before you even get on the pitch. You’ve got to find a way as a leader, whether that’s the manager or leaders in the dressing room, to make the followers believe they can win the game.
“Trevor Carson and I went to watch Rangers play Hamilton ten days before the semi-final. I remember standing and thinking that there was nothing for us to be scared of. I was thinking we could do them.
“Going into training, that was all I spoke about. I kept saying they’re beatable and that we stick to the plan. Do whatever we need to do to win. Beat them to the first challenge, play them off the park, control space and we’ll be fine.
“That day is right up there, but I’ve got two days that are my favourites. That one where we beat Rangers to reach the final but also a game for Plymouth where I scored in the 91st minute against Portsmouth to take us to Wembley.
“They are the most beautiful days in my memory. You have lots of downs and lows. When you’re lucky enough to experience days like that, it makes it all feel worth it. All the downs, turmoil, doubting yourself, and controlling your emotions suddenly are worth it.”
A famous 2-0 win over Rangers at Hampden that day secured Motherwell’s progression to the League Cup final. The post-match celebrations live long in the memory of the supporters in the stands that day, but it was also a special day for the players.
That successful period was down to hard work, quality when it mattered, and a team that played to their strengths.
“We knew how we were going to win games,” Hartley stated.
“We were a big, physical team. We had guys like Andy Rose, myself, Kipre, Bowman and McHugh. We knew we weren’t going to look pretty but we’d be effective. The manager knew that and all credit goes to him. He’s been successful playing that way but he also changed the club’s philosophy and fundamentals a couple years later. We finished third that season, fair play to him.”
Those memories live with Hartley. They’re moments that he treasures dearly and holds onto and when asked what his main highlight at Motherwell was, it wasn’t actually a match moment. It was when he witnessed the importance of the club to its supporters.
“My main highlight was driving into Hampden and seeing all the fans,” he recalled.
“It was then that I realised just how many people live in Motherwell. But I also loved the moment after the semi-final win against Aberdeen, when we went over and did the thunderclap with them.
“Everything is about the fans. Without them, nothing would be special. Motherwell fans are loyal and they back the team through thick and thin. To see smiles on their faces and repay them with success on the pitch is a standout moment for me.”
Peter Hartley has now embarked on the next chapter of his life. The 36-year-old called time on his playing career earlier this month and has hung up the boots.
“It wasn’t a tricky decision,” he said.
“I spoke with a lot of former players, friends, and even coaches, and they all said the same thing. They all said play as long as you can, as it’s a long time retired. But I knew it was time.
“There was something inside of me, I could’ve played for another two years but I just didn’t have the same buzz.
“I became more interested in the coaching side of things and developing the session. I’d wake up on a game day and I’d rather have been stood on the sidelines. I didn’t know what was ahead of me, but I just knew I wanted to coach.
“Middlesbrough have given me a great opportunity to get some experience but my end goal is to be a head coach. I’ve got some learning to do but I’d rather be a young coach than an older player. I’m head of Under 16s here, and I’m working five days a week. It’s a great team and we have a couple of lads already training with the first team.”
With him now transferring into coaching, Motherwell fans won’t be able to see Hartley pull on the claret and amber one more time. However, the door has been left wide open for a return as a fan.
“I’d love nothing more than to come back up,” he laughed.
“Stuart Kettlewell is doing a great job. As a fan, I’ll be up there when time allows. I’ve actually still got a place in Motherwell; I just love the club and community. I’ll be up in the near future to support the boys and coaches. I hope I get a decent welcome from the fans!”
