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There’s still time to get your hands on a late Motherwel FC Christmas gift.

We’ve launched the ML1 T-shirt range, a special run of six designs featuing parts of Fir Park which may not be immediately obvious. But if you know, you know.

Shop the range here.

We have appointed Stuart Graham as our club historian.

Stuart’s knowledge of the history of the club is second to none and he has been heavily involved in our ongoing heritage project alongside the former players’ club over the last couple of years.

The project has involved the collection of Well memorabilia with the aim of the development of a club museum, alongside several club tours and nostalgia evenings, with the aim of celebrating the proud history of our club.

If you have any enquiries relevant to Stuart please contact him at historian@motherwellfc.co.uk.

Missing the roar of the crowd around you as the Steelmen light up the pitch?

Then you might just be interested in visiting the Glen’s Vodka Instagram page.

That’s because, right now, our back of shirt sponsor is giving one very lucky fan the chance to win a Sony surround sound system, plus a bottle of Glen’s Original and a £50 Deliver voucher to enjoy while they catch every match this season.

If you want to be in with a chance of bagging this belter of a prize, make sure you enter before 23 December.

When Tommy McLean switched from Greenock Morton to Motherwell in 1984, he had one major job as manager.

Help keep the club alive.

Relegation from the top division before his arrival had put a hole in the finances at Fir Park. McLean was tasked with the job of not only balancing the books, but trying to get the Steelmen back up as quickly as possible.

“When I got the job, the board set me targets,” he recalled. “The main ones were keeping Motherwell alive and getting them back to the top division.

“The club had just been relegated and they needed to bring in £100,000 from being out of the top division in the first year.

“The first thing I had to do was sell Kenny Black and Stuart Rafferty to Dundee and Hearts. They were players I could have done with, but it was needs must. I sold them without having them even play one game for me.”

The sales of Black and Rafferty went most of the way towards plugging the hole in the balance sheet. It also accelerated a production line of young talent which would set up a run to immortality in 1991.

“The next target was bringing through young players,” McLean side. “When you couldn’t work in the transfer market, that’s what you had to do.

“Youth development was the way forward. We had to build our own and bring through youngsters. That was the focal point of Motherwell.

“That’s also what brought the money in during my tenure. Once we got back into the top division, at the end of the season we sold Gary McAllister and Ally Mauchlen to Leicester City for around £250,000.

“You’re losing your best players. That’s how it was. It was needs must.”

Fees generated by the sales of McAllister and Mauchlen, followed by the further sales of Andy Walker, Tom Boyd and then Phil O’Donnell after McLean departed, have left a lasting legacy at Fir Park.

The construction of the Cooper and South Stands were part-financed by the glut of cash the youth production line brought in, helping to build infrastructure which is still crucial to today’s incumbents.

“Every time I go by Fir Park or see it from the motorway, I see the stands,” said McLean.

“I think ‘that was part of parcel of the players that did that’. It came from the transfer fees they brought in.”

Despite losing talents through his early tenure at Fir Park, McLean was building the foundations of a team which would eventually achieve the prize of the Scottish Cup in 1991.

“The first six years were mainly working on ins and outs, selling players, saving on wages and all of that,” he said.

“The first thing we had to do was make sure the club survived. So you’d lose your better players every year and you’d start from scratch.

“There was a challenge every year at Motherwell. There were a lot of hard times we had to come through.

“It wasn’t until near the cup final that we started building the club up, and building the reputation that we weren’t a bad team.”

The player who would tie it all together would arrive in August 1989. Davie Cooper had fallen out of favour at Rangers. An opportunity landed in the manager’s lap.

“How it came about was we used to go out with the wives for a meal on Saturday night. One night there was me and my wife, Tam Forsyth and his wife, and then Davie, his wife, and his pal Ricky Jordan and his wife.

“We were sitting at dinner and Coop left the table. Ricky said to me ‘Coop is not happy at Rangers’. Mark Walters was playing ahead of him, so he was unsettled at not playing.

“Ricky said to me I should think about him. Think about him? I didn’t need to think about him.

“On Monday morning, I phoned Walter Smith and said ‘I hear Davie Cooper is a bit unsettled.’. He said it was the first he’d heard of it but he would go and look at it. He phoned me back and said they would let him go. He gave me a figure and I went to John Chapman.

“Now, John Chapman was a brilliant chairman. But whenever I mentioned a player, I would give a figure and he would say ‘we will work on it’. What he meant was to try and get it lower or get staged payments.

“The one and only time he said it was no problem was when it was Davie Cooper. He was in the latter stages of his career, but it rejuvenated him.

“He also made players better. He made Tam Boyd better. Phil O’Donnell better. The whole of team, really. It took them to a different level.”

Not only that, but he helped lift the Well to the prize that had eluded them since 1952.

While McLean’s inaugural years at Fir Park were spent trying to secure Motherwell’s very survival, the events which would follow would take even greater significance.

Winning promotion back to the top flight at the first time of asking, but still having to balance the books, the momentum started going in the Steelmen’s direction with the arrival of Davie Cooper in 1989.

By the time the 1990/91 Scottish Cup campaign started, Motherwell were on a 39-year hiatus from lifting the famous trophy.

With optimism that run could be ended always present in fans’ minds, there was a dark cloud lingering over the town.

The impending closure of the Ravenscraig steelworks threatened to decimate employment and prosperity in the town.

McLean set his men about giving the people an escape.

“We used Ravenscraig as a central focus during the run,” he recalled.

“I leant on the fact people were losing their jobs, but they are still coming to Motherwell. It was imperative and important that the players gave no less than 100% for them. You can take losing if you give 100%. But there are certain things you can’t accept if the effort isn’t there.

“For the guys from Ravenscraig, money was hard-earned and they were losing their jobs. But they were still coming to support their club. We had to give everything we possibly could back, and give them a lift on a Saturday night.

“The players did that. They cottoned onto the idea and we used as a basis for the final.”

To get to Hampden however, an imposing path had to be navigated.

Aberdeen away in the first match yielded a 1-0 win, before a 4-2 home win over Falkirk. Morton lay in wait in the last eight, with a replay and penalties needed to separate the sides.

Celtic stood between the men in claret and amber from a place in the showpiece. A 0-0 draw in the first attempt at Hampden meant for another encounter in Mount Florida, with a famous 4-2 win sending ‘Well heading back in May.

The rest is history, of course, as Motherwell returned home with the trophy.

“In the semi-final and the final, we scored four goals in each game,” said McLean. “We won the replay 4-2 against Celtic, and then of course won the final against Dundee United 4-3.

“I look back on it with such pride. And of course, it also brought Motherwell European football for the first time. It put us on the map.

“The game was a masterclass. I watch it back regularly. I take great pride from the players we brought through who did a turn for the club.

“Jim Griffin was outstanding in the final. He was one of the better players. He was one of the unsung heroes. Him and Chris McCart.

“People don’t realise that in that starting team, there were only two players that cost money for Motherwell. Davie Cooper and Iain Ferguson.

“We had players who came through the system. Maxwell, Boyd, O’Donnell, Griffin. We had Dougie Arnott who cost buttons from the Juniors. It was a great achievement.”

Remarkably, an even greater achievement could have followed in the 1993/94 season.

The last Premier Division campaign played with a two-points-for-a-win system, ‘Well were in title contention right to the wire.

McLean picks up the story. “We were very unfortunate,” he said. “There were three games to go and we were neck-and-neck with Aberdeen and Rangers.

“We played Dundee United at Fir Park and lost 2-0. Then we drew 3-3 with Raith Rovers in Kirkcaldy, then lost the last game of the season to St Johnstone.

“We took one point out of a possible six. We had such a chance. It was an unbelievable achievement for Motherwell to be in contention so late on.”

Four points, and a vastly superior Rangers goal difference, was what separated Motherwell from breaking Rangers’ eventual nine-in-a-row Championship charge and cementing a win which would have yielded a whole other set of club legends.

McLean would leave that summer. Recognition would follow in later years, where he was voted the club’s greatest-ever manager. A place in the Scottish Football Hall of Fame also was bestowed upon him.

“It was great to be in their thoughts and be named the club’s greatest manager. There were also a lot of hard times we had to come through. It came eventually. The progress was steady throughout the 10 years I was there. The first six years was mainly working on selling players and saving wages. Getting rid of a full-time player and bringing a part-time player, for example. It was survival.

“You think of the team that could have been if we could have kept everyone together.. Dysktra, Boyd, McKinnon, Martin, Kripovavic. Lambert, McAllister, O’Donnell, Cooper. Arnott or Walker and Coyne.

“In between that you’ve got Chris McCart, Jim Griffin, Bobby Russell, Ally Mauchlen. There are a lot of players that jump out. If you could have got all of them playing together, you’d have loved to have seen it.

“I sometimes think what my best XI would have been if I kept them all. A lot of players went through the hatch, through the system. There were a lot of good players. There were Andy Walker and Fraser Wishart after that too. Then after that it was Tam Boyd and Phil O’Donnell, although Phil left after I did.

“There were a lot of good players. The fees we got for them helped build the stands at Motherwell.”

When looking back on 2020, many of us will reflect on the ways in which we passed the time during difficult circumstances.

Whether it has been turning our hands to DIY, testing ourselves in a Zoom quiz against friends and family or lacing up our trainers with the aim of taking on a 5K – keeping busy has been the name of the game.

Others have demonstrated their creative side and after being furloughed from work back in May, ‘Well fan Pete Smith put his artistic skills into action and launched ‘Steelmen Pins’ – a collection of pin badges celebrating Fir Park heroes both past and present.

It is an idea that has quickly captured the imagination of Motherwell fans young and old – with many turning into obsessive collectors in a relatively short period of time.

“After being placed on furlough I started some sketches on my iPad and showed them to a couple of my friends,” Pete explained.

“To be honest I wasn’t overly aware of the growing trend of badge collecting when I started on some ideas for Motherwell based designs.

“Louis Moult was the first player I used for a design and I then tried one for Michael Higdon, my friends advised to check out the work by badge makers at Celtic and Kilmarnock which helped show me how good they can turn out and how excited people get about collecting.

“It’s sort of like the Panini stickers with your got, got, needs – everyone wants to complete their collection. I wanted to keep the numbers low at the start, but at the same time keep everyone happy too.

“So far the badges have gone down really well with the Motherwell fans. It can be tricky trying to gauge quantities sometimes as I certainly don’t want any of those who bought from day one missing out.”

With a new badge release on the last Friday of every month, fans of Steelmen Pins have learned they have to be quick off the mark to ensure they can add to their collection.

Last week, a batch of 125 Louis Moult badges were snapped up in less than two hours, leading Pete having to request a further batch in order to cater for demand.

Commemorating Louis’ wonderful second goal from the 2-0 Betfred Cup semi-final victory over Rangers, the man himself got in touch to give the badge design his seal of approval.

Pete admits he feels humbled by the reaction from the players featured in the badges, as well as from supporters of the Steelmen and has enjoyed seeing the ways in which they display their collections.

However, he feels there is still one thing missing – seeing fans display his badges inside Fir Park.

“It’s so rewarding seeing that heroes of mine and so many ‘Well fans for that matter, are delighted to see themselves being made into enamel,” he added. “When the time comes that we’re back inside Fir Park it would be crazy to see fans with my badges on their scarves – I’d love that.

“I would say a cork board is a good way to display your badges, though I’d recommend keeping the backers on.

“I’ve seen it mentioned that Steelmen Pins has helped spark memories of watching our greatest players and it has been brilliant getting to speak to some of those who have bought a badges and hear their stories on their favourite moments watching that particular player. It’s fantastic that a small pin can spark such memories into life.”

Another major positive for Pete has been the opportunity to contribute to the club through sales of his pin badges – with £1 from each sale being donated to the Well Society.

Steelmen Pins has also recently supported ‘Cardiac Risk in the Young’ charity through sales of a special Phil O’Donnell charity double pack and will be supporting the Community Trust’s backing of Clyde One’s ‘Cash for Kids’ over the festive period.

“Motherwell are a positive community club, and it goes without saying that Motherwell fans are incredibly generous,” Smith explained. “I think it’s important that we give back to the club when possible, especially given we can’t get to Fir Park at this moment in time.

“’I’ve been going to the football with my dad since I was five, but never had much more of a contribution to the cause. Steelmen Pins has been a great thing to be involved and I hope the craze continues.

“The Phil O’Donnell pins are the badges that I’m really trying to push just now. I had an extra allocation of those ones made up to help raise as much money for the two charities as possible.

“I think the pin recreating a young Phil celebrating winning the Scottish Cup is my favourite one yet.”

Having reacted positively to the final designs of 2020, fans of Steelmen Pins are already anticipating what comes next and Pete already has set the wheels in motion for what he hopes will be another big year.

When it comes to making requests for their favourites to be made into enamel, the ‘Well supporters have made their feelings known and there is one name that is proving to be extremely popular.

“Tommy Coyne is definitely one of the most requested players and I can’t wait to release his badge,” he smiled. “I’d love to complete the set of the full squad from the 1991 Scottish Cup final too. If I could get to that point it would be great.

“We are lucky as ‘Well fans to have had so many cult heroes and brilliant players. I have had requests from players from our league winning team in 1932, right up to members of our current squad such as Allan Campbell. There’s so much choice and I’m delighted that people have generally agreed with the players featured so far.

“It’s good to hear requests from those buying the badges and I’ll see what I can do to squeeze them in without over saturating obviously.

“I’m really enjoying doing Steelmen Pins and hopefully that can continue into next year. I think a few badges would make the perfect stocking filler and it would be great for the ‘Well fans to wake up to them on Christmas morning.”

It is not just Steelmen Pins that are proving to be a must-have this Christmas. The ‘Well shop have a massive selection of Motherwell merchandise, guaranteed to bring a smile to a smile to any fan of the Steelmen this Christmas.

Here is a look at our top-three gift ideas:

2020/21 away shirt
from £37

This season’s Motherwell away kit pays homage to our original colours when we played our first game in 1886 and has been one of the most popular ‘Well tops ever. Back in stock in all sizes, you will have to be quick to avoid disappointment – these are flying off the shelves yet again.

Official 2021 calendar
£10

Who else is desperate to see the back of 2020? The official Motherwell FC alendar. will help you plan for better times, has space for to add all ‘Well fixtures and make note of those important dates that may have previously slipped your mind…

Motherwell Ready2Music Headphones
£120

Why not celebrate your support for Motherwell with a unique pair of Ready2Music wireless headphones? The popular RIVAL model connects with any Bluetooth device, can be used for music, phone calls and gaming with an in-built microphone. The headphones are also easily foldable making them perfect for travelling too.

By Andy Ross.

You can enjoy 50% off your pizza this weekend as part of our tie-up with Papa John’s.

All fans can enjoy the discount on all orders over £25.

To get yours, just use the code WELL1991 at checkout.

We’re working in association with Papa John’s Hamilton and the franchise will be sponsoring our upcoming games against St Mirren and Kilmarnock.

Leading up to those games, five lucky random season ticket holders will be picked out to receive free pizzas.

Even more promotional offers will be available soon from Papa John’s. To find out more, head to their Facebook page.

Rainbow Laces has always campaigned to make sport everyone’s game.

They’ve focused on inspiring, educating and encouraging allyship to support LGBT inclusion in sport.

The events of 2020 have highlighted long-standing inequalities across society. We’ve seen the disproportionate impacts of the pandemic on marginalised groups and the results of structural racism throughout society, including in LGBT communities and across sport.

The events of this year have also shown us how much community and allyship matter. We’ve seen the role that sport and fitness play in bringing us together, and so many LGBT people and allies have been doing amazing work to make sport everyone’s game.

To show our support again this year, we will proudly wear the rainbow armband during our game with Hibernian on 5 December 2020.

There will be Christmas lights in Motherwell and Wishaw in 2020.

We will make sure that the communities nearest to our home will enjoy a semblance of normality this December, after North Lanarkshire Council had to make the difficult decision to remove festive lighting due to budget constraints.

Motherwell Football Club, together with our partners Phoenix Specialist Solutions, have agreed with the council that we can start putting lights up on the main streets of both towns this weekend and next.

“When we heard that our area would have to go without Christmas lights this year, we wanted to see if we could help,” Motherwell chairman Jim McMahon said.

“North Lanarkshire Council had indicated they would work with community groups to find solutions where possible and, after discussions, we are grateful they have provided us with the lights so we can put them up around the two towns.

“During these challenging and unusual times, we hope that seeing the lights can bring community spirit and a sense of normality to people in our local area.”

David Clark, managing director of Phoenix Specialist Solutions, added: “When Motherwell FC explained the situation to us, we were determined to step in and help.

“Using our expertise in street lighting, we were able to provide a quick solution that makes sure the people of Motherwell and Wishaw can enjoy seeing some of the Christmas lights up.”

We are opening a collection point at Fir Park for the Basics Food Bank in Motherwell.

We ask all supporters to do what they can to help those in need in our local community.

Our collection point will be in operation at the Davie Cooper Stand on Thursday 10 and Friday 11 December from 2pm to 7pm, and on Saturday 12 December from 9am to 1pm.

Stewards will direct you on arrival at the Davie Cooper Stand to drop donations inside the stadium. Thank you.

Items which are in particular demand are:

• Tinned potatoes.
• Tinned carrots.
• Tinned sweetcorn.
• Tinned meat.
• Tinned tuna.
• Tinned hotdogs.
• Tinned baked beans.
• Tinned fruit.
• Savoury rice.
• Super noodles.
• UHT Longlife milk semi-skimmed.

We’re down to our last few bottles of our limited edition Motherwell FC Loch Lomond 10-year-old single malt.

Our whisky partners Lomond Group made a special run of 500 bottles for fans to enjoy but they’ve been snapped up fast. Get yours now to avoid missing out.

Priced at just £50 with free delivery included, you can order yours now.

This single malt has been created by Michael Henry, Loch Lomond’s Master Blender. He chose two single casks and married them together to create this wonderful single malt.

Matured in American Oak casks from Loch Lomond’s own on-site cooperage, it delivers fruity and honey-sweet malt with some hints of toffee and warming cinnamon spice.

This whisky opens on a gentle honeyed sweetness with green apple, pear and fresh vanilla. There is some juicy peach and apricot with chewy toffee, then warming cinnamon spice on the finish.