Latest News

Charlie Aitken will be inducted into the 2023 Hall of Fame.

Born on 19th July 1932 in Gorebridge, Charlie Aitken dipped into amateur football after he left secondary school at the age of 15.

An inside right with Gorebridge Victoria, he moved to Arniston Rangers where he played at the heart of the defence and caught the eyes of Motherwell’s scout Mr John Robertson.

Motherwell manager George Stevenson convinced him to join the club in 1949 and he went on to make his debut in 1951.

He was called up to National Service as a gunner in the Artillery in Cyprus before returning home in 1954.

Having quickly worked his way back into the first-team after just two weeks of being back in the country, Aitken resumed his career in the claret and amber.

In his first game back, a Scottish Cup semi final match against Celtic, Aitken scored a last minute header to earn his side a replay.

2023 Hall of Fame inductee Bobby Ancell arrived in the Motherwell dugout and made Aitken a regular feature in his side.

Aitken would go on to rack up appearances for the club in the subsequent seasons and lifted silverware in 1965. Beating Dundee United over two legs, the Steelmen lifted the Summer Cup.

His 17 years of loyalty and service was publicly acknowledged in 1967 when Aitken was awarded a testimonial match at Fir Park against Rangers. The likes of Ian St John and John Martis returned to take part in the match to celebrate Charlie Aitken.

In the 17 years at Fir Park, he made 314 appearances, scoring 38 goals in the process. He was named the Motherwell Supporters Association ‘Player of the Year’ on two occasions and his remarkable stamina and fitness meant he was the only Well player ever to play in all 34 league games in a season. A one club man and a true legend of the game.

Charlie passed away on 12 January 2008, aged 75 but he will forever be remembered as a member of the ‘Ancell Babes’ and for his long lasting service to our club. That’s why it’s only right, he takes his place in the Motherwell FC Hall of Fame.

We will never forget those who have forged the path to where the club sits at present day. Some with us and some sadly not, we want to come together to celebrate the proud history we have at Motherwell Football Club.

This year, the event will take place at Dalziel Park Hotel on Friday 17 November, with host Tam Cowan inducting five new names.

If you would like to attend our night of celebration, tickets cost £66 for adults and £30 for children under the age of 12 are on sale now.

You can buy tickets for the dinner online or contact the commercial department on 01698 338011.

Please note than some of the colourful language on the night may not be appropriate for young children or those easily offended.

The club were informed of the decision to move our fixture against Rangers to Christmas Eve yesterday afternoon, an hour before the SPFL initially intended to announce publicly. 

Whilst we fully acknowledge that the contract which is currently in place between the SPFL and our main broadcasters allows kick off times to be moved from Saturday to Sunday midday, with an agreed notice period, we believe that moving a major fixture to this date is a special circumstance that should’ve led to additional consultation/ discussion with the club.

We can only apologise to supporters who will be inconvenienced by this move and especially to those who will no longer be able to attend the game. We understand this move is particularly inconvenient for fans who had booked pre match hospitality, which was already sold out.

We are working with suppliers to provide an alternative offering pre and post match. We hope to still see as many of our fans as possible at the game.

Bobby Ancell is the latest inductee to the 2023 Hall of Fame. 

Bobby was born in Dumfries on 16 June 1911 and began his footballing career with Lockerbie side Mid Annandale.

Having impressed, he was scouted and later signed for St Mirren in 1930 where he went on to make his first-team debut later that season. A left-back by trade, Bobby made a winning start to life in Paisley with a 3-1 win.

Gifted with technical ability on the ball, Bobby was hugely an impressive full-back in the 1930’s as he went against the norm of just clearing the ball.

Cementing his place in the St Mirren side, he would go on to feature in 188 league games and his skilful play meant he was scouted by numerous clubs, one of which was Newcastle who paid £2,500 for Bobby’s services in 1936.

Thrown straight into the team, Bobby made his debut for the Toon just a day after his transfer which was the first of 105 appearances for Newcastle.

He earned his first Scotland cap in his time in England and began his transition into the coaching world during the war.

Spells with Dundee and Aberdeen as a player/coach would follow next before a move to Berwick Rangers and Dunfermline in 1955.

His relationship with Motherwell started in July of that year, when he was named manager of the club.

A successful start to life in ML1, Bobby won his first six games, where his side scored 24 whilst only conceding an impressive three.

He applied his managerial philosophy, which was to bring in promising, young players. He would sign players that he considered were ‘men of character’ and ‘footballers as opposed to full-back and forwards as such.’

His coaching approach seen rewards start to come to fruition in the 1958-59 season, when a team that was jam packed with star youngsters, finished third in the table behind Rangers and Hearts.

Featuring players such as Willie McSeveney, Charlie Aitken, John Martis and Ian St John, Bobby’s Motherwell team was composed of Scottish born and bred talent that provided rich entrainment for supporters with skilful and attacking football.

In 1958, their ages were remarkably young; Willie Hunter & John Martis 18, Billy Reid 19, Ian St John 20, Andy Weir 21, Pat Quinn 22, he nurtured young talent that would go on to become legends of the club themselves.

Bobby had become a MFC legend and the Ancell Babes name was born, with his side playing, as some described, “the most attractive football in Scotland.”

Continuing to nurture young talent, Bobby left for pastures new in 1965 where he described his move away as “I have reached a stage where perhaps the people need a new face” which drew his ten years as the Fir Park boss to a close.

Bobby passed away on 5 July 1987 at the age of 76.

He may not have one silverware in his time at Motherwell but he did discover and trust one of our most vital principals as club in playing and developing young footballers to make them better players and men. He built and managed one of the most memorable Motherwell sides in our history.

Managing 438 games for Motherwell we want to thank him and ensure he is eternally remember as a true legend of the club. To do that,  he takes his rightful place in the MFC hall of fame.

We will never forget those who have forged the path to where the club sits at present day. Some with us and some sadly not, we want to come together to celebrate the proud history we have at Motherwell Football Club.

This year, the event will take place at Dalziel Park Hotel on Friday 17 November, with host Tam Cowan inducting five new names.

If you would like to attend our night of celebration, tickets cost £66 for adults and £30 for children under the age of 12 are on sale now.

You can buy tickets for the dinner online or contact the commercial department on 01698 338011.

Please note than some of the colourful language on the night may not be appropriate for young children or those easily offended.

Racism has no place in football or society. 

A recent survey undertaken by Show Racism the Red Card showed 46% of staff are aware of racist bullying or discrimination in Scottish schools, while 66.4% are aware of pupils expressing misconceptions, stereotypes, or negative attitudes that are racist.

It is the responsibility of us all to ensure that the anti-racism message is spread far and wide for everyone to see.

This is why we are proudly continuing our support of Show Racism the Red Card’s Match Actions Campaign during our match against St Johnstone on Saturday 21 October and our women’s match against Hearts on Sunday 22 October.

Show Racism the Red Card is the UK’s leading anti-racism Education Charity, working within schools, workplaces, sports, and community organisations to educate children, young people, and adults on challenging prejudice and stereotypes.

Using the power of football is a powerful tool to initiate conversations about anti-racism and our club has supported their messages of tolerance and inclusion for many years. Now more than ever, the importance of active anti-racism cannot be overstated.

Across Scottish football, clubs will show their commitment to anti-racism over one weekend – Friday 20th, Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd October. This weekend also coincides with Show Racism the Red Card’s UK-wide annual fundraising drive, Wear Red Day, taking place on Friday 20th October. On this day, individuals and groups up and down the country are encouraged to wear red and donate to show their support for the campaign and its message.

The Match Actions weekend also takes place during Black History Month and as part of the celebrations, SRtRC are partnering with the National Library of Scotland. On the 26th October at Glasgow’s Kelvinhall, there will be a film screening and discussion about Andrew Watson, Scotland and the world’s first black international footballer.

“We are delighted with the support for anti-racism that exists within Scottish football and are very proud of our upcoming match actions,” Billy Singh from Show Racism the Red Card said.

“However the work must continue. We call on our supporters to continue to challenge racism.

“It is a shared responsibility across the game, from dressing rooms to boardrooms, and from stadiums to social media, to ensure that an anti-racism ethos is maintained throughout the year. And please remember that all our teams are made up of different nationalities from all over the world. Migrants make a positive contribution to Scotland and that’s something we should celebrate.”

“It is vital that we continue to use our voice to say that racism is not welcome in football nor in society,” Motherwell FC manager Stuart Kettlewell stated.

“Unfortunately, we still see instances of racism across the globe. It truly is horrible to see and we must all stand up and condemn these acts.

“We must stand against racism.”

“We are lucky we get to enjoy a sport where you meet individuals from all walks of life,” Motherwell Women forward Kaela McDonald-Nguah said.

“It’s vital we show our support for one another from the changing rooms all the way onto the pitch. Football is a fantastic platform to drive out any racism and discrimination.

“We at Motherwell are proud to continue our support of the brilliant work carried out by Show Racism the Red Card.”

Football is a sport that is loved across the world and football matches should be an enjoyable experience for everyone, of all backgrounds. Education is the key and in the 27 years the Show Racism the Red Card has been running, they have educated over 1 Million participants, reaching that significant milestone in March 2023.

We are proud to support them to reach their next big milestone and to ensure Scotland is equipped with the tools to challenge and eradicate racism from football and society.

For useful resources and information from Show Racism the Red Card, please visit their website  and explore their anti-racism video platform.

You can also follow them on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Our bring a friend for a fiver and family fun day will return for our home match against Ross County on Saturday 28 October. 

Similar to our match against County last May, prior to the match, the Motherwell FC Community Trust and ourselves are hosting a joint family fun day at the front of the Phil O’Donnell stand.

Free to all attending the match, it will start at 12pm and will run until 30 minutes prior to kick-off.

There will be:

• Giant inflatables
• Beat the goalie
• Face painting
• Meet players
• Stalls including Chunky Chunks Bakes, Salt & Chilli Truck, Shelbys Dog Bakery, Floss Boss, Coffee Cart, Angie’s Cakes & Bakes, SSPCA
• Alcoholic refreshments available to purchase from the club’s reading garden for the first time (access via Phil O’Donnell Stand South entrance)

As we look to get Fir Park as busy as possible, season ticket holders will be able to bring a friend for a fiver.

This offer will be in operation in the John Hunter, Davie Cooper and Phil O’Donnell stands.

To take advantage of this offer, please follow the online steps below:

• Visit our ticketing platform by clicking here
• Sign-in
• Select ‘All Events’ at the top right-hand side of the page and then ‘All Matches’
• Select your seat.
• Add ‘Bring a Friend’ ticket to your basket.
• Complete the checkout process.

Your additional ticket will be sent via email for you to pass to your chosen friend.  Alternatively, you can print at home.

Martyn Corrigan will be inducted into the 2023 Motherwell FC Hall of Fame. 

Despite coming close to joining the ‘Well in 1999, Martyn ‘Kaiser’ Corrigan eventually pulled on the claret and amber in 2000 when Billy Davies signed the 22-year-old from Falkirk for £30,000, which was the beginning of a very long relationship between club and player.

He would go on to make his debut on 22 January 2000 against St Johnstone where he was a second half substitute.

From then on, Martyn quickly established himself as a starting 11 regular for the Steelmen and would go onto enjoy a fruitful career at the club.

He scored his first of six Motherwell goals against St Johnstone at Fir Park in a 2-1 win. He featured in every game of his first half-a-season at the club and helped the team finish 4th in the table, just agonisingly two points away from a European spot.

It was during the 2001/02 season that the nickname ‘Kaiser’ was born, whilst playing for the reserve side. Nobody really knew how the nickname came about but it stuck with Martyn for the rest of his career.

As the club entered financial troubles and eventually entering administration in the 2001/02 season, Martyn was one of the players who the club retained.

He would go on to play every minute of the 2002/03 season, apart from 16 minutes on the last day of the season. Subsequently, he was rightfully voted the Player of the Season by the ‘Well supporters.

The following season, Corrigan continued to be an ever present player, playing every minute of every game who despite the amount of game time, never received a red card! He was labelled Mr Consistency as a result of his continuous amount of minutes and it would eventually be, Martyn would miss only one game in three years.

In one of the finer moments in Motherwell history, Martyn played in the CIS Cup semi-final against Hibernian at Easter Road in 2005.

Injury would, uncharacteristically, strike Martyn at the end of that season as the defender broke his knee cap which kept him out for eight months.

Hard work and endeavours away from the pitch meant he returned to action and seamlessly started where left off upon his return. It was from this that he earned a Scotland ‘B’ call up for a match against Turkey in 2006.

Another long-term injury would strike in the final match of the 2005/06 season but for the level of consistency and performance shown prior, there was no doubt he should be rewarded with a three-year deal.

He would leave the club in 2008, ending an eight year stint and despite moving to a league rival, when he returned to Fir Park, he was given a heroes welcome which only highlighted how highly regarded he was by Motherwell supporters of all ages.

A terrific servant, through good times and bad, Martyn played over 271 games for the club, which has him as the 16th highest appearance holder in the club’s entire history. He was loved by every supporter and this year, he takes his rightful place in the Motherwell FC Hall of Fame.

We’re asking both sets of supporters to bring along items for our food bank collection at our match with Celtic on Saturday 30 September.

We’re collecting items on the day of the game for the Maranatha Motherwell Food Bank.

We are asking fans to bring what they can to support this important cause, so that those in need can receive a food parcel to help.

Items needed are:

• Soup
• Beans
• Tinned pasta
• Custard/ Rice Puddinga
• Tinned Fruit
• Tinned Meat
• Meals in a tin
• Tuna
• Pasta n Sauce
• Noodles
• Long Life Milk
• Breakfast Cereal
• Tinned Vegetables
• Potatoes in a Tin
• Toiletries -soap, shower gel, Shampoo etc
• Tea/coffee

Motherwell fans can drop off at the Cooper Stand car park. Celtic fans’ drop points are on your approach to the Tommy McLean Stand. Collections are available from 11am. Stewards will direct you on arrival at the Davie Cooper Stand to drop donations inside the stadium.

Thank you for your help. Your contributions will be a massive help to those in need.

In November this year, we will welcome the fifth batch of inductees to the Motherwell FC Hall of Fame. 

In our 137-year history, there have been names who have forged their way into Motherwell FC history and we want to commemorate their efforts.

We will never forget those who have forged the path to where the club sits at present day. Some with us and some sadly not, we want to come together to celebrate the proud history we have at Motherwell Football Club.

This year, the event will take place at Dalziel Park Hotel on Friday 17 November, with host Tam Cowan inducting five new names.

If you would like to attend our night of celebration, tickets cost £66 for adults and £30 for children under the age of 12 are on sale now.

You can buy tickets for the dinner online or contact the commercial department on 01698 338011.

Please note than some of the colourful language on the night may not be appropriate for young children or those easily offended.

We have reviewed the UK Government consultation paper titled “Guidelines for taking passengers to sporting events in Scotland.”

The document details a number of proposed guidelines for public service vehicle (PSV) operators who provide transport for fans travelling to sporting events. These include potential restrictions on pick up points, arrival and departure times and limitations on where the vehicles can stop on route to a match.

Responses to the consultation are due by 24 November 2023 and, as a fan owned club, we will consult fully with our members before submitting our views. We believe it is important that we encourage as many fans as possible to attend matches and to make the experience as enjoyable and welcoming as possible.

The Board of the Well Society will issue a further update on how members can provide input into the consultation process.

The club would like to thank supporters for their backing over the summer. 

As a result of tremendous backing, we have now exceeded our target of 4200 season tickets sold for the 2023/24 season.

We recognise, due to a number of factors, how difficult it has been for many to be able to afford season tickets this season.

With a tricky financial climate and rising prices across the board, we are hugely grateful for your backing and support.

Season tickets are a vital part of the club’s annual income and helps sustain the club for the season ahead. As a fan owned club, supporters a key pillar in our club and manager Stuart Kettlewell wants to extend his gratitude towards supporters for their tremendous backing since he arrived at the club.