Since our first formal managerial appointment in 1911, The Steelmen has had nineteen different men at the helm previous to our current manager Mark McGhee. Some succeeded, some failed! Read all about the triumphs and tragedies of the last ninety-seven years.
John ‘Sailor’ Hunter (1911 – 1946)
It is fitting that any article on Motherwell’s managers should start with the man most associated with Motherwell Football Club.
John ‘Sailor’ Hunter was a centre forward whose playing career saw him criss-cross over the border. He was a member of the first Liverpool team to win the title, in 1900-1901, and also had spells at (Woolwich) Arsenal and Portsmouth.
In Scotland he played for Abercorn, Hearts and Dundee. He signed for Clyde but had to retire, never having played for them, due to injury.
Hunter was appointed secretary-manager in 1911, aged just 32. He presided over the most consistent and successful spell in our history when, between 1926 and 1934, The Steelmen never failed to finish outside the top three and picked up our only top division league title in 1931-32. Hunter also led the club to three Scottish Cup finals but failed to collect the trophy.
Motherwell also ventured on ground breaking tours to South America and South Africa under Sailor’s command as well as bringing home the King of Spain Cup and Barcelona Cup in 1927. Sailor stepped down as manager in 1946 but remained at the club as secretary until he retired in 1959.
George Stevenson (1946 – 1955)
Inside left George Stevenson made his Motherwell debut in a 2-1 defeat at Third Lanark in December 1923. Over the next sixteen years he would serve Motherwell with distinction.
His partnership with winger Bobby Ferrier was revered throughout the game. Stevenson would make 573 appearances for ‘Well and gained nine Scottish League caps along with twelve full Scotland caps; he would remain Motherwell’s most capped player until the 1990’s.
He played his last game a week before war was declared. After the war Stevenson replaced Sailor Hunter as manager.
These were difficult times for the club, in the league the Fir Park men were comfortably mid-table but lacked a consistent goal-scorer to push us up the table. The cups proved a different matter though as ‘Well reached both finals in 1950-51, defeating Hibs 3-0 to win the League Cup and losing to Celtic in the Scottish Cup.
The following season Motherwell once again reached the Scottish Cup Final, defeating Dundee 4-0 thanks to goals from Watson, Redpath, Kelly and Humphries. Sadly, in 1953, ‘Well were relegated to the ’B’ division although returned straight back when The Steelmen won the title scoring and incredible 109 goals on the way.
The return could have been a short one as ‘Well finished second bottom and should have been relegated but were saved by league reconstruction.
Bobby Ancell (1955 – 1964)
When George Stevenson stepped down at the end of the 1954-1955 season he was replaced by Bobby Ancell. Ancell’s playing career spanned nineteen years and four clubs; St Mirren, Newcastle, Dundee and Aberdeen.
He started his managerial career at Berwick Rangers, the club having been invited to join division ’C’ in 1951. His success brought him to Dunfermline’s attention and he spent three years at East End Park leading them to promotion in 1955. Ancell joined Motherwell prior to the 1955-1956 season and stayed at the helm for ten years.
Even though his sides failed to collect trophies they were critically acclaimed for the quality of their football. Ancell believed in developing local talent and his young team became known as the “Ancell Babes”.
The club were famed for their attacking but were let down by the defensive side of their game. Ancell was also hindered when the club sold Ian St John (to Liverpool) and Pat Quinn (to Blackpool). He left in February 1964 to take up the manager’s role at Dundee.
Bobby Howitt (1964 – 1973)
Four months after replacing Bobby Ancell, Bobby Howitt collected his first trophy as Motherwell manager. Howitt, a former captain of Stoke City, had been coaching at Morton prior to his appointment. His new team picked up the Summer Cup in 1964, defeating Dundee United over two legs. The next few seasons were difficult ones and Motherwell were relegated to the second division in 1968.
The highlight of Howitt’s managerial career at Motherwell came with promotion from Division Two in 1968-1969. Motherwell won the league by eleven points from Ayr United and were undefeated at home and scored 112 league goals to pick up the title. That was as good as it got and, despite consistent mid-table finishes, Howitt tendered his resignation in 1973.
Ian St. John (1973 – 1974)
Bobby Howitt’s replacement was one of the original Ancell Babes. Ian St John was a free scoring centre forward, noted for his two and a half minute hat trick for Motherwell against Hibs.
Liverpool paid a record fee of £37,500 for his transfer in 1961. St John would score more than 100 goals in over 400 Liverpool appearances. He collected two Championship medals and scored the winning goal in the 1965 FA Cup Final. After leaving Liverpool he played for Coventry City and then Tranmere Rovers before retiring as a player.
St John’s tenure as Motherwell manager lasted just over one season. 1973-74 saw gates increase at Fir Park. St John sold popular goalkeeper Keith MacRae to Manchester City but brought in wily veteran Bobby Graham and gave a debut to Willie Pettigrew. Motherwell finished in ninth place and St John left to manage Portsmouth early the next season.
Willie McLean (1974 – 1977)
Willie McLean’s managerial career never reached the heights of his brothers Jim and Tommy. His playing career had seen him serve Airdrie, Sheffield Wednesday, Queen of the South, Clyde and Raith Rovers.
After a short spell at the helm of Queen of the South he joined Motherwell. His first season saw ‘Well secure a place in the new Premier League, in typical Motherwell fashion waited till the final match to confirm their place.
Despite the goalscoring exploits of Willie Pettigrew Motherwell failed to achieve success, McLean led the team to successive Scottish Cup semi finals but refereeing decisions, still contested to this day by supporters, proved costly in both games. Motherwell struggled in 1977-78 and a heavy 4-1 defeat at Pittodrie brought McLean’s resignation.
Roger Hynd (1977 – 1978)
Roger Hynd had been a centre half at Rangers and transferred to Crystal Palace. He made his name at Birmingham and spent his latter days at Walsall. His appointment as Motherwell manager in December 1977 came as a surprise to many.
Hynd failed to come anywhere near the achievements of his uncle, Bill Shankly. Well finished sixth in 1977-1978 and had achieved only three league victories when Hynd resigned to take up a teaching post in November 1978.
Ally McLeod (1978 – 1981)
Following Rodger Hynd’s departure, assistant manager John Hagart took temporary charge of Motherwell until the next manager arrived in a blaze of publicity. Ally McLeod had been a noted left winger with Third Lanark, St Mirren, Blackburn Rovers and Hibs.
However, it was his managerial skills that brought him acclaim. A period of success with Ayr United drew Aberdeen’s attention where League Cup success and a second place in the table led to the Scotland job. What should have been his career highlight turned into a disaster and McLeod returned to his old job at Ayr in 1978.
This post lasted only 74 days before Motherwell offered McLeod a fresh challenge. The team he inherited was doomed to relegation and McLeod set about wholesale changes, putting the entire first team squad up for transfer and blooding youngsters.
Despite being favourites for a quick return to the Premier League Motherwell fell short in 1979-1980 and 1980-1981. Five straight League Cup defeats saw McLeod depart; he would later manage Airdrie and have a third spell at Ayr United. His final managing post saw him at Queen of the South where, at the age of 61, he scored a penalty when playing for their reserve team.
David Hay (1981 – 1982)
David Hay had been one of Celtic’s excellent crop of youngsters, referred to as the “Quality Street Kids”. He stayed at Parkhead for six years before moving to Chelsea following the 1974 World Cup. He was forced to retire from football in 1979 due to a knee injury.
Hay had been assistant to Ally McLeod and took over the reins on his departure. Hay’s team lost their first league match but did not lose another till February. The team scored goals a plenty and wrapped up the title early and in convincing manner.
Hopes that Hay would continue this success in the Premier League were dashed when he left the club at the end of the season. He had been offered a post in America, a post that failed to materialise leaving him in limbo until he replaced Billy McNeill at Celtic in 1983.
Jock Wallace (1982 – 1983)
David Hay’s replacement was a shock appointment. Jock Wallace had been a goalkeeper in his playing days and was player manager when Berwick beat Rangers 1-0 in the Scottish Cup; that season he competed in the FA Cup and Welsh Cup along with playing in the famous giant-killing game.
Wallace took up a coaching role at Ibrox under Willie Wallace. After winning the European Cup Winners Cup in 1972, Wallace stepped up to the managers post. Jock’s team broke Celtic’s nine year title stranglehold and, in 1975-1976 and 1977-1978 he led Rangers to the treble.
Wallace’s resignation came as a surprise to Scottish Football. He moved to Leicester City in 1978 and it was from there that he joined ‘Well in June 1982. His tough training regimes, based on his years in the army, were a shock for Motherwell’s players.
Pre-season training involved running up dunes at Gullane Sands. Wallace broke up Hay’s title winning side, selling high scoring players and not bringing in adequate replacements. He failed to win over the fans and returned to Ibrox in November 1983.
Bobby Watson (1983 – 1984)
Bobby Watson was a cultured defender who had served Rangers and Motherwell well throughout his career.
Watson came to Fir Park, along with Brian Heron, as part of the deal that took Peter McCloy to Ibrox. Watson left Motherwell surprisingly early, retiring from football to look after his steel business.
The lure of football saw Watson take over as manager at Airdrie and from there he was brought to Motherwell in November 1983. The team he inherited was in disarray and relegation was a foregone conclusion.
Watson couldn’t turn the team around in the short period he had in charge and Watson resigned at the end of the campaign, his reign lasting a mere six months.
Tommy McLean (1984 – 1994)
Tommy McLean followed his brother Willie in leading Motherwell. Tommy had been a right winger who played for Kilmarnock, where he gained his six Scotland caps, and Rangers.
He appeared over 450 times for The Gers and picked up three league medals along with seven in cups. After his playing days finished he became assistant manager at Ibrox and was in temporary charge following John Greig’s departure.
Jock Wallace’s arrival from ‘Well saw Tommy move to Morton where he led them to the First Division title. The Motherwell job was offered to Tommy in June 1984 and he accepted.
Tommy joined a relegated team struggling financially but was able to win a successive First Division title, sealed with a 0-0 draw at Forfar. Our return to the Premier league in 1985-1986 was difficult, ‘Well had to sell Gary McAllister and Ally Mauchlen after the first game due to financial constraints.
‘Well spent the season in the bottom two and looked doomed to another relegation, the financial implications of which would have endangered the club. Luckily the Fir Parkers were saved again by another reconstruction of the top division; an increase to twelve teams meant no relegation.
From this lucky beginning Tommy began to slowly build his team. His tactics were not always popular with the fans, some of whom called for his sacking, but ‘Well always managed to stay clear from trouble.
In 1991 Motherwell reached their first cup final since 1952. The route to Hampden was tricky but the Claret & Amber men merited their place in the Family Final where Tommy came up against brother Jim’s Dundee United. A cracking final, one of the best ever seen, saw Motherwell emerge triumphant 4-3.
Tommy thus became the first Motherwell manager to lead us in Europe, losing out to Katowice on goal difference. Two disappointing league seasons followed the Cup win but, in 1993-94 the ‘Well came close to the title. McLean’s team challenged Aberdeen and eventual winners Rangers for the league flag. In the end, four points was the difference with ‘Well having dropped five points in the last three games.
At the end of the season McLean had a disagreement with the board at Fir Park and resigned from the club, turning up two weeks later at Tynecastle to replace Sandy Clark.
Alex McLeish (1994 – 1998)
Tommy McLean’s successor stepped into his first managerial post. Alex McLeish had been a mainstay of a successful Aberdeen team, his partnership with Willie Miller forming a solid defensive pairing. He won twelve trophies with The Dons along with 77 Scotland caps.
When Miller retired McLeish took over as captain. In his final season his last goal came at Fir Park, sadly for Alex it was an own goal.
Big Eck took over as player manager of a well oiled team that was difficult to beat. After losing the opening league match, ‘Well went on a fifteen match unbeaten league run. Yet again Motherwell were challenging at the top end of the table but, even though a second place finish was achieved, were fifteen points adrift come May.
Alex also led ‘Well for two seasons in Europe, in 1994-1995 his side fell victim to the professionalism of Dortmund while the next season they departed the UEFA Cup early losing out to Harri Kampman’s Mypa.
McLeish began to bring in his own players, with varying degrees of success, and the side drifted down the table over the next few years. Only a last day draw with Dunfermline in 1997 prevented us going into a play off with Airdrie to avoid relegation.
There had been persistent rumours that Hibs were interested in McLeish and he left to join the Edinburgh club days after they were beaten 6-2 at Fir Park.
Harri Kampman (1998)
When McLeish’s left, his assistant Andy Watson took charge for our Cup replay at Ibrox; this followed a 2-2 Fir Park draw where ‘Well threw away a golden opportunity to win, thanks to a goalkeeping error. A 3-0 defeat saw Watson join Eck at Hibs.
Jim Griffin took temporary charge for two games before a permanent replacement was in place. That man was Harri Kampman, remembered at Fir Park from the Mypa tie. This was a real shock for the fans and, in fairness, Harri probably found it as much of a culture shock when he arrived.
Despite keeping us up in 1998 the fans never took to Harri’s style of play. The team started the next season in negative fashion, scoring only six goals in the first eleven games.
By now John Boyle and Pat Nevin were at the club and rumours persisted of Kampman’s job being under threat, these rumours consistently denied by the board. A 4-1 friendly defeat in Utrecht was followed three days later by Kampman’s resignation for personal reasons.
Billy Davies (1998 – 2001)
Motherwell filled the gap left by Harri Kampman’s departure quickly by promoting Billy Davies, who had been leading the Under-21’s at Fir Park. Davies had been a midfielder with Rangers, Elfsborg, St Mirren, Leicester and Dunfermline. He finished his playing days at Motherwell where he played over 100 times.
Davies’ first game in charge saw Motherwell thrashed 5-0 at St Johnstone. This instigated some big spending and forward thinking by John Boyle with Ged Brannan and John Spencer both in place for the next match, a 1-0 home win over Rangers.
Davies’ attacking policy was at odds with Kampman’s philosophy but results didn’t hugely improve the team just as likely to concede as to score at the other end. The Motherwell team received enormous financial backing from John Boyle but failed to convert this into the success he craved.
Pressure grew on Davies and seven games into 2001-2002 season, following a 3-0 Ibrox loss; he left the club, moving south to join Craig Brown as his assistant at Preston.
Eric Black (2001 – 2002)
Miodrag Krivokapic and John Philliben had been in temporary charge at Motherwell. The pair were enormously popular with the fans and won two and lost two of their four games at the helm.
However the board decided to look elsewhere and announced that Eric Black would take over, assisted by Terry Butcher. Black was a prolific forward who served Aberdeen and Metz well during his playing career.
Black would score almost 100 goals in a career spanning ten seasons but was plagued by back injuries. This forced his early retirement from the game.
He moved into a coaching role at Celtic and it was from there that he joined Motherwell. He used his French contacts to bolster the team as financial worries meant some big earning players had to be moved on.
With 2001-2002 drawing to a close Motherwell announced that they were entering administration. Players found their contracts being terminated, the club was put up for sale and Eric Black resigned his position as manager.
Terry Butcher (2002 – 2006)
On Eric Black’s departure his assistant, Terry Butcher, decided to stay on at the club and stepped up into the hot seat. Butcher had been a fearsome central defender playing for nine seasons at Ipswich before crossing the border to join Graeme Souness’ revolution at Rangers.
He won 77 England caps during his career. After leaving Rangers he became player-manager at Coventry and later manager at Sunderland; he was sacked from both posts.
Butcher’s time at Fir Park is remembered with affection.
His first game saw him lead a club under threat of extinction to a 4-1 win at Rugby Park. From there he stayed with the club through difficult times, the first full season under his care, 2002-2003 saw us finish bottom, only Falkirk’s stadium problems saving us from relegation.
Despite the league worries, the team ran Rangers close in the Scottish Cup semi-final. The next two years brought top six finishes, a CIS Cup Final appearance and Celtic’s title hopes scuppered in the last few minutes.
2005-2006 was Butcher’s last year and he led us to another CIS semi final, only a defensive error allowing Celtic to sneak home. At the end of the season Butcher moved to Australia to take over at Sydney FC.
Maurice Malpas (2006 – 2007)
Maurice Malpas had been Terry Butcher’s assistant and was regarded by some as the tactician behind Butcher’s inspirational abilities. Malpas was a true one-club man, a rarity in modern times.
He played in defence for Dundee United over 600 times winning one League and one Cup medal. Maurice was also capped 55 times by Scotland.
When his playing career ended he moved onto the coaching staff at Tannadice and from there to Motherwell. Malpas was the obvious successor to Terry Butcher and brought in Paul Hegarty as his assistant for the 2006-2007 season.
Our campaign started with four straight defeats and Malpas found himself under early pressure. The fans found it difficult to take to the manager or his style of play and the team struggled throughout the year. A home Cup defeat and run of bad results saw us almost sucked into the relegation battle.
For many fans the last straw came when St Mirren turned over a half time deficit to win 3-2 at Fir Park. Malpas tendered his resignation after a meeting with the board in June 07.
Mark McGhee (2007 - 2009)
Mark McGhee joined Motherwell in June 2007 after almost two years out the game.
The former Reading, Leicester, Wolves and Millwall boss was without a club after leaving Brighton, returning to Scotland where he made his name as a player with Aberdeen and Celtic.
He was given the task of taking the club forward, but the success that followed surpassed even his expectations. In his first season, McGhee led the club to third in the table, the highest league finish for thirteen years.
He transformed the team from relegation candidates to European challengers with an attractive brand of stylish, attacking football. But it wasn’t just his management skills that won him plaudits at Fir Park - the way he has handled the tragic death of captain Phil O’Donnell was evidence to his real abilities.
His success inevitably attracted suitors and McGhee was shortlisted for the Scotland job and approached by Hearts to take over the hot seat at Tynecastle. He remained at Motherwell for a second season, narrowly missing out on a top-six place.
But qualification for Europe was again achieved via the Fair Play League, acknowledgement of the discipline he installed in the players.
The end of the campaign brought fresh speculation about his future, having been recommended for the Celtic job by departing manager Gordon Strachan.
But it was Aberdeen who secured his services after lengthy negotiations with their former striker.