Willie Collum will take charge of Saturday’s William Hill Scottish Cup 4th Round clash with Aberdeen at Pittodrie.
Regarded as one of Scotland’s best officials, it will be Willie’s second Motherwell game of the current campaign.
His other match was the 1-0 defeat at Tynecastle in October when Danny Grainger’s long range effort separated the sides.
He’ll be a familiar face to most ‘Well fans having officiated at the top level for many years now, including two Motherwell matches last term.
The most recent was the 0-0 draw with Rangers at Ibrox in early May, Rangers last SPL fixture at their own ground. The other match was Motherwell’s Cup defeat at home to Hibs; Colin Calderwood’s men progressing through to the Quarter Final of the Scottish Communities League Cup on penalty kicks.
He did handle the abandoned Friday Night Football experiment when Motherwell took on Hibs but Steven McLean handled the re-arranged fixture.
The season previous to last, he handled three matches.
He was in charge of the Co-operative Insurance Cup Quarter Final clash with Dundee United at Fir Park; Alan Gow’s late goal booking ‘Well’s spot in the Semi Final. He was the man in the middle for the Semi Final too as Rangers scraped past a brave ‘Well side 2-1; Keith Lasley grabbed the goal for the Fir Parkers.
He also took charge of the 3-3 draw with Hearts at Tynecastle in late April as ‘Well roared back from 3-0 down to secure a point.
Incredibly, Motherwell have never won a league game with Collum in charge. The only victories recorded whilst the Bellshill based whistler has been the man in the middle was the then CIS Cup win against Raith Rovers at the start of the 2007/08 season, a Scottish Cup success at Inverurie the following season and the aforementioned win over Dundee Utd last October.
His overall record in charge of the Steelmen reads three wins, nine defeats and four draws from sixteen matches. In those games, Motherwell have scored 23 and conceded 30. 33 players have gone into the book, 15 wearing claret and amber, while three players have been dismissed – Ian Murray of Hibs at Easter Road a few years back, Jerard Aafjes at Falkirk four seasons ago and Paul Dixon at the end of 2009/10.
Martin Cryans and Willie Conquer will run the lines with Iain Brines on fourth official duties.