Our Journey, Our Passion, Our Pride.
Our Story
2011
September: Motherwell FC unveil plans for a community ownership scheme which would raise a £1.5million reserve fund. Chief executive Leeann Dempster said: "Together, the club and fans have a real chance to do something incredibly positive and secure the future of this club for our children and our children's children. Perhaps even point the way forward for the whole of Scottish football."
December: The Well Society scheme is launched - fans are encouraged to sign up before the end of March.
December: The Well Society scheme is launched - fans are encouraged to sign up before the end of March.
2012
April: The scheme becomes viable as 927 people sign up to raise £335,000, comfortably surpassing the initial target. A club statement read: "The society will also now have a right to elect two new members of the board. The trustees of John Boyle’s equity stake (Jim McMahon, Derek Weir, Andrew Wilson and Leeann Dempster) will remain directors as the transition period proceeds."
October: The first Well Society board members are voted in after the legalities of the constitution are completed - Tom Feely, Brian McCafferty, Graham Barnstaple and Sandy Kilpatrick. Graham is the first chairperson and more board members - Derek Watson, Dee Cameron and Colin Macinnes - are co-opted as per the rules.
December: A club meeting states that the Well Society will be handed a 15% stake and will be handed another 5% stake once it reaches the £500,000 mark. Tax and legal complications prevent the shares being handed over immediately.
October: The first Well Society board members are voted in after the legalities of the constitution are completed - Tom Feely, Brian McCafferty, Graham Barnstaple and Sandy Kilpatrick. Graham is the first chairperson and more board members - Derek Watson, Dee Cameron and Colin Macinnes - are co-opted as per the rules.
December: A club meeting states that the Well Society will be handed a 15% stake and will be handed another 5% stake once it reaches the £500,000 mark. Tax and legal complications prevent the shares being handed over immediately.
2013
March: The Well Society makes its first financial contribution to the club in the form of a £150,000 purchase of newly-created ‘A’ shares, to plug a cashflow crisis. The rules, set up by the club, did not allow for the Society to loan the club money. The rules are subsequently changed.
April: Graham Barnstaple and Brian McCafferty join the club board as Well Society representatives.
The total raised by Well Society members reaches £400,000.
April: Graham Barnstaple and Brian McCafferty join the club board as Well Society representatives.
The total raised by Well Society members reaches £400,000.
2014
March: The Well Society lends Motherwell £230,000 to see it through to the end of the season. Motherwell finish second in the SPL after a last-gasp winner at Aberdeen and the loan is repaid at the end of the season.
May: The club give the Well Society an ultimatum to hit £800,000 in funding by the end of November, anticipating a major cash shortage following combined losses of close to £1m in three seasons 2011-2014.
Talks continue for the rest of the year between John Boyle, who is owed £350,000 by the club, the MFC board and the Well Society, plus others who could potentially help community ownership. Boyle is also negotiating directly with interested parties including an Argentinian consortium, who come close to a takeover. The club's projected cash shortfall continues to rise following cup exits including defeat to Stjarnan.
September: Graham Barnstaple steps down, Brian McCafferty steps up as chairman. Douglas Dickie is co-opted on to the board.
November: Allan Todd is elected on to the board.
May: The club give the Well Society an ultimatum to hit £800,000 in funding by the end of November, anticipating a major cash shortage following combined losses of close to £1m in three seasons 2011-2014.
Talks continue for the rest of the year between John Boyle, who is owed £350,000 by the club, the MFC board and the Well Society, plus others who could potentially help community ownership. Boyle is also negotiating directly with interested parties including an Argentinian consortium, who come close to a takeover. The club's projected cash shortfall continues to rise following cup exits including defeat to Stjarnan.
September: Graham Barnstaple steps down, Brian McCafferty steps up as chairman. Douglas Dickie is co-opted on to the board.
November: Allan Todd is elected on to the board.
2015
January: Les Hutchison completes his £1 takeover of Boyle's shares in partnership with the Well Society following eight months of discussions. A deal is structured that both himself and Boyle will be repaid their interest-free loans over five years with the Well Society continuing to plug shortfalls. After making an initial £650,000 loan, he said: "The club stayed out of administration because of the work you did through the Well Society. The situation was so bad that, even before I took on the majority shareholding, I had to inject cash into the club. Disaster was looming." The Well Society loaned the club £190,000 in the previous two months. Brian McCafferty becomes chairman of a revamped club board.
June: The club finish the season with a play-off win over Rangers and a loss of about £1million.
December: McCafferty steps down as chairman of the club and Well Society. Tom Feely and Douglas Dickie become Well Society co-chairmen. Maureen Downie and Markus Schieren join the board.
June: The club finish the season with a play-off win over Rangers and a loss of about £1million.
December: McCafferty steps down as chairman of the club and Well Society. Tom Feely and Douglas Dickie become Well Society co-chairmen. Maureen Downie and Markus Schieren join the board.
2016
March: Les Hutchison and the Well Society agree a deal to speed up the process of transferring the 76% stake. Hutchison ultimately put in about £1.5m while the Well Society has now put more than £500,000 into the club. Hutchison steps down from the club board, Jim McMahon becomes chairman and both Douglas Dickie and Tom Feely join the club board.
May: Gavin Whitefield joins the board.
October: The deal is finalised and Motherwell move into fan ownership as the Well Society assume the majority stake. The agreement means the club will only repay Hutchison's loans from transfer income for the next three years but the Well Society will contribute annually to the club through loans. The Well Society now has more than 2,000 members.
May: Gavin Whitefield joins the board.
October: The deal is finalised and Motherwell move into fan ownership as the Well Society assume the majority stake. The agreement means the club will only repay Hutchison's loans from transfer income for the next three years but the Well Society will contribute annually to the club through loans. The Well Society now has more than 2,000 members.
2017
January: Les Hutchison offers to double any money raised by the Well Society this year up to £500,000. He later extends his offer by a further year and a half. Jason Henderson is elected on to the board.
May: The Well Society's loan to the club stands at £488,000 after a £110,000 injection during the season, which totally covers the club's operating loss.
December: More than £40,000 is raised by selling some of the Well Society's shares to supporters.
May: The Well Society's loan to the club stands at £488,000 after a £110,000 injection during the season, which totally covers the club's operating loss.
December: More than £40,000 is raised by selling some of the Well Society's shares to supporters.
2018
June: Motherwell make a record profit of £1.7million for the 2017-18 season after reaching two cup finals and selling Louis Moult and Ben Heneghan. The Well Society's loan to the club rose by £120,000 during the season.
October: Derek Watson rejoins the board after being elected alongside Gordon Miller.
The share sale scheme is re-launched. The Well Society's new shareholding is 71 per cent after the scheme closes.
October: Derek Watson rejoins the board after being elected alongside Gordon Miller.
The share sale scheme is re-launched. The Well Society's new shareholding is 71 per cent after the scheme closes.
2019
February: Les Hutchison extends his "double your money" offer until the end of the season, with nearly £400,000 raised by the Well Society in two years through pledges, donations, share sales, and fundraisers.
May: Motherwell accepts a "transformational" record bid for David Turnbull, intended to fund squad improvements and infrastructure projects. The deal falls through due to a knee injury.
The club reports a £436,000 loss for the season while paying down debts, with the Well Society lending £120,000.
November: Motherwell declares full repayment of debts to Hutchison and Boyle. Over £1.5m was repaid within three years of fan ownership, aided by transfers. The only remaining external debt is £80,000 owed to five “Motherwell-supporting individuals.
May: Motherwell accepts a "transformational" record bid for David Turnbull, intended to fund squad improvements and infrastructure projects. The deal falls through due to a knee injury.
The club reports a £436,000 loss for the season while paying down debts, with the Well Society lending £120,000.
November: Motherwell declares full repayment of debts to Hutchison and Boyle. Over £1.5m was repaid within three years of fan ownership, aided by transfers. The only remaining external debt is £80,000 owed to five “Motherwell-supporting individuals.
2020
February: The club totally clears its external debts following the recent sale of James Scott to Hull.
March: The Well Society reaches 3,000 members.
June: The club made a profit of about £350,000 for the 2019-20 season. The Well Society's loan to the club stands at £868,000 with funds now being used to rebuild the cash reserves to give financial protection to the club.
August: David Turnbull joins Celtic in a £3.25m deal. Chairman Jim McMahon says: “The money we receive for David will allow us in part to build up the strategic reserve, which helps secure and sustain us through such difficult and uncertain times. But this is also an opportunity to invest in the infrastructure, for example our training ground, academy and other facilities, with a view to providing an even-better environment for player development."
March: The Well Society reaches 3,000 members.
June: The club made a profit of about £350,000 for the 2019-20 season. The Well Society's loan to the club stands at £868,000 with funds now being used to rebuild the cash reserves to give financial protection to the club.
August: David Turnbull joins Celtic in a £3.25m deal. Chairman Jim McMahon says: “The money we receive for David will allow us in part to build up the strategic reserve, which helps secure and sustain us through such difficult and uncertain times. But this is also an opportunity to invest in the infrastructure, for example our training ground, academy and other facilities, with a view to providing an even-better environment for player development."
2021
June: The club posts a record profit of almost £3.6m. The figure incorporates the £1.5m ‘economic benefit’ of a near-£3m interest-free Covid recovery loan from the Scottish Government, to be repaid over 20 years, as well as the record transfer income.
Summer: A club record 5,700 season tickets are distributed after the club rolls over season tickets from the closed-doors campaign and fan donations give 750 supporters the chance to watch their team every other week.
Summer: A club record 5,700 season tickets are distributed after the club rolls over season tickets from the closed-doors campaign and fan donations give 750 supporters the chance to watch their team every other week.
2022
June: The club made a loss of almost £1.1million for the 2021-22 season. Staff costs hit £5.2m, up 60 per cent from five years earlier, with bonuses paid for European qualification, but cash reserves are £4.2m.
November: Well Society membership hits the 3,500 mark.
November: Well Society membership hits the 3,500 mark.
2023
October: The Well Society board is expanded to nine members with the election of Amber Johnstone, Phillip Speedie and Sean Baillie. Long-serving board member Doug Inglis leaves.
December: Club chairman claims Jim McMahon claims the club need "significant investment" as he announces he will step down at the end of the season. The club made a "fully anticipated, managed" £1.6m loss in the 2022-23 season following improvements to Fir Park including a new £1.2m pitch and new PA and CCTV systems.
December: Club chairman claims Jim McMahon claims the club need "significant investment" as he announces he will step down at the end of the season. The club made a "fully anticipated, managed" £1.6m loss in the 2022-23 season following improvements to Fir Park including a new £1.2m pitch and new PA and CCTV systems.
2024
January: The club launches a video seeking investors. Jim McMahon notes the challenge of competing with clubs receiving major investments, like Hearts, Aberdeen, and Hibs.
February: A Well Society ballot shows members are open to outside investment, even if it means losing majority control. The board informs members that, under current proposals, the Well Society would no longer hold a majority stake.
April:Motherwell enters non-binding talks with U.S. TV executive Erik Barmack. The Well Society board notes Barmack’s willingness to partner with them, but it’s early, and the board hasn’t decided on the deal's credibility or benefit.
June: The club board agrees to a deal making the Barmack family the largest shareholders, ending fan ownership. The Well Society board recommends members reject this in a July ballot, leading to Douglas Dickie and Maureen Downie stepping down.
July: Mid-ballot, Barmack withdraws his proposal after early results show 78.5% of voting members (56% turnout) oppose the deal.
February: A Well Society ballot shows members are open to outside investment, even if it means losing majority control. The board informs members that, under current proposals, the Well Society would no longer hold a majority stake.
April:Motherwell enters non-binding talks with U.S. TV executive Erik Barmack. The Well Society board notes Barmack’s willingness to partner with them, but it’s early, and the board hasn’t decided on the deal's credibility or benefit.
June: The club board agrees to a deal making the Barmack family the largest shareholders, ending fan ownership. The Well Society board recommends members reject this in a July ballot, leading to Douglas Dickie and Maureen Downie stepping down.
July: Mid-ballot, Barmack withdraws his proposal after early results show 78.5% of voting members (56% turnout) oppose the deal.