The manager’s resignation is “reluctantly accepted” by the Fir Park board.
Stuart Kettlewell resigned as manager of Motherwell due to criticism from some Fir Park club supporters, and the team is currently looking for a new manager.
Kettlewell ends Motherwell’s 23-month run, dropping the team to fifth place in the Premiership standings. His last game was a 2-1 loss to bottom-place St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park on Saturday, ending a recent winning streak of just one game in nine games.
A portion of the Motherwell fan base is upset about some of the recent performances and outcomes, even if the team is ranked very high in the league. Brian Caldwell, the club’s CEO, stated that the toll the abuse was having on Kettlewell’s loved ones left him with “no choice” but to “reluctantly” accept his departure.
“Motherwell Football Club can confirm the Club Board of Directors have very reluctantly accepted the resignation of Stuart Kettlewell today,” the statement on the Motherwell website said.
On Monday morning, Stuart went to Chief Executive Brian Caldwell to give his reasons for wanting to step down. Stuart clarified that some of his family members were now unable to attend games because of the personal abuse. He therefore thought it would be appropriate to submit his resignation.
Stuart has overseen 92 games since taking over as manager in February 2023, and his 41.3% win percentage is the greatest of any Motherwell manager since Stuart McCall. In his first three months as manager, he led Motherwell to safety, earning 30 of a possible 42 points and almost missing out on top-six football.
“The strong play continued into 2023–2024, when Motherwell went ten league games without losing—the longest streak since 2010—and again missed out on playing in the top six.
He led the team back to Hampden in the Premier Sports Cup this season for the first time in six years, and they are now in fifth place in the league.
Despite the selling of several important players for hefty transfer fees, all of this was accomplished.
“The club would like to express its gratitude to Stuart for his tireless efforts and unwavering commitment while he was employed there. We hope the best for him and his family in the future.
In his own words, Caldwell continued, “It’s very unfortunate that Stuart thought it was time to move on. He produced a remarkable amount of transfer revenue for the team and had an outstanding record.
Throughout his career, he has played a significant role in the growth of both young loan players and Motherwell Academy graduates.
“I was really disappointed to hear how this was affecting Stuart’s family and how he was feeling when he came to me. This should not be the case for any manager, player, or club staff that puts their all into the team.
Therefore, in the best interests of Stuart and his family, we were forced to accept his departure with reluctance. Since we are a community-based, fan-owned football team, we will always take care of our own.
Ahead of Saturday’s game against the Saints, Kettlewell blasted some of the criticism he was receiving due to a ten-player injury issue.
Last Friday, Kettlewell stated, “There are many experts out there and many people who know better than the people who have actually walked in the shoes and experienced the trials and tribulations.”
“You make mistakes and you make mistakes. Examine Scotland during this time of year. The weather and pitch conditions frequently differ significantly from those on the opening day of the season, when the sun is shining and the pitches are ideal. Football is significantly impacted by that.
“I’m referring to the previous season. Sometimes we received a lot of praise for our play, football style, possession retention, and opportunity creation. We played 15 football games and never won.
You’re attempting to strike a balance between trying to amuse people and winning football games, which is always the most crucial thing.
“We’re aiming to entertain and are nine points better than we were at this point last season. The part that people tend to overlook is that this football team has a huge mandate to try and develop its own players, including bringing in young players from loan agreements and your academy. There are occasionally inconsistencies with that.
The first person to stand up to that is me. However, I’m not ready to get overly emotional when someone expresses dissatisfaction with a specific game or states that they dislike the football style. We would be tearing things up every week if I had that approach.
In terms of player sales, points earned, and overall records, the strategy we devised two years ago has proven to be rather successful for us. Every boss needs to be strong in that situation. Much of the noise must be ignored. Many of the people in the game that I respect have that background, and I would be interested in hearing what they have to say.
“I’m not being disrespectful or ignoring anyone. However, it’s safe to assume that I won’t be swayed by any noise or viewpoints from people who have never worked in this field or committed their lives to it. That, in my opinion, applies to all managers.
Motherwell’s next league game is Sunday, when they host Celtic at Fir Park. Until Kettlewell is replaced permanently, Stephen Frail will be in charge of first-team affairs.
