Photo shows Motherwell keeper, Scotland international Allan McClory, making a save at Gayfield on 29th January 1936
Arbroath seek first Scottish Cup win over Motherwell
By Fraser Clyne
If Arbroath are to progress to the next round of the Scottish Cup they’ll have to achieve something they haven’t managed in this competition before – and that’s defeat Motherwell.
The clubs have been drawn against each other on four previous occasions and the Steelmen have come out on top every time.
A crowd of 6,000,generating gate receipts of £275, piled into Gayfield for the first of these clashes on a cold Wednesday afternoon in January 1936.
The match had been postponed from the previous Saturday because of the wintry weather, the Gayfield pitch being covered by a sheet of ice thought to be up to three inches deep.
It may have been freezing on the terracings but the visitors soon turned up the heat with an early strike from Bob Ferrier which Arbroath’s future Scotland international ‘keeper Dave Cumming was unable to stop.
Ferrier was one of Motherwell’s all-time greats, making 625 appearances and scoring 255 goals during his 20 years at the club.
With Scotland star George Stevenson pulling the strings for ‘Well in midfield, there was little surprise when the men in claret and amber went further ahead through Tom Wylie.
Although Arbroath’s Alec Brand reduced the leeway, Wylie made the tie safe for the visitors by adding a third before the end.
Motherwell went on to reach the quarter finals but were eliminated 3-2 by Clyde.
For Arbroath it was a case of refocussing on the league. The Lichties were in the top division for the first time in the club’s history and would go on to enjoy a successful season, finishing 11th of 20 clubs. Motherwell ended the campaign in fourth spot behind Celtic, Rangers and Aberdeen.
Scottish Cup First Round, 29 January 1936
Arbroath 1 – 3 Motherwell
Arbroath: Cumming, Fordyce, Becci, McNab, Duff, Urquhart, Lowe, Cargill, Brand, Johnston, Walker.
Motherwell: McClory, Grant, Ellis, Wales, Blair, Telfer, Ogilvie, Bremner, Wylie, Stevenson, Ferrier.
Att: 6,000
It would be 38 years before the clubs were next drawn against each other in the Scottish Cup, but the outcome was identical.
An impressive hat-trick from John Goldthorpe put Ian St John’s side well on the way to victory with Arbroath having to settle for a consolation from Eric Sellars who headed powerfully beyond Stuart Rennie with 12min remaining.
The Lichties suffered a blow before the game when skipper Jimmy Cant was ruled out by injury but even had he been on the park it’s unlikely the outcome would have been any different such was the grip Motherwell had.
Scottish Cup First Round, 16 February 1974
Arbroath 1 – 3Motherwell
Arbroath: Marshall, Milne, Rylance, Cargill, Waddell (Carson), Murray, Sellars, Walker, Pirie, Penman, Fletcher (Payne).
Motherwell: Rennie, W. Watson, Wark, R. Watson, Jim Muir, Miller, Graham, McCabe, Goldthorpe, Martin, McClymont.
Subs: John Muir, Kennedy.
Ref: J. W. Paterson, Bothwell
Att: 4444
Four years later and Motherwell were back at Gayfield, strolling to an even more convincing win.
Played in very heavy underfoot conditions, the Lichties started brightly and almost went ahead after 12mins when a Derek Rylance shot struck the bar.
But home hopes began to unravel 11mins later when Joe Carson brought down Willie Pettigrew in the box and Peter Marinello sent the spot kick beyond John Lister.
Jimmy O’Rourke quickly added a second and the outcome was virtually done and dusted when Jimmy Miller added a third before the interval. Marinello completed the 4-0 rout with a goal just after the hour mark.
The visitors, who included former Arbroath player Peter Millar in their line-up, were lying fifth in the Premier league at the time while the Lichties were 10th of 14 teams in Division One.
Motherwell lost 3-1 at home to Queen’s Park in the next round and went on to finish sixth in the Premier League while the Lichties ended their First Division campaign in ninth position.
Scottish Cup Third Round, 28th January 1978
Arbroath 0 – 4 Motherwell
Arbroath: Lister, Fallon, Rylance, C. Murray (Kydd), Carson, Fettes, Fletcher ,Kidd, Bone, Cargill, Yule.
Subs: Kydd, Mitchell.
Manager Albert Henderson
Motherwell: Rennie, Watson, Wark, P. Millar, McVeigh, Stevens, Marinello, Pettigrew, O’Rourke, J Miller, McLaren.
Subs: McAdam, Davidson
Ref: R. B Valentine Dundee
There was a degree of controversy when the clubs last met in the Scottish Cup, 23 years ago this month. Remarkably, the Lichties had defeated Fraserburgh in the previous round, as they did this year, before Billy Davies and his Motherwell side rolled into town.
Gales lashed the country but Referee Mike McCurry decided the match could go ahead.
Derek Townsley fired Motherwell into the lead with a wind-assisted freekick but Arbroath survived until the interval without any further damage.
Home fans were looking forward to the second period when the Lichties would have the wind at their backs, only to discover that the match had been abandoned.
The first inkling anyone had of the decision was when ground staff came out and removed the nets and corner flags. The spectators were not amused.
The rearranged fixture took place three days later. Don Goodman opened the scoring for ‘Well but 40 year-old Tommy Bryce got the better of Andy Goram to equalise before the interval.
There was no further scoring but Motherwell won the replay 2-0 at Fir Park with strikes from Goodman and Lee McCulloch.
‘Well were beaten 4-3 by eventual semi finalists Ayr United in the next round.
Scottish Cup 3rd Round, 29th January 2000
Arbroath 0 – 1 Motherwell (match abandoned).
Arbroath: Wight, Florence, Peters, Scott, McAulay, J. Thomson, Arbuckle, Cooper, Bryce, McGlashan, Tindal, Mercer.
Subs not used: Devine, Crawford, Gallagher
Motherwell: Goram, Doesburg, McMillan, Brannan, Valakari, McCulloch, Goodman, Nocholas, Craigan, Denham, Townsley
Suns not used: Adams, Nevin, J. Davies
Ref: Michael McCurry
Att: 2665
Scottish Cup 3rd Round, 1st February 2000
Arbroath 1 – 1 Motherwell
Arbroath: Wight, Florence, Peters, McAulay, J. Thomson, Arbuckle, Cooper, Bryce (Devine), McGlashan, Tindal, Mercer.
Subs not used: Crawford, Gallagher
Motherwell: Goram, Doesburg, McMillan, Brannan, Valakari, McCulloch, Goodman, Twaddle, Craigan, Denham, Townsley (Nevin).
Subs not used: Nicholas, J. Davies
Ref: Michael McCurry
Att: 2665
Scottish Cup 3rd Round Replay, 19th February 2000
Motherwell 2 – 0 Arbroath
Motherwell: Goram, Doesburg, McMillan, McGowan, Denham, Davies (Townsley), Brannan, Valakari, Goodman (Twaddle), Spencer (Nicholas), McCulloch.
Arbroath: Wight, Peters, Gallagher, McAulay, J. Thomson, Webster, Cooper (Brownlie), Bryce (Devine), McGlashan, Sellars, Mercer.
Subs not used: Crawford
Ref: Michael McCurry
Att: 5311
