In addition to the Motherwell F.C. first team, competing in the Scottish Premiership, the club also has a reserve team who play in the SPFL Reserve League as well as younger age group teams in their youth system. They fielded a reserve team in defunct competitions for many years.

Reserve Team In the early 1950s, reserve teams were incorporated into the third tier of the senior Scottish Football League, with Motherwell 'A' taking part for six seasons of the arrangement.Scottish Football League C Division overview, Scottish Football Historical ArchiveScotland - Final Tables Third Level 1924-2004, RSSSFHibernian Reserves Football Club History Database

Motherwell were an ever-present in the Scottish Premier Reserve League since its formation in the 1998–99 season. Initially starting as an Under-21 league, the reserve league was open to all age groups from season 2004–05.SPL Reserve League - General Information

The Motherwell reserve team withdrew their team from the 2009–10 season due to financial constraints and a lack of support from other clubs, leading to the competition's abandonment.Managers united in call to scrap SPL reserves, Roddy Forsyth: The Daily Telegraph, published 5 January 2009 Motherwell Reserves then played friendly matches.

In July 2018, it was reported that reserve leagues would be reintroduced in lieu of the development leagues that had been in place since 2009. The top tier of the new SPFL Reserve League featured 18 clubs, whilst a second-tier reserve League comprised nine clubs. Other than a minimum age of 16, no age restrictions applied to the leagues. At the end of its first season (2018–19) several clubs intimated that they would withdraw from the Reserve League to play a variety of challenge matches, but Motherwell were one of those who chose to remain.

Motherwell Reserves usually played their home matches at Dalziel Park, a sports facility outside Motherwell that is also the training ground of the first-team, but also used Forthbank Stadium in Stirling and Excelsior Stadium in Airdrie.

Under 20s Team History Until 1998, Motherwell competed in the youth competitions administered by the Scottish Football League. They then took part in the age group leagues run by the Scottish Premier League and the Scottish Professional Football League.

From 2015 onwards it is possible for the Well academy to participate in the UEFA Youth League by their under-18 side (previously under-17s) winning the prior season's league at that age group; however this has not yet been achieved.

The Scottish Youth Cup (which began in 1985) is administered separately, with Motherwell winning the competition for the first time in 2016.

For the 2016–17 edition of the Scottish Challenge Cup, under-20 teams of Premiership clubs were granted entry to compete against adult teams for the first time in the modern era. In the 2018–19 edition, with the age now changed to under-21s, Motherwell reached the quarter-final stage, the best performance by a 'colt' team up to that point, losing 2–1 to eventual winners Ross County.Motherwell U21 1-2 Ross County, Soccerway, 17 November 2018

Having played home games at Fir Park, Hannah Park (Shotts) and Creamery Park (Bathgate), their regular stadium is now Airdrie's Excelsior Stadium.

In 2015, former Motherwell captain Stephen Craigan coached the Under-20 side. In 2019, Maurice Ross was appointed coach.Reserves: Staff, Motherwell FC

Reserve team

Academy The club also operates the Motherwell Academy. The academy was formed in 2012, and consists of teams made up of players and coaches from Under-11 to Under-17 level.Recruitment & scouting, Motherwell FC The youth teams train at a sports facility based within Braidhurst High School. From 2013 the director was former Motherwell captain Scott Leitch, later being replaced by Steven Hammell who also had the same role as a player until his retirement.About our academy, Motherwell FC

In 2017, the Motherwell academy was one of eight across the country designated 'elite' status on the introduction of Project Brave, an SFA initiative to concentrate the development of the best young players at a smaller number of clubs with high quality facilities and coaching than was previously the case.

Honours Reserves Scottish Reserve LeagueSenior competition winners, Scottish Football Historical Archive Winners: 1912–13 Runners-up: 1988–89, 1994–95, 2006–07 SPFL Reserve Cup Runners-up: 2018–19SPFL Reserve Cup 2018–19, Soccerway Scottish 2nd XI Cup Winners: 1942–43, 1948–49, 1956–57 Scottish Reserve League Cup Winners: 1987–88

Youths Scottish Youth Cup Winners: 2016 Runners-up: 1987 SPFL Development League Runner-up (3): 2004–05, 2005–06, 2009–10

Notes

Graduates Players who have gone on to play for their country at full international level are marked in bold whilst those still at the club are marked in italics. Academy Graduates, Motherwell FC

Phil O'Donnell Lee McCulloch Dougie Ramsay Steven Hammell James McFadden Brian Dempsie Stephen Pearson Shaun Fagan Kenny Wright Willie Kinniburgh David Clarke Kevin MacDonald Paul Quinn David Clarkson Marc Fitzpatrick Darren Smith Bobby Donnelly Adam Coakley Mark Reynolds Kenny Connolly Jamie Murphy Bob McHugh Steven Saunders Shaun Hutchinson Paul Slane Ross Forbes Mark Archdeacon Jordan Halsman Steven Meechan Jamie Pollock Gary Smith Stuart Carswell Steven Lawless Ross Stewart Craig Moore Euan Murray Jack Leitch Dale Shirkie Chris Cadden Lee Erwin David Ferguson Dom Thomas Luke Watt Ross MacLean Ben Hall Dylan Mackin Jack McMillan Jake Hastie Allan Campbell Adam Livingstone David Turnbull Barry Maguire James Scott Jamie Semple David Devine Max Johnston Kian Speirs Lennon Miller Luca Ross Ewan Wilson Mark Ferrie Dylan Wells Brannan McDermott Matthew Connelly Zander McAllister Rocco McColm Mikey Booth Lucas Weir Olly Whyte

Statistics

+ Player Position Age of debut Motherwell International U21/U23 International Motherwell Career Manager Debut date Apps Goals Country Apps Goals Country Apps Goals Phil O'DonnellMidfielder1990–1994 2004–2007Tommy McLean233271080 Lee McCullochMidfielder1994–2001Alex McLeish14727181 – Dougie RamsayMidfielder1997–2003Billy Davies422 – – Steven HammellDefender1999–2006 2008–2018Billy Davies583510121 James McFaddenForward2000–2003 2013–2014 2015–2017Billy Davies123444815 – Brian DempsieDefender1999–2003Billy Davies10 – – Stephen PearsonMidfielder2000–2004 2015–2016 2017Billy Davies1422410080 Shaun FaganMidfielder2000–2007Eric Black843 –10 Kenny WrightForward2002–2006Terry Butcher262 – – Willie KinniburghDefender2001–2008Terry Butcher653 –20 David ClarkeMidfielder1999–2003Terry Butcher20 – – Kevin MacDonaldMidfielder1999–2004Terry Butcher140 – – Paul QuinnDefender2002–2009Terry Butcher1834 –30 David ClarksonForward2002–2009 2015–2016Terry Butcher2615621111 Marc FitzpatrickDefender2004–2011Terry Butcher1435 –30 Darren SmithForward2004–2010Terry Butcher707 –10 Bobby DonnellyDefender2005–2007Terry Butcher60 – – Adam CoakleyForward2004–2007Terry Butcher40 – – Mark ReynoldsDefender2005–2011Terry Butcher2026 –30 Kenny ConnollyMidfieler2004–2008Maurice Malpas10 – – Jamie MurphyForward2008–2013Maurice Malpas2155020134 Bob McHughForward2007–2015Mark McGhee928 – – Steven SaundersDefender2008–2013Mark McGhee7421020 Shaun HutchinsonDefender2009–2014Mark McGhee1449 – – Paul SlaneMidfielder2009–2010Mark McGhee91 – – Ross ForbesMidfielder2007–2012Jim Gannon7710 – – Mark ArchdeaconForward2008–2010Jim Gannon10 – – Jordan HalsmanDefender2010–2012Jim Gannon30 – – Steven MeechanMidfielder2009–2011Jim Gannon40 – – Jamie PollockMidfielder2009–2012Jim Gannon50 – – Gary SmithForward2009–2012Craig Brown40 – – Stuart CarswellMidfielder2011–2015Stuart McCall990 – – Steven LawlessMidfielder2009–2012, 2021Stuart McCall182 – – Ross StewartGoalkeeper2012–2015Stuart McCall10 – – Craig MooreForward2011–2017Stuart McCall301 – – Euan MurrayDefender2011–2014Stuart McCall30 – – Jack LeitchMidfielder2013–2016Stuart McCall320 – – Dale ShirkieForward2012–2014Stuart McCall10 – – Chris CaddenDefender2013–2019Stuart McCall1391220121 Lee ErwinForward2012–2015Stuart McCall386 – – David FergusonDefender2013–2017Stuart McCall160 – – Dom ThomasMidfielder2014–2017Stuart McCall390 – – Luke WattDefender2014–2018Ian Baraclough100 – – Ross MacLeanMidfielder2014–2019Ian Baraclough221 – – Ben HallDefender2015–2016Mark McGhee191 –30 Dylan MackinForward2013–2017Mark McGhee52 – – Jack McMillanDefender2016–2018Mark McGhee160 – – Jake HastieMidfielder2016–2019Mark McGhee428 –20 Allan CampbellMidfielder2016–2021Mark McGhee1601610241 Adam LivingstoneDefender2017–2020Stephen Robinson122 – – David TurnbullMidfielder2017–2020Stephen Robinson41165051 Barry MaguireMidfielder2017–2024Stephen Robinson782 –82 James ScottForward2017–2020Stephen Robinson427 –30 Jamie SempleDefender2019–2021Stephen Robinson81 – – David DevineDefender2018–2023Stephen Robinson30 – – Max JohnstonDefender2021–2023Graham Alexander21340101 Kian SpeirsMidfielder2022–2023Graham Alexander10 – – Lennon MillerMidfielder2022–2025Steven Hammell7664052 Luca RossForward2022–Steven Hammell221 – – Ewan WilsonDefender2022–Stuart Kettlewell521 –30 Mark FerrieForward2022–2025Stuart Kettlewell120 –30 Dylan WellsMidfielder2022–2026Stuart Kettlewell60 – – Brannan McDermottDefender2022–2025Stuart Kettlewell10 – – Matthew ConnellyGoalkeeper2019–Jens Berthel Askou60 – – Zander McAllisterDefender2024–Jens Berthel Askou50 – – Rocco McColmDefender2024–2026Jens Berthel Askou10 – – Mikey BoothMidfielder2026–Alfred Johansson60 – – Lucas WeirForward2026–Alfred Johansson10 – – Olly WhyteMidfielder2026–Alfred Johansson80 – – Totals69 Players4,05238313 Players981723 Players14514

Careers elsewhere

A number of players attached to the Academy as schoolboys and scholars, as well as those who signed professionally but never made a first team appearance, have gone on play league football elsewhere. Those that have gone on to play for their country at full international level are marked in bold and those who made their league debut whilst away on loan are marked in Italics

Alfredo Agyeman Adam Asghar Jamie Ewings David Gormley Robbie Hemfrey Chris Higgins Reece McAlear Ross McKinnon Stuart McKinstry Colbi Mcquarrie P. J. Morrison Morgyn Neill Josh Watt Scott Wilson

References

External links Reserve Squad, Motherwell official website Academy, Motherwell official website SFA Youth Cup results and archive, Scottish Football Association website