Outgoing Burrows is a loss to the game

YOU don’t always know what you have until it’s gone. Motherwell supporters are about to find that out the hard way. Only Alan Burrows can explain why he reached a decision to step down after nine years of running the club. He’s not just a loss to Motherwell. Scottish football will be significantly worse off for his departure. His commitment to the club was such that Burrows gave the impression he would need to be carted out of Fir Park on a stretcher one day. Maybe that was his fear as well. Starting out as head of communications, he moved to become general manager, then chief executive with seamless ease. He oversaw the transition of power to the fans via the Well Society. If he related to supporters better than most in football, there was a reason for that. Standing on the touchline towards the end of home games, kicking every ball, he was clearly a fan first and foremost. Sometimes that brings its own problems. Anyone who has ever worked for a football club will tell you of abuse from aggressive supporters who think they pay your wages. The purchase of a season ticket makes some believe they can treat employees however they like. And, when the team is losing games, the anger spills over. Motherwell have won just two of their last 15 league games. The appointment of Steven Hammell as manager hasn’t gone the way they hoped. If this is the season their long tenure in the Premiership finally comes to an end, Burrows will cop much of the flak for that, but can leave with his head held high. He has held things together far longer than he had any right to think possible. Motherwell and Scottish football are about to lose a talented and intelligent administrator. Burrows will be a hard act to follow. How hard will only become clear when he’s no longer around to act as a human punchbag.