A product of the Motherwell Academy, midfielder Ross MacLean made his Motherwell debut as a 17 year old coming on as a 2nd half substitute in a 4-1 defeat against Dundee in January 2015.
Despite appearing on the bench occasionally the youngster wouldn’t make another first team appearance for well over a year later until he came off the bench to face Stranraer in the the newly revamped League Cup competition.
MacLean made his first start for the club in surprising circumstances, with the side facing somewhat of an injury crisis, he alongside Jack McMillan were pitched in from the start to face Celtic at Parkhead, despite showing up really well the Steelmen fell to a 2-0 defeat, another youngster in the shape Jake Hastie also made his debut, coming off the bench.
Ross would enjoy making a number of appearances during the 2016/17 season, he played fantastic in the reverse fixture at Fir Park against Celtic where he provided an inch perfect cross to Louis Moult who needed no invitation to score but ultimately the side fell to a 4-3 defeat. Just as it looked like he would cement a regular place around the squad his season was brought to an abrupt end through injury.
MacLean seemed to be highly regarded by management and was perhaps one that was viewed as the next possible starlet to come off the conveyor belt at Fir Park but despite putting his injury concerns behind him and being involved in the first team affairs more regularly he failed to carve out that consistent starting spot which would have helped him push on. He did however score a vital extra time winner at Victoria Park against Ross County as ten men Motherwell dispatched Ross County out of the competition, an important contribution as the side would go on to meet Celtic in the Final months later.
The youngster was farmed out on loan to Greenock Morton in June 2018 but come January he was surprisingly allowed to leave the club and he joined Falkirk on a permanent contract. He would go on to serve Queen’s Park and Dumbarton and it would turn out to be a bit of a rollercoaster few years as he suffered relegation to League One with the Bairns, at Hampden with the Spider’s he would enjoy a League Two title win and at the end of the 2021/22 season despite finishing the Son’s top scorer they would suffer relegation.
MacLean was a member of the talented group of youngsters who won the 2016 Scottish Youth Cup, dispatching Hearts 5-2 in the final at Hampden in impressive style.
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Name:
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Ross MacLean |
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Height:
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Weight:
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Date of Birth:
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13th March 1997 |
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Place of Birth:
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Bellshill |
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Position:
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Midfield |
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Nationality:
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Scottish |
Football Career:
| Motherwell | 2014 | 2019 |
| Greenock Morton (Loan) | 2018 | 2019 |
| Falkirk | 2019 | 2020 |
| Queen’s Park | 2020 | 2021 |
| Dumbarton | 2021 | – |
Well Career:
| Apps | Goals | |
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League:
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5 (11) | 0 |
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Scottish Cup:
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0 (1) | 0 |
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League Cup:
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1 (2) | 1 |
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Other:
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0 | 0 |
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Total:
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6 (14) | 1 |