MES QUE UN CLUB. A statement, a slogan, a philosophy, a pledge, a promise that is synonymous with an organisation that has illuminated the world of football and shone brightly across the globe.

These four words are woven into the very fabric that not only forms the deep red and blue strips that Barcelona’s superstars pull on, but into the very soul of everyone who knows what it is like to belong to the Catalan giants that are, in their own words ... more than a club.

This is Barcelona’s brand spread far and wide. As well as being possibly the greatest team on planet football, their banner proudly hangs above teams who compete in ice hockey, basketball, wheelchair basketball, handball and rugby to name but a few.

Away from the field of sport, FCB’s hand spreads into the community that its working-class principles are founded upon.

Nestled deep in the heart of Catalonia, the club’s foundation works tirelessly to battle extreme poverty, encourage kids to learn through their sporting education programmes as well as working with many charitable organisations.

It is a mantra and level of engagement that many across the world, and in particular Scottish football, could well take notice of.

And at one club, especially, the communal message was already being received and understood. It’s undeniable our game has been suffering a malaise in recent years for several reasons.

The main one is arguably a disaffection with clubs by supporters and those around them as a mixture of value for money and attractive alternatives mean the once only show in town is now competing with not just rugby and ice hockey on a local level, but with the so-called glamour of the Barclays Premier League south of the border that has brainwashed a generation.

There are some, however, that have recognised that a new approach must be adopted. That a football club must offer more than simply somewhere for a punter to sit freezing for 90 minutes every two weeks, with he or she paying through the nose for the privilege.

One of them is Motherwell.

“Our message is that it is more than 90 minutes on the field. Our vision is to have the best community club in Scotland, if not the western hemisphere,” Brian McCafferty, the club’s chairman told SportTimes. “That’s what we are all about.

“Think about the number of people in Lanarkshire who could go to Motherwell and watch football. A lot of them don’t because they have allegiances elsewhere, but there are a lot of those people who use our facilities from functions suites to football pitches.

“The potential is massive. It goes beyond Motherwell, you have Bellshill, Wishaw, Carluke, Lanark, too.

“Like Barcelona, we see ourselves as more than a club. It sounds a bit pretentious to say that, but what we want to do is make sure as many people in the local community not only attend the football, but participate in everything we have to offer.

“The Well Society is set up to give the community a means to get involved, not only with the board, but a range of other things. There are 37,000 people come to Fir Park to take part in community activities, and that is the message we are trying to get across.

“That is what the Society, the club and the Supporters’ Trust are all about. It’s a three-pronged attack. We try to promote the club as a pillar of the community.”

The winds of change blowing through Fir Park in recent times have certainly wafted in a fresh approach.

Under a new regime led by McCafferty and majority shareholder Les Hutchison, Motherwell are building towards a sustainable, yet prosperous future, with those who care about the club the most at the heart of it.

A sharpened focus on driving revenue appears to have been adopted. Coaching programmes, function suites and football pitch hire are on offer, while a new approach to trying to add to the match day experience with a kids’ zone has also been welcomed.

McCafferty admits fans have spoken and Motherwell have listened.

“I have been to a couple of places and spoken to fans’ groups,” he said. “There is a good network and we speak to St Mirren and Hearts, for example.

“We are looking for different ways to engage the support, it shouldn’t just be about asking them for money. It’s about getting them involved.

“For example, the boys in the East Stand are fantastic. They’ve even arranged a couple of food drives, but they also provide a fantastic atmosphere at home games and away matches.

“We have arranged the board in such a way that one member is responsible for engaging with the fans. The manager and the players have also agreed to help with that. We are looking to get a quiz going with the manager and the players.

“The membership structure has changed to make the Society more accessible. We are looking at all the facilities the club has and to develop them.”

As a community club, Motherwell are still pursuing the ultimate goal of fan ownership through the Well Society.

The Society has seen over 1,000 adults join up across the different membership options, as well as around 500 kids, as it seeks to raise enough funds to pay off Hutchison’s investment and take control as planned.

For this to happen, though, McCafferty is frank that numbers must continue to rise if that target is to be met.

A different approach has been adopted to the Society, with a monthly direct debit now being an option to allow those having to pay for season tickets and strips to get involved.

McCafferty said: “To be confident and clear that we can be a sustainable support for the club, we need to raise more than we are at the moment.

“The target we are looking at is 2,000 members and we have over 1,000 at the moment. There are a lot of junior members, too, which means we have around 1,500, but we need 2,000 adults and direct debits from them.

“That would give us regular money on a monthly basis. The renewals were fine up to a point, but the problem with that is you need to write to people to remind them, and, with the best will in the world, people forget.

“But with a direct debit, it’s a regular thing. When the club is short of cash, it can’t wait for 11 months for a renewal, but this would mean we could release the funds as a safety net if needed.

“The loan Les has given us was very, very welcome, but that’s not the main thing we are trying to do. To do that, we need regular income.

“Two thousand would provide the club with whatever it needs and our job is about making sure we continue to build towards that figure.”

Monthly pledges to the Well Society start at as little as £10 per month for adults. Other options are also available.

For more information please visit www.thewell society.co.uk