“WHAT does Motherwell mean to you?” is a question, depending on who you ask, that is likely to provoke a vast array of answers.

Strathclyde Park, Ravenscraig and a big Asda are no doubt some of the responses that are at least printable in a family newspaper. Ask the right people, however, and the reply may just come from the heart.

Like so many other outposts up and down Scotland, the North Lanarkshire town is possibly most famous for its football club. It may not be the biggest or the most flashy, it doesn’t need to be. Instead, Motherwell is attempting to rediscover its working-class roots of the past in order to allow its future to flourish.

The very question asked at the start of this piece is one that has and will continue to be asked of the club’s support this season as they move forward into an era of fan ownership. Earlier this year supporters of the Well were asked to fill in a fan survey to explain what they wanted to see more of at Fir Park, and to identify indeed what Motherwell meant to them. They answered the call in their hundreds.

“The Made in Motherwell thing was borne out of the survey,” explained Ryan Murrant, Motherwell’s fan engagement manager of the club’s social media campaign for season tickets launched this summer. “What we found was people lost what Motherwell was about, both as a club and a town.

“We wanted to take it back to what Motherwell means to you. Not your favourite goal or player, just what does it mean. People spoke quite emotionally about the club because their grandad brought them to their first game, it could be they live far away and don’t get their often. We tried to understand fans a bit more.

“There was someone with a teddy bear. There was Amber whose sister is called Clare T so it’s claret and amber. Their stories are unique, but brilliantly unique. We can try and start incorporating that into things.”

Murrant’s appointment last September was a spark of intent for Scottish football to not just open its eyes to a big world out there but its ears. How many full-time fan engagement managers would you have seen kicking about 10 years ago?

The former Doncaster Rovers communications manager talks at length during our chat to explain and justify his job, perhaps an indictment on Scottish football and the hesitance towards change he’s met since moving here almost a year ago. Yet, the role of the man in charge of bringing in fans to a fan-owned club and its importance should be blatantly obvious to all.

“At Motherwell you have people who live within hundreds of yards of the stadium that want to go and watch Celtic and Rangers. That’s the biggest challenge in trying to change people’s mentality,” explained the 39-year-old.

“In England people will think that’s great, let’s give it a go. Up here, people are a little bit more stand-offish, and are hesitant over change. Their club may not be brilliant but it’s still theirs. That’s not necessarily a negative, that’s just a resistance to change which you naturally get.

“But when we have changed things here what I have found is that if the fans like it they will shout about it more. We had over 600 responses to our fan survey which doesn’t sound like a massive number until you look at our average gate. Fans do want to be listened to.”

Motherwell, and Scottish football in general, is trying to fight against an ever-increasing number of opponents with one arm tied behind its back. Alcohol, for example, is not permitted in football stadiums despite being common place at rugby grounds and ice hockey arenas.

Still, Murrant believes inspiration can be taken from the likes of Glasgow Warriors and Braehead Clan – both who get equal if not higher crowds than Motherwell – to get bums on seats. The Made in Motherwell campaign has already given fans the chance to have their season tickets hand delivered by the club’s players, while a handful of kids will get the chance to play against the first-team at an open day on July 30.

“Our season tickets are currently up 18 per cent year on year,” explained Murrant. “I’m talking to local businesses who are important to Motherwell, like the steel works, about putting branding up in the family stand to try and educate children about what the steel works is about and was about. That takes you back to what the place is about.

“Alan Burrows [Motherwell CEO] recognised the weakness in the business in terms of marketing and fan engagement and brought someone in. If we are not working closely with the Community Trust and they then don’t think every time they do a course think ‘how do we get these people to games?’ then we are not doing our job properly. Change can't take place without the culture internally being right first and that's what Alan is doing."

“We have to secure the next generation of supporters because if we don’t the club is always going to be suffering from just 3000 to 4000 fans coming every week. No club wants to be treading water every month of the year.

“If people are coming here we need to get them to support us. In our football schools, there could be a player in there, the next Alan Burrows or even the next season ticket holder or sponsor. That’s where the Motherwell journey begins.”