MOTHERWELL cult hero Willie Pettigrew waited 37 years for his Fir Park 20-goal tally to be matched.

And the 59-year-old has heaped praise on current Well hitman Michael Higdon who looks on course to smash his career-high 23 strikes in a season.

The term legend is one that is often over used, but when it comes to Pettigrew, an icon of the club's golden era during the seventies, it is more than appropriate.

He first joined the Steelmen in 1972 and averaged better than a goal every two league games during his seven years at Fir Park.

Most notably, at a time when Kenny Dalglish, Derek Johnstone and Andy Gray were all plying their trade in Scotland back in 1973/74, Pettigrew notched 20 times to become the Scottish top tier's highest scorer at 22 alongside Gray.

Just for good measure, he repeated the feat in 1976 with 23 goals putting him top of the hit parade this time on his own in an amazing double for a poacher at the apex of a provincial team.

And the retired striker has no qualms about issuing a glowing report for Higgy, who struck 20 goals against Hearts on Saturday.

Pettigrew said: "I think what is exceptional with Michael is that he can score every type of goal.

"I have been at Motherwell's last two matches and he scored a superb cushioned instep volley with his right foot against Celtic at the back post and blasted home a 20-yarder against Hearts with his left foot three days later.

"Earlier in the season he scored a hat-trick against Inverness where he used either foot and his head to finish and that, for me, is the mark of the complete striker.

"What is even more impressive for me is that Michael has achieved that at a provincial team.

"It does not surprise me that it has taken 37 years for someone to follow me on to the 20-goal mark at Motherwell. The bottom line is that when you are at a small club you just don't get the number of chances you would if you were playing up front for an Old Firm side.

"In my day I maybe got two or three chances a game at the most, whereas if I had been at Celtic or Rangers it would have been four or five or even more in some games.

"For Michael it will be the same. He may not be the poster boy of strikers but he is a fantastic finisher and I salute him for his achievement this season and, believe me, he isn't finished yet."

While the great Pettigrew also demonstrated a modesty in attributing many of the 80 goals he scored in 146 games to the fact he led the line for a great Motherwell team – which included the likes of Vic Davidson, Peter Marinello and Joe Wark – he believes that Higgy's circumstances are similar.

And he also admits he fears that the big Scouser could be part of a player exodus at Well this summer.

He said: "You look at the way the current Motherwell team is laid out and a lot of the time they set up 4-3-3, and that suits Higdon.

"You have the industry and pace of Henrik Ojamaa and Chris Humphrey, while Nicky Law is fantastic source of good quality balls from midfield.

"But the point is he takes such a high proportion of these chances. On top of that, he makes a very big defensive contribution at set pieces.

"So he does his fair share of the dirty work.

"A striker doesn't score 20 goals and go under the radar. Michael will definitely have his admirers out there this summer."