Many will recognise the famous picture of Andy holding the League Cup aloft. He was part of the only Motherwell team to have lifted that trophy and he followed that up by helping us to win the Scottish Cup for the first time in 1952.
His visits to Fir Park became less regular in his later years but members of the Fife and Tayside supporters branch maintained contact and visited him several times in the past few years. Many fans will treasure the memories he leaves behind.
Fans who saw Andy at the heart of our defence from the war years until 1958 will tell tales of his commanding control and anticipation together with his penchant for forward runs with the ball at his feet.
He was the first to be awarded the Supporters’ Association Player of the Year award in 1956 as his spell at Fir Park drew to an end. ‘Well fans had one recent opportunity to acknowledge his skill and commitment in 2007 when John Boyle presented him with the ‘Greatest Motherwell Player’ award at a tribute evening in Fir Park. His short acceptance speech expressed humble delight at the recognition and touched all present.
His contribution to the club was captured by Eddie Ferguson in his fine appreciation in the September 2011 edition of the Waiting for the Great Leap Forward fanzine
“With over 500 (official and unofficial) appearances over 15 seasons for Motherwell Football Club, there can be little doubt the impact this Ayrshire man had on our history. Speak to fans of a certain generation and Andy will be spoken of in almost reverential terms.
The kind of player who had you on the edge of your seat, the kind of player you would pay money to watch. You've got to wonder if we'll ever see a Centre Half like Andy ever again. Some say that Andy Paton may well have been the original Motherwell Maverick, but, I'm sure everyone will agree that, Andy Paton is a true, true Motherwell legend.”
Read more about the great man here.
David Lindsay recalls the 1950 final here