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After narrowly avoiding relegation in season 1988/89, the management, the players and the fans all knew what was sadly lacking down Fir Park way - a goalscorer.
So the search was on during the close season to discover the marksman we desparately required. Then, from deepest Peterborough, the answer to our prayers was unearthed in the shape of Nicholas Cusack.
A 100K was duly paid. a club record, and the fans awaited the new season in anticipation of what the signing would be like.
A solitary goal in the prestigious Isle of Man tourney was hardly earth-shattering, but one Friday night at Fir Park against the mighty Real Sociedad, Cusack displayed his capabilities by netting twice with powerful headers.
So the big Englishman had proved that he could get the goals, but there still wasn't anyone capable of supplying the ammunition. Cue Davie Cooper.
But even in the Cooperless league opener at Tannadice, Nicky found the target with another superbly executed header, and then showed he was able to celebrate in style as well!
When Coop began to weave his touch-line magic, the goals flowed for the centre-forward (even from his feet!), the team were unbeaten, and everything was sweetness and light, until Heart of Midlothian appeared on our doorstep, exposing a flaw in our hero's armoury - he was prone to be a bit of a nutter.
Dave McPherson decided to niggle him, and got his nose broken as a result, as Cusack was sent for the first of his infamous early baths. This one could be put down to naivety, but when he repeated his party-piece in another off-the-ball incident against Aberdeen, some sections of the support began to question the big man's temprement, and so his worth to the club.
Yet, in between suspensions, he regularly scored vital goals, showing that he was the man for the job.
After the disappointment of the Tynecastle cup tie, we returned to the dump for the subsequent league match. As we approached the end of the half with the scores blank, Nicky Cusack was involved in one of the most controversial talking points of the season. After he had been tormented throughout the early stages, he brought McPherson down with a late challenge. It was a clear foul, nothing more. But the ref, cleary influenced by the antics of McPherson and Levein, along with Cusack's reputation, showed him his third red card in his debut season in Scotland.
So by the end of the season, Nicky Cusack had achieved two things; one, he had proved that he could score goals on a regular basis, and two he had collected a "bad boy" image which could restrict his strong, bustling style of play in the future.
Hopefully in this new season, Nicky can avoid the ignominity of more orderings off, settle into the number nine jersey, and supply Motherwell with the goals that will help us to prove ourselves as a team of substance in the 1990's.
by Christopher Hutton