BRIAN McCAFFERTY, the Motherwell chairman, believes Ian Baraclough’s sacking was the best thing for both parties after the man appointed less than a year ago failed to meet the expectations of the club.

The former Sligo Rovers manager lasted just nine months at Fir Park in what was a troublesome and tumultuous tenure. Brought in back in December weeks after Stuart McCall felt he could not halt a team on a downward spiral from the heady heights they had become accustomed to, he went on to win his first two games in charge. However, reality soon kicked in courtesy of a 5-0 derby defeat at Hamilton Academical on New Year’s Day, a result that triggered an eight match run that contained just one point and sent the Lanarkshire club, albeit briefly, to the foot of the Premiership.

Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Motherwell somehow managed to regain their form and belief despite being condemned to a relegation play-off with Rangers, a side they had not beaten at home since 2002 or away since 1997. It was a record that would be smashed with a 3-1 win at Ibrox before a memorable - for a variety of reasons - 3-0 triumph at Fir Park kept the club’s three-decade run in the top flight going and, more importantly, their manager in the good books.

However, all traces of the positive bounce created by that double header at the end of May has long since vanished. Two wins from eight Premiership games has been the long and short of a stuttering league campaign, but it was their League Cup exit at the hands of Morton on Tuesday night that ultimately sealed Baraclough’s fate. Perhaps the fact the 3-2 extra-time loss wasn’t really a shock tells its own story, as does the chants of ‘you are getting sacked in the morning’ drifting across Cappielow from the few hundred away supporters who had sat long enough through 120 minutes of dross to make their frustrations heard.

“I wasn’t at the game on Tuesday but I heard all about it from colleagues and fans that had got in contact,” McCafferty exclusively told Herald Sport. “The manager has been struggling a wee bit over the past few weeks, I think everyone knows that. The team hasn’t really performed to expectations.

“I got word from Les [Hutchison, the majority shareholder] that he’d asked the manager to leave. That really didn’t surprise me given what has been happening on the field. Given the nature of the owner and the importance of getting a good position in the league during the club’s 130th anniversary and 25 years on from winning the Scottish Cup, I’m not surprised in that sense. It came straight after the game so in terms of that, maybe it was a little bit.

“I think from the club’s point of view and the manager’s perspective, he had done the best that he could. The fact the results weren’t getting any better and the position wasn't moving forward in a positive way, parting was the thing that seemed to suit both parties.”

During Baraclough’s maiden press conference, he made a bold statement of intent that turned into a stick in which to at least poke him with, if not beat. “I want to win trophies. Why not Motherwell? Why can’t we win the Premiership? You’ve got to go out with that thinking to achieve anything?” It was a statement of confidence that was interpreted as naivety by some from a manager who had never played or managed in Scotland.

While his words in that press conference were perhaps taken with a pinch of salt, those spoken in his interview to get the job in the first place resonated deeply with the panel in front of him, led by Hutchison. He embraced the ethos of a community club and pledged his commitment to supporting the goal of the Well Society ultimately taking control at Fir Park. That was evident on the day of his appointment when, even before being officially unveiled, he met with a group of young fans holding a charity food drive outside the ground.

It was a characteristic that helped get him the job, along with his managing ability, and it’s a criteria McCafferty insists must be met by his successor.

“We are open to all candidates who fit the criteria and part of that is a community approach to help do what we are trying to do,” said the Motherwell chairman. “Having said that, they clearly need to have the credentials to take the team forward.

“Back when we were recruiting when Stuart left, we looked at a number of candidates who were not left field but still very credible and could have done the job. So we are looking for people that match the criteria but who is trying to buy into what we are trying to do.

“There was a certain type of person we were looking for and Ian certainly ticked all the boxes, and that’s certainly who we are looking for to replace him. We want to remain a community-centred club and we aspire to be fan owned.

“In terms of the next manager, we continue to seek individuals not only with expertise and a good track record with potential but somebody who buys into what we are trying to achieve at the club.

“Ian filled that role admirably but the performances unfortunately didn’t match our expectations and he was asked to leave.”

While there have probably been more lows than highs over the last nine months, McCafferty says Baraclough leaves Motherwell with nothing but good wishes for all he did, particularly in keeping the team in the Premiership. “I’ve sent Ian a message of good wishes and thanked him for everything he has done, particularly keeping us in the top division following the play-off against Rangers,” he said.

“I think he will always be remembered for that, if nothing else.”