Stuart Kettlewell at Motherwell abuse slammed as boss chief takes aim at 'empty vessels' and escalating problem

Billy Brown has slammed the “empty vessels” whose abuse forced Stuart Kettlewell’s Motherwell exit this week as an “absolute disgrace”.

The League Managers Association chairman fears the levels of vitriol directed at bosses from the stands throughout the game in Scotland is reaching unacceptable levels. And former Hearts and Hibs assistant Brown has appealed to individual clubs - with the help of well-meaning supporters - to weed out the toxic minority who he says are overstepping the mark at grounds across the country.

Kettlewell’s shock decision to resign on Monday comes with the Steelmen sitting fifth in the Premiership and having reached the semi final of the League Cup back in November. With a mounting injury list that includes star man Lennon Miller, Motherwell have lost back to back games away to the Premiership’s bottom club St Johnstone which saw them crash out of the Scottish Cup.

Those results saw Kettlewell targeted by the Well boo boys in successive weeks. And CEO Brian Caldwell revealed in a statement confirming they’d “very reluctantly” accepted his resignation that the abuse had began to affect the 40-year-old’s family to the point they didn’t wish to attend games.

That, Brown insists, is simply not acceptable. The 74-year-old began his playing career with the Fir Park club - which is fan-owned - and spent three years there in the 1970s. And speaking to Record Sport he said: “What has happened with Stuart Kettlewell is an absolute disgrace. We've got a hard-working man there that's done well at Motherwell.

“When he went in there two years ago, there was a chance of relegation and he just missed the top six. They’re in the top six now, ahead of Hearts and Hibs at the moment. And for him to have to