Stuart Kettlewell has resigned as manager of Motherwell, citing personal abuse from supporters as the catalyst for his exit.

The Fir Park side currently occupy fifth place in the Premiership, the weekend defeat to struggling St Johnstone leaving them with just one win from their last nine matches.

They sit just four points adrift of fourth-placed Aberdeen but the dip in form sparked unrest from the stands and Kettlewell has decided it is time to move on after two years in charge, with the club saying: “Stuart explained that some of the personal abuse was now affecting his family, to the point where they didn’t wish to attend games.”

The 40-year-old enjoyed a win percentage of 41.3% for the 92 games in charge of the Steelmen, the highest of seven managers since Stuart McCall’s spell in the dug out.

Chief executive Brian Caldwell said: “It’s really sad that Stuart felt that the time was right to move on. He had an exceptional record and has generated an impressive amount of transfer income for the club.

“When Stuart approached me, I was very disappointed to learn the effect this was having on his family and how he was feeling. No manager, player, or club employee, every one of whom gives their all for the club, should feel this way.”