All’s well that ends ’Well

TREV REGAINS FIR PARK No.1 SHIRT AFTER SERIES OF SETBACKS

THE Scottish Premiership might be about to come out of cold storage but it is nothing compared to the 19 months Trevor Carson has had to wait to become Motherwell’s No.1 again.

The 32-year-old certainly hasn’t had the luck of the Irish.

Deep vein thrombosis back in November 2018 left him fighting for his career. Then, on his return, the Northern

Ireland star was unable to dislodge the impressive Mark Gillespie

(inset), who is now a target for Newcastle United and has since quit Fir Park on freedom of contract.

Carson knocked back interest from St Mirren and Livingston to sign a new deal with Motherwell as he was assured he would be Stephen Robinson’s main keeper going into the new season.

He said: “Ever since the manager confirmed our return date I have been working hard and towards June 15. I can’t wait until we get back.

“The older you get the more you dread pre-season but I know every footballer in Scotland will be desperate to get back.

“Personally, it has been a topsy-turvy couple of years and I am certainly going back with a far more positive mindset than I did last summer. Back then I knew Mark had done well and was going to have the jersey, it was his to lose. It was hard knowing I would give my all but it was likely I would have to spend the season on the bench. This time I am going back knowing my destiny is back in my own hands which is great.”

Carson’s time at Motherwell has had the ultimate highs of cup finals, international appearances and a Celtic bid – to the lows of his health scare and having to cool his heels on the bench.

“It is as tough a 19 months as I have been through,” the four-times capped keeper insisted. “I have been a No.1 since I left Sunderland. The past year has been even harder than the time I had out with the blood clot. “It was hard because I knew I needed Mark or the team to go on a bad run and you don’t want that either! Mentally it was hard and that was why I spoke out in the Mental Health Awareness week.

“I had bottled a lot of things up and I needed to speak to somebody. I have to say it was the best thing I did, to get everything off my chest. It is behind me and I can look forward now.”

The good thing for Carson is that despite his lack of recent first-team football he was still wanted by rivals. The Downpatrick-born man said: “The situation was that the club offered Mark and myself contracts. I had spoken to a couple of Premiership clubs but the manager came to me and gave me an ultimatum to sign or he would move on because Mark had decided to keep his options open.

“I was given 24 hours to make a decision and after discussing things with the family it was a no-brainer to stay.”

The ex-hartlepool star now wants to help the Lanarkshire side build on last season’s impressive third place finish.

He also has the added bonus of a Europa League campaign to look forward to but it will still be a case of one game at a time.

Carson added: “You know you have Europe to look forward to but, for me, it won’t sink in until the draw is made or we know who we are playing.

“For a club like Motherwell it is a great achievement. It is something to look to and hopefully we can put a decent run together.”