I’m so grateful to Motherwell but I’m gutted I couldn’t win cup for them
SAYS PRESTON-BOUND LOUIS MOULT
MOTHERWELL hitman Louis Moult signed for Preston yesterday in a £500,000 deal – then revealed his biggest regret was not being able to steer the Steelmen to League Cup glory.
The 25-year-old penned a three-and-a-half-year contract with Alex Neil’s English Championship side and will hook up with his new team-mates on January 1.
Moult admits that while he will take away a treasure trove of golden memories from his time at Fir Park, he was still saddened his stint did not end with a silver lining.
The striker and his team-mates lost 2-0 to Celtic in last month’s Betfred Cup Final at Hampden.
However, he revealed his double against Rangers in the 2-0 semi-final win at the National Stadium will remain a career high.
The Englishman reckons he’ll find it hard to top his spectacular lob for the second goal that clinched victory against the Light Blues.
Moult said: “I knew it was going to be my last season at Motherwell and I was desperate to lift the trophy.
“I was gutted when that didn’t happen. The memories leading up to the cup final will live with me and my family forever. I will take those memories with me.
“I have so many highlights from my time at Motherwell.
“The biggest highlight has to be the League Cup semi-final win over Rangers and scoring the second goal as we won the match.
“Whenever I think of any game or any goal that one will come right to the top straight away.
“I don’t know why but the last-minute goal against Hamilton with 10 men also sparked scenes that I will never forget.
“Doing a knee slide on 3G and having sore knees all over the New Year – that is something I will always remember!
“I have had so many highs at this football club.”
The former Stoke trainee struck a half century of goals in just 98 appearances for Motherwell but has missed the last two matches with a hamstring injury.
Moult was the subject of a £400,000 bid from Aberdeen in the summer which was rejected and he was also linked with a move to Rangers.
However, he insists he just blanked all the speculation to concentrate on doing what he does best, culminating in his transfer to Preston.
Moult said: “There was a lot of press surrounding myself earlier this season.
“There was all the Aberdeen speculation and rumours about other clubs. I just tried to forget all about it.”
The attacker admitted he would be eternally grateful to Motherwell for giving him the platform to showcase his talents.
The former Wrexham ace knew he had made the right call to join the Well family from the moment he set foot inside Fir Park.
Moult revealed he has made the move back south of the border for the sake of his family and he hopes
All the memories leading up to the cup final will live with me forever LOUIS MOULT
the Steelmen faithful would fully understand his reasons for leaving.
The hitman lavished praise on the way he was treated by Motherwell as well as Scottish football in general.
Moult said: “This club has been ridiculously good to me in terms of my football, my family, and personally on and off the pitch.
“From the moment I came through the Fir Park doors and met Karen the secretary and Gordon the kitman it has been amazing.
“Coming to Motherwell was definitely the right career move for me and I have enjoyed every minute of it.
“If anybody was to say that I would have scored 50 goals in two-and-a-half seasons then I would have laughed at you.
“That has been the icing on the cake on a personal note but it was a life experience for me and my family.
“We had a baby up here, Isla has grown up here and the people around Scotland have been so kind to me and my family.
“That goes a long way but I still always knew I was going at the end of this season.
“I can’t wait to get going with Preston now.
“In my career path it is a step in the right direction.
“It is Championship football and it is a massive compliment that clubs at that level were looking at me and Preston have come and signed me.
“It shows how much they wanted me in the door as they paid a fee for my services.
“I appreciate that and I just want to repay their faith.
“I have to do what is best for my family. I have a young family as I have a three-year-old and a six-week-old baby.
“The family discussed it a lot in detail and we decided that football is a very short career and everybody in the game understands that. “The fans understand that. “It is a massive plus that it is in the Championship and it is closer to home.
“The be-all-and-end all is that I am just doing what is best for my family and I said that the day I signed for Motherwell. Now I am doing the same again.
“Anybody coming to Well in the future should know there are not many clubs like this.
“I have so many positive things to say about this football club and Scottish football.
“It has been brilliant for my career and I have loved it here.”