MY HALLIDAY ROMANCE IS ALIVE & WELL
ANDY HALLIDAY admits he could never fall out of love with football – even while he was dumped by Hearts for the vast majority of the season.
But after seeing more minutes in two-and-a-half weeks with motherwell than in his last six months at Tynecastle, the veteran insists he’s got his midfield mojo back.
Halliday marked his fourth appearance since last month’s switch to Fir Park with the opening goal in Tuesday’s 5-0 romp over Ross County.
The legs may have gone early in the second half but you won’t find the 32-year-old complaining about too many games after seeing less than an hour across six substitute appearances for Hearts.
Halliday, yet to taste defeat in a Well shirt with Stuart Kettlewell’s side now eyeing up the top six, said: “I’ve really enjoyed it since I’ve been in.
“Being back on the pitch again after sitting on the sidelines for so long has been great.
“There was never a point where i fell out of love with football but you do miss being on the pitch.
“it’s good the games have come thick and fast – for building up match fitness, maybe not so much for the old fatigue levels!
“Prior to coming here, i hadn’t started a game since april. But that’s four games now and for me that’s brilliant. There won’t be any complaints.
“When you’ve not played for a long time, you savour every moment when you’re back on the pitch.”
Halliday’s eighth-minute opener on Tuesday night was his first goal since a double – against Well of all teams – for the Jambos in
October 2022. He now has a not-too-shabby 55 career goals in 412 appearances but the former Rangers man reckons he can up his ratio in Lanarkshire.
He said: “It’s funny, I said to a few boys before the game I fancied myself to score.
“Hopefully i get more goals – that’s the aim. Big Theo Bair has had a good run but it’s important we don’t put too much burden on the strikers.
“i will set my own target but won’t share it because it doesn’t look good if it doesn’t go to plan!”
motherwell are building momentum but will be tested in the Scottish Cup tomorrow when they travel to a morton side whose 5-0 win at Dunfermline last weekend made it 12 games unbeaten.
Halliday – three times a beaten finalist in the competition – said: “We’re not getting too carried away. Friday is a massive game, morton are in a good space as well.
“But we all know the momentum this club had in the second half of last season after the gaffer first took the job.
“Before i came i could see quality in the squad. We’ve been unlucky with injury and performances not matching results.
“But our full focus is now on morton and hopefully we can get through that.”