Mchugh back in good place after head injury scare

Carl Mchugh has a new perspective on football following initial months of misery at Motherwell.

The 24-year-old midfielder signed from Plymouth last summer but sustained a head knock at Kilmarnock on the first day of the Ladbrokes Premiership campaign on 6 August and was out until 28 December with the effects of delayed concussion. Mchugh was handed the captain’s armband last month after Keith Lasley became assistant manager and earlier in the week he signed a new contract which takes him up until 2019.

Ahead of the visit of Berwick Rangers in the Betfred Cup today, the former Republic of Ireland Under-21 player spoke of how “proud” and grateful he was with recent positive developments in his career.

He said: “I would have bitten both hands off for it around Christmas time when I didn’t know if I was going to get back or how long it would take to get back. There was time when I couldn’t do a lot. It was worrying for six months.

“So it has gone really well since I got back. I played nearly every game – I was suspended for a few – but it has gone great and I am delighted to get the deal signed and to be the club captain is brilliant for me.

“It has given me a new perspective on my career since it happened. I appreciate everything a lot more.

“Not that I didn’t, but we become complacent in our lives and we start giving out about little things, everyone does, but since that I appreciated going out to training in the morning, going out to play.

“I am enjoying my football as much here as I have done at any stage so it has been great, although I don’t think I will be flying in for 50-50s in the air anymore.”

With nine points from three Group F matches Motherwell have already qualified for the knockout stages. Manager Stephen Robinson urged his side to concentrate on making sure they are seeded for the next stage of the tournament as one of the best four group winners, rather than looking ahead to the Premiership opener against Rangers next week.