Harry Paton hopes to extend his stay with Motherwell after expressing his gratitude to manager Stuart Kettlewell for ending his football exile.
Paton left Ross County at the end of last season after being charged over allegations of domestic abuse which he labelled “false” and which were dropped earlier this year.
While the charges were hanging over him, Paton returned to his home in Canada, initially training with his brothers, including former Staggies team-mate Ben, but then began a period of isolation where he had to keep his fitness up on his own.
That ended when he joined Motherwell on April 1 after former County manager Kettlewell got in touch. The former Canada youth international made his debut on the same day and has now played five times.
“I just wanted to get home, get my head down and have a relax after I left Ross County,” the 24-year-old said.
“Being with my brothers back home in Canada they helped me train for a while, then it was probably every day training on my own.
“I look after myself off the field as you need to do, I am trying to keep my career going as long as I can.
“I just looked after myself, fitness in the gym and training as much as I could until the opportunity came to get back playing.
“It wasn’t a tough time at all. I wanted to get back to my family and settle down and when the time was right and my head was right I wanted to get back playing and the manager contacted me and wanted me in straight away and I was really grateful for that.
“It was great to hear him call me and we had a good chat on the phone and I came in the next couple of days, it was really quick. I was in Canada at that point.”
The former Fulham and Hearts youth player added: “It is great working with him. He was the one who brought me into Ross County and I worked with him for a couple of years.
“He puts a lot of demands on you, he knows what I can bring to the table. He knows there is more to come from me. I will keep pushing and hopefully I will get a good run in the team.
“I know how he has worked before and I think that has helped me be comfortable in coming here.
“I am just enjoying it. It’s my job and I love what I do. I just want to keep doing it. I needed that time to reset and I am back here now and enjoying it.”
Speaking ahead of Saturday’s cinch Premiership meeting with St Johnstone, Paton added: “It’s been great, everyone has been really welcoming, staff and players have been great.
“I have hit the ground running, got some good minutes and I just want to put my head down and keep working hard.
“I would love to hopefully extend my stay here. I think the time will come when we can hopefully have those conversations at a later day and I will see what happens.”
Giroud leaving Milan to join MLS at end of season
Olivier Giroud announced he will be leaving Milan to join the MLS at the end of the season when his contract expires.
The Frenchman joined the club in July 2021 from Chelsea, winning the Serie A title in his first season.
Giroud has scored 48 goals in 130 games in all competitions for Milan, netting 16 of those this season to help them to a second-place finish.
In an emotional interview with the club’s media channels, Giroud said: "I'm here to tell you that the next two games will be my last for Milan. My career will continue in MLS.
"I'm very proud of everything I've done here at Milan across three seasons. It's the right time to announce it. I'm a bit emotional. My story with Milan ends this season, but Milan will forever remain in my heart."
Though Giroud did not confirm which team he would be joining in the MLS, previous reports suggested he could be moving to LAFC to link up with his France international team-mate, Hugo Lloris.
Giroud leaving Milan at end of season to join MLS
Olivier Giroud announced he will be leaving Milan to join the MLS at the end of the season when his contract expires.
The Frenchman joined the club in July 2021 from Chelsea, winning the Serie A title in his first season.
Giroud has scored 48 goals in 130 games in all competitions for Milan, netting 16 of those this season to help them to a second-place finish.
In an emotional interview with the club’s media channels, Giroud said: "I'm here to tell you that the next two games will be my last for Milan. My career will continue in MLS.
"I'm very proud of everything I've done here at Milan across three seasons. It's the right time to announce it. I'm a bit emotional. My story with Milan ends this season, but Milan will forever remain in my heart."
Though Giroud did not confirm which team he would be joining in the MLS, previous reports suggested he could be moving to LAFC to link up with his France international team-mate, Hugo Lloris.
Beckham: Man Utd's problems have lasted 'too long'
David Beckham believes Manchester United’s issues have lasted "too long" since Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013.
The Red Devils have won just four major trophies since Ferguson’s departure, with their most recent – an EFL Cup win last season – ending a six-year wait for silverware.
United have not won a Premier League title since the Scot’s final season in charge, with six managers failing to reclaim the top-flight crown since then.
This season, Erik ten Hag’s side are at risk of recording their lowest league finish and points tally, as they sit eighth on 54 points with two games remaining.
Beckham, who won 13 trophies, including six Premier League titles and the Champions League, told The Athletic: "I think it has been a difficult time over the last five or ten years, but it was always going to be when the boss left the club.
"It wasn’t just that, we lost players like Ryan Giggs, Roy Keane and Gary Neville, all of these players that had been at United for so long; you lose part of that, and you lose part of the club.
"So it was always going to be a difficult time. But we’d like it to change pretty quickly because I think it’s gone on for too long now."
United have lost 19 games in all competitions this season, their most since 1977-78 (also 19), with nine of those coming at Old Trafford – their joint-most at home in a season and the first time it has happened in the Premier League.
Their 1-0 defeat to Arsenal on Sunday marked the first time they had conceded in 10 successive games in all competitions since October 2021, while the 82 goals they have let in this season is their most since 1970-71 (also 82).
Beckham was speaking at the premiere of 99, the Amazon Prime documentary covering United’s iconic treble-winning season 25 years ago.
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