Shane Blaney is desperate to make up for lost time after injury and prove he’s worth a new deal at Motherwell.
The Irish defender - in his third season at Fir Park - is out of contract in the summer but loves life with the Steelmen after settling away from home at the second time of asking. Blaney headed across the Irish Sea as a teenager for a spell with Doncaster Rovers but returned to Sligo Rovers before Well handed him a fresh start in Scotland two years ago.
And the 25-year-old was in good shape for his best campaign yet after a strong summer - only to be stopped cruelly by a knee ligament injury in the Premiership opener against Ross County. After almost three months out the stopper has finally returned to form for Stuart Kettlewell ’s side. And he knows it’s down to him to now earn an extended stay in Lanarkshire.
He said: “Yeah, my contract is up in the summer. We will just have to wait and see. Coming back from the injury was my priority - now it’s about performing.
“I love it here. I’m really happy here. Me and my missus are happy living in Glasgow, I love everything about it. I was over as a youngster and it wasn’t what I expected. But I’ve grown up a bit more since then. Now I feel at home. I feel like I’m comfortable playing in Scottish football. I just have to go and kick on for the rest of the season.”
Blaney has made seven appearances in the last month as Well made their move into the Premiership top five. But he admits the season has been mostly one of frustration after that agonising start against County. He said: “I was really frustrated when I got injured in the first game, it followed the strongest pre-season I’d had in my career.
“It’s the most minutes I’d played in a pre-season and everything was going great. So to go and get the injury in the first game was a real kick in the teeth.
“It was a 50/50 with Jordan White against Ross County. We both went in hard, I opened up my leg a wee bit to clear the ball and just felt my knee go. The two of us were both down rolling about but I came off worse.
“The MCL ligament went in my knee. I ended up being 10 weeks out. I just had to be patient. It’s tough, you go through pre-season and the cup games and everything is leading towards the league.
“I was in great spirits thinking it was going to be great start to the season then you get hit with that. But it’s just something you have to deal with, it’s part of the game.
“Luckily it’s an unbelievable changing room and the lads helped me through. It’s the best dressing room I’ve been in and if you asked the long term injuries in here they’d say the same - it helps pull you through. Last month I got back in and now it’s about playing as much as I can before the end of the season.”
