Louis Moult vows to repay faith shown by Motherwell

Louis Moult felt his movement returning to normal when he made a goalscoring return from injury at Tynecastle – and he is convinced the love he feels at Motherwell will help him fully restore his belief.

Moult scored a penalty off the bench in Sunday’s 3-2 defeat by Hearts after missing five matches.

The 30-year-old is yet to start a game since his deadline-day loan move from Burton but a minor ankle procedure appears to have given him the chance to make the impact he and the Motherwell fans are desperate for.

Moult has experienced periods of frustration since leaving Fir Park for Preston in January 2018 after suffering lengthy lay-offs both at North End and Burton, but his confidence is coming back under Well boss Steven Hammell, his former team-mate.

On his initial fitness issues, Moult said ahead of Wednesday’s visit of cinch Premiership leaders Celtic: “Obviously it’s frustrating for everyone, probably me being the most frustrated person. I was probably sat at home shouting and slamming doors and all sorts because I am my biggest critic, I want to be out there 100 per cent.

“It’s not always going to go like that, we know that. Not just with me, but with athletes, that’s the way it is. But one thing’s for sure, me and the football club are doing absolutely everything we can to get the best Louis Moult out there, to help everyone and for myself as well.

“From my performance on Sunday I think you can see that I am moving a lot more freely. It’s about building on that.

“It’s no secret that the previous few years have been difficult for me in terms of fitness and belief. There have been times when I have almost stopped believing because of injuries and selection, not played when I thought I should have.

“But I feel like I have got the belief here from this football club and from the management where I can achieve and I start to believe in myself.

“It helps with the fans here and how supportive they are with me, they spur me on and they give me an extra 10 per cent. The support from the Motherwell fans is ridiculously good.”

The former Stoke and Wrexham striker scored 50 goals in two-and-a-half years before his £500,000 transfer to Deepdale.

“I always wanted to come back and play for this football club, it’s got a big place in my heart,” he said.

“Sometimes a player clicks with a football club and that was the case with me. The fans, everyone around the place, the community, we just clicked. I love the place, I love playing for the football club, I think you can see that in my passion, the way I play, and I feel like this football club gets the best out of me.

“It just feels like home for me. I said it the first day I arrived here, the way this football club was with me but also my wife and my kids, I am never going to forget it and I will do everything I can to repay that.”