After a week of tumult and torment, Liam Kelly’s shake of the head was borne out of a mixture of relief and pride.
“Best feeling in the world,” muttered the Motherwell captain deep inside the tunnel at St Mirren, the noise of a vocal ‘Well support echoing down the long corridor way after full time.
The contrast in emotions for Kelly and his team-mates at 5pm on Sunday were stark compared to what had gone on in the days before.
Undone and outdone in Ireland on Thursday by Sligo Rovers, a sense of gloom grew deeper with the departure of Graham Alexander as manager the following day. Looking back just two weeks earlier before a competitive ball was kicked, this is not how it was meant to go.
But for all the sleepless nights among supporters making their way back across the Irish Sea, the fact a dream start to the Premiership campaign was cleaved out on Sunday is a monumental source of satisfaction for Kelly as the Well keeper looks towards his first season as captain.
“The most important thing on Sunday was getting the three points. It’s been a difficult couple of weeks, but it’s also been a difficult few months,” said Kelly.
“The feeling on Sunday was fantastic and I think the scenes at the end, that’s what we want. That’s what Motherwell as a club is all about. That togetherness, from everyone on the touchline in the stand, they were all with us 100% of the way.
“It’s the best possible start for us against a really good team.”
For all that the exit from the Europa Conference League qualifiers wasn’t in the script for this Motherwell team, passion and pride have never been far away from the players or supporters.
That point was personified in the role of Stevie Hammell on Sunday. The academy director was hauled home from a family holiday in Arran to look after first-team duties over the weekend, and already Kelly believes the Well legend has made his mark.
With 582 appearances in claret and amber, the former left-back is Motherwell’s post-war record appearance holder. It is no surprise, then, that the respect of the dressing room has been firmly with 40-year- old.
“He was full of passion,” said Kelly of Hammell’s pre-match team talk on Sunday.
“You can tell the game and representing Motherwell is a massive thing for Hammy, as it is for every single person in that changing room, and that passion was shown towards us.
“There were a lot of tactics, too, but he gave us a freedom to go and express ourselves and show what we can do. He’ll be looking forward to putting his own message across and all the boys are behind him. He’s had a really positive impact on the group, and you saw that on Sunday.
“You see Hammy making his mark with Kian [Speirs, who got his debut on Sunday]. It’s great for him to come on the park. It would have been better if Ricki [Lamie] was still on as he would have been able to show his own assets, but I thought he did brilliantly when we went down to 10 men.
“It’s good to show that it doesn’t matter what age you are. Whether you’re 16 or 36. If the manager at the time thinks you’re good enough, you get that opportunity. That’s what Motherwell has been about for as long as I can remember, and I know Stevie Hammell will be keen to promote the youth.”
While the start of any new season is exciting, the forthcoming campaign represents a significant year for Motherwell’s No.1.
Despite only being 26, Kelly takes over the duty as captain at Fir Park after being given the role by former manager Alexander before his departure.
It’s clear this is a role Kelly takes great pride in. It’s no secret it suits his nature. During Covid times instructions and words of support were clearly audible to anyone lucky enough to be inside the stadium, so passing on messages shouldn’t be a problem.
But more importantly, there is a positivity and dedication from Kelly which will stand him in good stead as he tries to be a leader on and off the pitch in ML1.
“I do try and get the message from the manager across if we’ve been given instruction to play a certain way. I’ll commit to the manager’s plan and try to organise the team as best we can,” he said.
“I enjoy speaking through the game. It keeps me focused and gives me the best chance if I’m needed.”
Kelly added: “It’s an incredible privilege and honour to have been asked. Before the manager left, he asked me and it was a role I accepted.
“Obviously Stephen O’Donnell was captain last season and I learned a lot from him about how to go about things and conduct myself. I just try to be myself. I think I have a brilliant relationship with everyone in the building, there’s not a person I don’t get on with. I try my best every week. I’m committed to the club, I’m committed to giving everything I can every week.
“It’s an incredible privilege and an honour to be asked to be captain for this great club.”
While things didn’t go to plan in either leg, Kelly says it was a pinch-me moment as he hauled on the arm band before walking his team out against Sligo at a jam packed Fir Park last month.
Not that they need it, but Captain admits it provides added motivation to deliver success again this season for supporters.
Last season’s fifth-place finish provided a shot at European football, but Kelly is keen to emphasise that an exciting campaign is just getting underway even if the sun has set on the Fir Park club’s European exploits.
After Kevin van Veen’s penalty earned a hard-fought 1-0 victory on the opening weekend against St Mirren, overcoming the toughtask faced in St Johnstone today would help blow away the clouds which followed the claret and amber-clad support back from Sligo.
“It was an unbelievable experience walking out as captain at Fir Park to see all the support. The display they put on was incredible. The responsibility and guilt that we didn’t give them the result they deserve is there, and it’s up to us to try and make up for that in the league and cup competitions this year.
“As much as it will never replace doing well in a European competition, it’s the least we can do for the support that was given. It was an unbelievable experience.”
Kelly’s heroics in goal on Sunday will come as little surprise to anyone who has watched him develop into an international- class goalkeeper during his time at Fir Park.
An incredible reaction stop in Paisley in the first half – where an arm clawed the ball away while he was going in the opposite direction – was potentially outdone in the second half with a world-class stop to get down low and scoop a goalbound effort acrobatically over the bar.
As mentioned already, this is a big season for Kelly at Fir Park, but also at international level. For the last 12 months, the former Queens Park Rangers shot stopper has been regularly chosen by Scotland boss Steve Clarke, however a maiden senior cap has yet to come the way of the talented goalie.
But Kelly remains positive and optimistic. While veteran keeper Craig Gordon has been Scotland’s first-choice for some time, at just 26 Kelly has time on his side to push the Hearts man and anyone else who joins the national team to compete for a spot between the sticks.
“I’ve been away with Scotland for the last year now, it’s the best possible achievement. You only get it if you’re doing well for the club and deems the performances good enough,” said the ex-Livingston man.
“I’m playing with an incredibly talented group of players. My main focus is just trying to stay in amongst it and push the rest of the goalkeepers. I’m honest and open and vocal about the standard of the keepers in the league, and that’s no different with Scotland, none more so than with big Craig.
“I’ll keep trying to play well for Motherwell and not take anything for granted, and push Craig as much as I can.”
But how does a Scotland player pass the time?
Previous interviews with former Motherwell man Declan Gallagher revealed, coffee clubs, Call of Duty platoons and various other exciting pursuits to keep the players ticking over while on international duty.
“There’s a younger generation,” explained Kelly. “Me, Nathan Patterson, Ross Stewart, Jacob Brown enjoy chilling and playing a few games when we are away. It helps pass the time.
“My group is a wee bit old school.”
