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 August 6 and was out until December 28 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 – with Motherwell already qualified for the knockout stages after taking nine points from three Group F matches – the former Ireland Under-21 described how “proud” he was of recent developments.

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 am delighted to get the deal signed and to be the club captain is brilliant – it has given me a new perspective on my career since it happened. I appreciate everything a lot more.

“We become complacent in our lives and we start giving out about little things – everyone does – but since that [lay-off] I appreciated going out to training in the morning, going out to play.”