Andy Halliday is 'settled' at Motherwell after Hearts heartache - but never fell out of love with football

Andy Halliday hopes he has found the perfect home at Motherwell after being ditched by Hearts, and is loving it so far.

The 32-year-old former Rangers star is on a loan deal until the end of this season, when his Tynecastle contract runs out, and will then sign for a year.

Halliday was with Hearts for just over three years, but made just six appearances off the bench, totalling less than an hour this season.

He’s managed more than that in four games at Motherwell over a 17-day period, and hopes there’s much more to come.

Halliday bagged his first Motherwell goal in the 5-0 win over Ross County on Tuesday and though he was replaced by Lennon Miller in 49 minutes, left the pitch to a standing ovation and feels fine for Friday’s Scottish Cup fifth round clash against Morton at Cappielow.

He said: “I feel OK, I think it’s just a build-up from not playing football for so long, to playing a few games in quick succession.

“I’ve really enjoyed it since I’ve been in. That’s two or three weeks now, but it feels like I’ve been here for a lot longer, and I feel really settled.

“The lads, staff and the manager are great, and being back on the pitch again after sitting on the sidelines for so long as been great for me as well.

“There wasn’t any point where I fell out of love with football [at Hearts], but you do miss that feeling of being back on the pitch, and it has been good for me that the games have come thick and fast.

“Maybe not so much for the old fatigue levels, but I’m building up that match-fitness.

“I have to say the staff and the medical team have been great on that side, very understanding about my situation.

Halliday bagged his first Motherwell goal to open the scoring in Tuesday’s 5-0 win over Ross County at Fir Park

“Prior to coming here I hadn’t started a game since April, I think it was, and that’s four games at Motherwell now.

“When you’ve not played for a long time, and you’re back on that pitch, you savour every moment.”

Halliday is looking forward to the cup clash in Greenock tonight, if selected, and hopes Tuesday’s win kicks thei season on.

“We know it’s a massive victory, but there’s still a lot to play for this season. We’re not getting too carried away,” he said.

“We’ve got a massive game again on Friday. Any club, especially with the ambition we have, we want to make an imprint on the cup competitions.

“I think Morton are unbeaten now in 13 games, so they’re in a good bit of space as well, so it will be a big fixture for us and we’re looking forward to it.

“I think there’s a lot of quality within the squad and it’s just sort of reaffirmed that since I’ve come in.

Halliday says Motherwell have shown their quality in recent games but not got the results to match

“I’ve always felt we weren’t too far away over the last couple of weeks – St Johnstone, Killie, Alloa, even – which I thought were all good performances and we came away with a bit of a bitter feeling, because we didn’t feel that we got our just rewards from the games.

“In-house, it’s one of those where you feel if you continue those performances then results are going to come.

“On Tuesday I thought the first half was really good.

“Ross County controlled the ball in periods of the game, but any time we went forward I thought we looked like scoring.

“It’s so easy in the second half to then die down and you try and hold onto the three points with it being such a big game.

“But the lads really showed that ruthless instinct.”

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