STEPHEN McMANUS has pledged that he wishes to finish his career at Fir Park as he attempts to help Motherwell this afternoon secure the top-six place that could bring a new deal closer.

The former Celtic centre-half has been a familiar face in the Motherwell defence ever since he was brought in during the summer of 2013 by Stuart McCall, racking up 118 appearances in claret and amber.

As well as providing a sturdy anchor at the base of Mark McGhee’s team, McManus also offers a wealth of experience earned through years at the highest level, including captaining his country in addition to skippering Celtic into the last 16 of the Champions League.

Not that those days of title chases or visits to the Nou camp has diminished his ambition in the modest surroundings of Lanarkshire. Quite the opposite, in fact.

“I’m 33 but I’ve loved my time at the football club. I have no doubt I’ll sit down with the manager and see what he wants to do,” said McManus.

“If the club want me to extend my stay I’d definitely open to speak about it. If they don’t then I’ll look to go elsewhere.

“The one thing I’m not ready to do is retire. Since I’ve been here I’ve missed something like two games, in three years it’s a good innings.

I’ve no problems fitness wise. I’ll be able to play at this level for another few years.

"I’m 33 so I can still play for a few years yet. Whether that’s at Motherwell or somewhere else, time will tell.

“It’s a great football club to be a part of. The fans have been terrific with me, the players have been terrific, the staff have been terrific.

I would happily finish my career with Motherwell but the decision would ultimately lie with them. If it’s not going to be there I will finish my career somewhere else.

“The most important thing is to stay fit and healthy and to play week in, week out. I’ve been able to do that for the last how many years. We’ll see how it goes.”

Part of the reason the centre-half wants to hang around at Fir Park is down to the family atmosphere that encapsulates the place.

This sense of togetherness was evident only two months ago when, after a shock 2-0 home defeat to Kilmarnock, McGhee felt compelled to phone a handful of his players and apologise for the system he implemented that he believed contributed to their downfall.

McManus admits he was one of the few to be contacted by his manager, but it was a moment that resonated deeply with the experience veteran.

"I was one of the lucky ones,” he joked. “I can’t remember what I was doing at the time but I did leave the room and told the girls they’d have to be quiet!

“I’ve never experienced that before and it shows how much he cares and how much he respects some of the people.

"He thought it was his fault but it certainly wasn’t. We’re the ones that played in the game. It’s up to the manager to set the team and tactical side of it up, but it’s up to the team to go out and fulfil that.”

Since that night, Motherwell have strung together a mesmerising run including five wins in their last five games to take them to within touching distance of the top six and potential European football.

In their path in the last game before the split is Celtic at Fir Park this afternoon, a side who could do with the points for very different reasons.

“I’ve been involved with title run-ins at this stage and you need to hope you have characters who can deal with certain situations,” said McManus.

“I’ve been involved with title run-ins at this stage and you need to hope you have characters who can deal with certain situations.

"If you’d said to us when we’d lost at home to Kilmarnock that we’d be in this situation we would all have taken it, no question.

"It’s all credit to the players and the manager. It’s in our own hands. We need a point.

"We know it’ll be difficult but we’ve nothing to fear given the run that we’re on."