Stephen Pearson has declared himself fit and ready to aid Motherwell’s push for a fourth-placed finish.

The midfielder has described the pain he went through after landing awkwardly against Dundee United back in March.

After giving up on receiving treatment for the injury amid the unique experience of a Friday night in A&E in Wishaw, he eventually had to go to the Southern General when the pain failed to subside.

He has now fully recovered though, and wants to help Mark McGhee’s side finish the season with a flourish, starting against second-placed Aberdeen at Pittodrie today.

“I punctured a lung against Dundee United out there on the Friday night,” he said. “I couldn’t get a lot of breath.

“I went up to the hospital initially but it was rammed. I’d have been waiting for about four hours for an x-ray, so I left it then I waited to see how I was in the morning.

“There wasn’t any improvement so the physio and I went along to the Southern General and it got sorted out there. They gave me an x-ray and it showed I’d got a punctured lung and a cracked rib.

“I had to stay in hospital and get oxygen for four days. It wasn’t great. I didn’t think I’d done that to be honest.

“Initially I thought I was just winded and I’d try to run it off. Buy my breath shortened up, and I went to hospital.

“I wasn’t expecting it to be as bad as it was. I’d broken a rib before, the same rib. I thought it was maybe just a follow-up of that.

“A punctured lung was a bit worrying but it was only minor. If it’s a more serious case I think they have to drain it but it wasn’t that.

“They just put me on the oxygen to get it back into my lungs. It healed pretty quickly and I’m glad it’s behind me now I can move on. I feel good now and I’m ready to go again.”

Pearson admits it is slightly strange for himself and his fellow teammates from the so-called ‘Class of ‘02’, like Keith Lasley, Stevie Hammell and James McFadden, to now be considered the elder statesmen around the club.

He was delighted to watch the Motherwell under-20 side secure the Youth Cup during the week, and hopes that he can help those youngsters as they break into the senior side - just as he was helped by the likes of Phil O’Donnell and Scott Leitch.

“We all went through and watched the boys take the trophy,” he said. “It was a great night for everyone, especially the young boys.

“They’re the first team to do it in our history, it’s superb for them. Hopefully they can feature between now and the end of the season.

“It took me back to my youth days, I played at Hampden for schoolboys but not for the youth team. They boys have gone one better and I’m sure there will be a few sore heads there!

"When you see all the young boys come through, you compare them to yourself back then.

"We’re fortunate to have such a talented bunch there and I think you’ll see some of them before the end of the season and then next season.

"Your own career flies by but I’ve still got quite a bit to offer I feel and I’ve got a few more years yet. The older players here have still got a huge part to play.

“[Wednesday] night was a brilliant experience for the young team and it shows there are boys coming through and they’ll be banging on the door next season.

“I think it’s crucial to have that balance. I don’t think you can just go with a team of young boys. You need some experienced heads for when the times get tough.”