Motherwell legend Keith Lasley admits he will no doubt have “a good greet” as he looks back over his playing career, with a little help from his mum’s scrapbooks.

The 37-year-old has called time on his 18-year professional playing career, the majority of which was spent at Motherwell but for a two-year spell in England with Plymouth Argyle and Blackpool, and has accepted the assistant manager’s job at Fir Park.

And while he has been too excited at the prospect of his new role to wallow in nostalgia, he will set time aside to look back and celebrate a career that surpassed all of his expectations.

“I haven’t really had a chance to process that my playing days are over with everything that has been going on,” Lasley said.

“I’ve just been so excited with the new challenge that lies ahead of me, and it’s good to have that to focus on to take my mind off of it.

“When I came into this club straight off a building site, I couldn’t have dreamt that I would have had the times I have had here. I thought I would be back as a spark within six months.

“I was late into professional football at 19, and when you think some clubs are now writing boys off at seven or eight, I was incredibly lucky to get the break I did.

“I love this club, and to get the opportunity to not only make so many appearances, but to experience so many highs on the field and captain the club as well as now becoming the assistant manager, it’s a dream come true.

“I’ve had a lot to consider over the summer, because I had the option of playing on at Motherwell, and financially that would have been better. But after discussing it with my family and having a long, hard think about it, I decided now was the right time to make that next step in my career.

“It’s obviously sad to hang up the boots, and I’m sure I will take some time at some point to have a wee look back and probably have a good greet. 

“My mum has scrapbooks with all the old pictures and cuttings out of the papers, so it will be nice to just sit down, look back on that and celebrate it with my family.”

Lasley replaces another club legend in the role after James McFadden left Fir Park, but he wanted to dispel any notion his appointment was a case of “jobs for the boys”.

He recently completed his UEFA A Licence, and he feels ready to show he can make a worthwhile contribution on the coaching side of the club.

“It’s something I’ve been planning for about 10 years, and I’m determined to make a success of it,” he said.

“I’m not just here to fill a role because I’ve been about the place for so long. 

“I’m here to do a job and I’m here to do that to the best of my ability, and I feel as though I’m capable of making an impression and a contribution.

“In the latter years of my playing career that’s what I always tried to look at, if I was making a contribution, and I always thought that to be the case.

“I now want to take that into this role, and make sure I am improving the players and that we see a winning team out here.

“I’m excited about what the future holds for the club. Everything off the park is being run brilliantly and I believe in what Stephen Robinson is trying to do here.”