Well signing Dan Twardzik out to impress

Motherwell’s new signing Dan Twardzik is out to make up for lost time this season.

The Czech keeper has been handed a deal after impressing while on an emergency loan at Fir Park in December and January. He kept three clean sheets in five appearances and conceded only two goals.

He had hoped that might help lead to a run in the first team on his return to parent club Dundee, then playing in the Championship. It wasn’t to be, with new Dark Blues boss Paul Hartley preferring Kyle Letheren.

But Dan recalled: “Two weeks after I came back to Dens Park, Kyle got a red card so I had to go into the team.

“I played one-and-a-half games and thought I did well. But a new manager came in and he wanted to continue playing with the man who had been No. 1 the whole season.”

It was a decision that did nothing for Twardzik’s morale.

“I just had to take it and wait for the next chance. But it never came.”

Worse was to follow, as it became clear the 23-year-old was surplus to requirements.

“My Dundee contract was just for one year,” said Twardzik. “The manager said he wouldn’t speak to anybody before the season finished, and that nothing would be resolved until we knew whether we had won promotion.

“We got up, but he then said he would not be able to offer me any games. When you hear that, you have to think about moving somewhere else. Now Motherwell have given me that chance.

“I only worked with Stuart McCall for one month. But I could see the difference between him and the managers I have had before here and in different countries. He’s a decent manager.”