STEPHEN PEARSON has taken the circuitous route to arrive back at Motherwell.

Since leaving for Celtic more than a decade ago, the midfielder has been with Derby County, Stoke City and Bristol City in England and, more recently, with the Kerala Blasters in the Indian Premier League. Now he is back at Fir Park until the end of the season and preparing to return to Celtic Park this evening, almost exactly 11 years on from when he last pulled on a Motherwell shirt.

Pearson cut an impressive, relaxed and articulate figure at his introductory press conference yesterday. His time in India was fairly brief - the entire season is crammed into three months - but it clearly served him well, both as a player and a person. He smiles at the memory of the fabled transportation chaos on the subcontinent - "there are two lanes for traffic but five rows of cars" - but the chance to spread his wings and operate outside his comfort zone is one he is evidently glad he took. It not only opened his eyes to a new way of living in a country madly passionate about sport, but he also got to do it alongside a bona fide living legend in former cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, the co-owner of the Blasters.

"I had a few questions I wanted to know [beforehand] and understand - just about the format and style of play," he said. "But I think you can only go and treat it as you find it. I found it to be a great experience and the standard was higher than I thought.

"I would never rule out going back either if the opportunity came up. They were lovely people and I enjoyed my football. Sachin Tendulkar put his name behind our franchise and came in to have a chat with the lads before and after games. I am sure most of the fans were coming to see him rather than us! He is a legend in India."

Pearson also hopes to use this short spell to patch up any remaining strains in his relationship with the Motherwell support. His move to Celtic in January 2004 was slightly acrimonious and he is keen to put that right.

"You want to be well thought of at all the teams you represent," he added. "Obviously the way the transfer was handled back then...it was out of my hands, it was an agent that was pushing it. And when you're young you're a bit naive and don't have experience of these things. Hopefully I can repay the fans by putting in good performances between now and the end of the season."

Pearson returns to a Motherwell side scrapping against relegation. Few will give them a chance at Celtic this evening but a draw there earlier in the season offers hope.

"Every team goes there looking for a result and we will go with a positive attitude," said manager Ian Baraclough. "I am sure all the pundits will have it down as a home banker and we will play on that fact. Motherwell got a draw at Celtic Park earlier in the season and there can't be a fear going there. You need to respect the players they have but on any given day, you can get a result."