Harry Paton credits Motherwell for Canada rise after MLS trial as he hopes to lock horns with Celtic trio

Harry Paton admits leaving Canada for a return to Scottish football was key in opening the door to his Maple Leaf dream.

The Motherwell ace spent nine months back in Toronto last season after departing Ross County. But despite having options across the Atlantic it was a call from his former boss Stuart Kettlewell at Fir Park in April that got his career sailing in the right direction again. Paton’s fine form for the Steelmen was this week rewarded with a call-up by interim Canada coach Mauro Biello for next Friday’s friendly against Japan where he could go up against Celtic trio Kyogo, Reo Hatate and Daizen Maeda.

And the midfielder said: “Last year I just wanted to go home to Toronto and see my family. I was training with Toronto FC at the time with a view to maybe joining the club but nothing came of it. There were a few other options on the table but coming back here was definitely the right thing for me because Scottish football really suits my style.

“Working with the manager is great because he does bring the best out of me. He’s helped me find consistency. He’s been a massive influence on my career. He was the one who brought me into Ross County and he brought me here too.

“The manager does a lot of work during training and after training with me and I’ve benefited from that. He congratulated me on my call-up but he definitely deserves some of the credit for putting his trust in me.”

Paton, who saw his only previous call-up for Canada duty scuppered by a bout of Covid, could face Kyogo, Hatate and Maeda in Nigaata next week just a fortnight after suffering injury time agony to the Hoops at Fir Park.

And the 25-year-old said: “It’ll be funny playing against them again over there but hopefully I can get a result