Motherwell’s Butcher sees his long-term future in defence

Calum Butcher sees his long-term future in central defence after impressing in Motherwell’s back three in recent weeks.

Butcher was signed following his exit from Burton at the end of the January transfer window as Motherwell sought a much-needed tough-tackling midfielder.

But he made his first appearance in central defence alongside fellow debutant Dan Casey against Raith Rovers after Motherwell were hit by a spate of injuries to centre-backs.

The Scottish Cup exit in Fife proved to be the end of Steven Hammell’s reign but new manager Stuart Kettlewell has employed former Dundee United midfielder Butcher in a back three and taken 10 points from his first four cinch Premiership games in charge.

Speaking ahead of Saturday’s visit of Rangers, the 32-year-old said: “It’s a position I would like to carry on playing. It’s where I see myself for the next few years.

“I do enjoy playing midfield and I am a player who will play anywhere that can help the team but it’s something I have really settled into and something I really enjoy doing. So hopefully I can continue playing there.

“I played in a back three when I was at United, on the right side, and now I’m at the middle. I’m just being back there and playing there and organising people.”

Butcher’s enjoyment has no doubt been helped by results as Motherwell moved away from the bottom.

“When I first came in there was a conversation between the lads where we sort of said we shouldn’t be in this situation but we are and we want to get out of it as quickly as possible,” he said.

“Pretty much from that conversation everyone has got together and stuck together and done what we needed to do and picked up points.

“From now until the end of the season we know there are a lot of big games but we also know there are a lot of games (where) we can pick up points and move up the table.”