Luca Stephenson has described it as the “longest car drive in the world”. No company; no music; no podcasts – from Motherwell to Liverpool. Three hours spent obsessing over a single moment.
One regret. Stephenson couldn’t help but incessantly replay his lunging tackle on Moses Ebiye in the box which allowed Lennon Miller to send Motherwell into the semi-final of the Premier Sports Cup at Dundee United’s expense. In the aftermath of the contest – with the players given a couple of days off – Stephenson decided to head home, taking advantage of the sanctuary from scrutiny afforded by his family after the biggest error of his short career.
A necessary, Stephenson can afford to reflect on that outing at Fir Park with candour. After all, the 21-year-old responded to the set-back in splendid fashion, registering two assists and in last weekend’s 3-3 draw with Kilmarnock. And he offers a vivid insight into how a match-defining mistake can affect a young player – and the perspective required.
“ from Motherwell on the night,” recalled Stephenson. “It felt like the longest car drive in the world. It was a lonely one.
“It was silence all the way. That’s not normally the case. But I didn’t know what else to do.
So, I just sat in silence, with the moment playing over in my head. It wasn’t a nice feeling. “Seeing friends and family was a big reason why I went back.
I knew my family wouldn’t batter my head talking about it! They knew how I was feeling. Th.