Despite returning to a ground where he starred in midfield just two years ago, new Motherwell recruit Liam Grimshaw isn’t taking anything for granted as he embarks on his second Fir Park adventure.

Grimshaw, a former captain of the Manchester United reserves, has learnt the hard way that life outside of one of the world’s top academies is harsh and unforgiving.

Having earned rave reviews in his previous stint in Scotland, Grimshaw joined Preston North End as a young star on the rise, but after a nightmare spell at Deepdale he has returned to Lanarkshire in a bid to rediscover himself as a player.

And the track record of the teammates he shared a dressing room with at Old Trafford has taught him that you have to earn everything you get in this game, no matter where you came from.

“It was a shock to the system going from Manchester United to the real world really,” said Grimshaw.

“That’s football isn’t it? But people will have similar situations in their own jobs too, you just have to get on with it.

“There aren’t really any players from that (Manchester United reserve) team who are at a high level.

"Ben Pearson at Preston has done well and there are a few other lads like me who have been on the fringes of teams, but apart from that, no.

“It shows you can’t take anything for granted. Once you leave academy football it’s totally different, it’s not like playing for a first-team on a Saturday when you are playing for three points and it means everything to the players and fans.

“The last couple of years have been frustrating. When I left here I had an injury at Preston.

“I got playing a little bit and started the next year playing at right-back, but it fizzled out really and I’ve never kicked on since.

“It is frustrating to be out of the team, but there are worse things in life. I was still going into training and giving my best, so as long as you can say that there’s nothing else you can do.

“I went on loan to Chesterfield and played about 13 games, and that was another experience because they got relegated.

“I was then told by Preston that I wasn’t wanted really. Obviously, from being here before, it was a no-brainer to come back up, and hopefully I can get some game-time and play.

“Knowing the club and the town really helps out. I enjoyed my time up here before and hopefully it will be similar again.”

Grimshaw knows he won’t be able to simply walk into a Motherwell side who have performed well so far this season, and he is prepared to play wherever manager Stephen Robinson wants him to.

He thinks he is a better player now for the experiences he has been through than the one who left Fir Park at the start of 2016, but realises he may have to wait for his chance to prove it.

“I’ve learnt that you have to be patient really, and I’ve learnt that even when you do give your best, it won’t always be enough,” he said.

“I’ll always do that though and I always have done. As long as you give your best, you can hold your head up high. Hopefully if I can do that up here and get a chance on the team.

“I think I am more experienced now. When I first came up here it was my first loan move, I had only been playing reserve team football.

“I’ve been playing with Championship standard players, so hopefully I’ve improved from that too.”