MICHAEL Doyle has thanked the Morton fans for their support after being let go by the club.

The defender says he was already preparing for life away from Morton before being informed he wouldn’t be offered a new contract.

The 26-year-old, who played 43 times for the Ton last season, was told last week he would no longer be getting a deal at Cappielow for next season.

New manager Ray McKinnon has begun work shaping his Morton squad for next season, with Luca Gasparotto and Ross Forbes also being cleared by the Greenock side so far.

Doyle revealed he had been ‘considering his future’ after former manager Jim Duffy left in April, as he now begins his search for a new team.

However, the full-back reflected positively over his two-year stint, which saw him play in the League Cup semi-final against Aberdeen and help the Ton reach the play-offs.

He said: “I want to thank the Morton players, fans and staff as well for the two years I spent at the club. 

“We had some success, getting to a semi-final and finishing in the play-offs.

“I was considering my future anyway because of what was happening.

“It was Warren [Hawke, Morton’s chief executive] who gave me a phone call, so I never got to meet Ray but I wish him all the best.

“I’m old enough now and you find out these things happen in football.”

The defender, who started out with Celtic during his youth days, will now look across the UK as he looks to push on with his career.

He said: “I’ve spoken to a couple of clubs north and south of the border and we’ll see what happens over the summer.

“I want to better myself as much as I can and play at the highest possible level that I can. We’ll see what happens.

“I’ll keep plodding away and keep looking for something over the summer.

“If I was a younger player then you get down about it, but I’m not down about it. 

“I’m hoping for big things in the future and we’ll see what happens over the summer.”