NEW Morton signing Charlie Telfer is looking to play an important part in Ton’s season after a ‘frustrating’ injury-hit campaign in the Netherlands.

The 22-year-old spent last season with Dutch side Almere City in the Eerste Divisie in Holland’s second tier.

While he enjoyed the lifestyle abroad, a niggling groin injury limited his game time over the campaign to 10 first-team matches and he missed the second half of the season.

But after becoming Ray McKinnon’s third new recruit, following the recent additions of Chris Millar and Gregor Buchanan, the midfielder is looking to get 
some regular game time under his belt.

He told the Tele: “When I decided I was coming home from Holland I was just looking for a good opportunity, and obviously I knew what it was like working under Ray, and thought this was what I wanted.

“When he officially got announced as Morton manager he got in contact pretty soon after, and ever since then I met up with them for a day, went on holiday and then came back and signed, and as soon as I heard I was keen to be honest.

“I enjoyed my time in Holland but it was frustrating, towards the end of my time there I picked up a niggling injury for the second part of the season, but it was a great experience.

“The first six months I really enjoyed living in a different country, going to all the different stadiums, the different atmospheres and the culture of Dutch football was something I enjoyed.”

Telfer is not afraid to take a step into the unknown and is one of a few Scottish players to ply their trade abroad.

The 22-year-old followed in the footsteps of the likes of Oliver Burke, who went to RB Leipzig, Liam Henderson at Bari and Ryan Gauld at Sporting Lisbon to try playing across in Europe.

It was a chat with Gauld during a Scotland Under-21 camp that helped play a part in Telfer trying a stint abroad, and the former Dundee United midfielder believes more young players should give it a go.

He added: “It came to the end of the season with Dundee United and I just wanted to try something different and I fancied a change of scenery, somewhere where I could get away from it all.

“It was great at the start when I was playing all the time but after the hip injury I dropped out of the team.

“I didn’t regret it at all, and I think more young boys should try it. I feel like I’ve learned a lot and grown as a person and learned more about myself being over there, and it’s stood me in good stead this season.

“I remember speaking to Gauldy in the Scotland Under-21 camps and he said he loved it.

“He was learning the language and he said in some of these countries the lifestyle is just great, and the football’s even better, so I felt if I got the opportunity I couldn’t turn it down.

“And to be honest if I got another opportunity and it came to it I’d go abroad again.”

But for the time being Telfer is looking forward to playing under McKinnon, and after turning down offers from elsewhere in Scotland, he’s keen to hit the ground running with the Ton this season.

Telfer added: “I just want to be involved and play a main part this season, and if we build a team bond you can achieve a lot.

“As you saw with Livingston last season, how successful they were, it’s not about how many big players you can bring in, it’s about the team core. 

“If we can develop that, then we have a chance of going under the radar and proving some people wrong.”