LEE Kilday is looking forward to a fresh start under Ray McKinnon after signing a new Morton deal yesterday.

The defender will enter his fifth season at Cappielow after agreeing a one-year contract extension.

The centre-back last played for Morton over a year ago against Dunfermline in April 2017 after suffering an ankle injury.

Following several operations and a prolonged spell on the sidelines, he played in a couple of games for the development side before being loaned out to Airdrie at the end of last season.

But the 26-year-old feels he’s back to his best after working hard during the summer and is looking forward to getting out on the Cappielow pitch again.

He told the Tele: “I’m just glad to get it signed. I’m looking forward to getting back, and the season ahead.

“Personally I want to just get back playing football and get playing as much as I can again.

“Things are getting freshened up and it’s a new challenge for everybody, it’s exciting times with a new manager coming in and everyone’s looking forward to working under him.”

Kilday’s future was up in the air when manager Jim Duffy was in charge due to his injury, and he was due to meet the manager again after the campaign finished.

But with the former Ton boss losing his job, Kilday was unsure of where his future lay.

He had to wait until the new manager was installed to find out whether they would want to keep him.

It was worth the wait for the former Hamilton player, and Kilday revealed the manager was impressed with his past performances against his Dundee United and Raith Rovers sides.

He added: “I didn’t know what was happening at the end of the season.

“When you’re on holiday you try and enjoy it as much as you can because it’s the only sort of break you get.

“I’d been out a year so with anybody new coming in you’re not quite sure.

“I’d played against Ray’s sides before and done quite well, and that’s what he said to me when I met him. He said to me, ‘Every time you’ve played against my sides you’ve been brilliant’, and that’s why he wanted to keep me.

“I’m glad it’s all done now, and I’m just looking forward to getting back to pre-season on Thursday now.”

The 26-year-old also says he was impressed with McKinnon’s vision for the club.

He said: “I thought he [McKinnon] was brilliant, just the way he came across and the things he wants to do with the club.

“It was really exciting to hear what he has planned and it was great speaking to him.

“I’m looking forward to meeting the new boys as there are obviously big changes at the club.”