MORTON youngster Lewis Strapp says it’s his time to shine this season at Cappielow after signing a new contract.

The 18-year-old, who first joined the Ton’s academy back in 2012, penned a fresh one-year deal with the Greenock side yesterday.

Strapp has progressed through the ranks at Morton, making his debut back in 2016 against Albion Rovers.

The left-back is keen to make an impact this season, saying if he wants to make it in football he needs to showcase his talents sooner rather than later.

But with Jack Iredale making the spot his own towards the end of last season, and Mark Russell mulling a new contract offer from the club, Strapp knows he will be up against it to fight for a spot.

But he feels he’s more than up to the challenge.

He told the Tele: “It’s a big year for me, I’ve always been known as an under-20s player, but now this is my big year to push on.

“I’m not a young boy anymore. I’m turning 19 this year and it’s about time I kicked on and seen as fighting for that role more now.

“I want it to be between me or Jack [Iredale] or Mark [Russell]. I want it to be me and whoever else to be pushing for that left back spot.

Strapp spent much of the first half of last season out on loan to League Two side Elgin City.

The youngster, who made the long journeys up from Dunoon for training in Elgin, made 12 appearances for the Borough Briggs side, two of those from the bench. 

And the 18-year-old said his spell with Gavin Price’s side has given him the confidence to show he can prove himself in the Championship.

He added: “My loan spell was good, it was just the travelling, it was something else. I enjoyed it, it was good to get some games under my belt.

“If I hadn’t done that then I maybe wouldn’t have felt as confident but I went up there and did well.

"Now I know I can play well for Morton, I can play in the Championship, I went up to Elgin and played well so I have nothing to lose really.”

After suffering a minor injury to his ankle at the end of last season, Strapp has been working away on his rehab during the off-season.

And he’s hoping to hit the ground running and impress new manager Ray McKinnon when he returns to pre-season training tomorrow with the rest of the squad.

He said: “I strained my ligaments, it was at the end of the season and there was no point pushing through the injury.

“I didn’t really go on holiday this season, because it’s a big season for me and I was injured I already had three weeks off before we were all meant to be on holiday.

“I’ve just been going to the gym and kept myself ticking over so I’m ready when we go back. You want to go in and make a good impression and you don’t want to be struggling.”