JACK Iredale says he will always be grateful to former Morton boss Jim Duffy for giving him the chance to move back to Greenock.

The defender, who last week signed a one-year extension to stay at Morton, moved 9,000 miles away when his parents emigrated to Australia when he was just several months old.

He grew up in Perth, and started off his football career with spells at Perth Glory and ECU Joondaloop.

The 22-year-old looked to Scotland for his next move, and with the help of Joondaloop coach and former St Mirren player Steven McGarry, Iredale was offered a trial with rivals Saints last summer.

The defender played in a game for the Paisley side against Morton Under-20s, but Buddies manager Jack Ross told Iredale after the game he was not to be offered a deal.

However, later in the day Duffy gave him a call to offer him a trial period with the Cappielow side, and he was later offered a contract with the Ton.

The left-back says his family’s old friends have helped him settle in his first year back in Scotland after 20 years away and he says he is thankful to his former gaffer for giving him the opportunity to return to Inverclyde.

He told the Tele: “I was on trial for St Mirren and played a game against Morton Under-20s, and I did really 
well.

“Jim Duffy was there watching, Jack Ross told me there was no place for me in the afternoon and then that evening the gaffer was on the phone to me and asked me if I wanted a trial and it just went from there.

“It was weird, it was a 20-year round-trip, I left before I was one and then came back when I was 21. It’s strange but it’s really cool when you think about it.

“The club gave me that initial chance to make a career in Europe, and Jim Duffy took a gamble with me and he gave me an opportunity and I’m really thankful that he’s done so.

“I didn’t really know what to expect when I moved over but it’s been amazing. The scenery around Gourock where I’m living is ridiculous.

“All of my mum and dad’s good pals are still around and have helped me out when I settled in, and then playing every week helped the mood. I’m comfortable and happy.”

After returning from a spell on loan at Queen’s Park in the first half of the season, Iredale quickly worked his way into the first-team fold at Morton in 2018.

The 22-year-old impressed in the left-back position, and made the spot his own towards the end of the campaign, after previously playing as a centre-back.

He scored three times, including a dramatic late winner against Dumbarton and his strike against Dundee United was nominated as one of the PFA Scotland’s Goal of the Season.

And he credited a lot of his improvement this year down to his loan spell in League One.

He added: “That loan really did help me out. I came back and Jim said I had good attributes to be a left-back and then I just really enjoyed playing there and I think it showed with the performances that were coming.

“It was a really good first season for me.”