The Finnish midfielder spent two seasons at the club between 2002 and 2004, in which time he made 64 appearances and scored 11 goals as well as helping the Ton to the Third Division title.

He has always kept a keen eye on the club’s fortunes and last week made his first return to Greenock since leaving over a decade ago, in order to take in last Saturday’s crunch top of the table clash with Stranraer.

The 36-year-old was delighted to see Jim Duffy’s men claim such an important victory and told how many fondly held memories came flooding back as he watched the action unfold from a seat in the directors’ box beside chairman Douglas Rae. Speaking exclusively to the Tele, Uotinen said: “It was an exciting match. Both teams needed the points, especially Morton — and they won it, which was the most important thing.

“Everybody was happy at Cappielow, and I was happy and even got a little bit involved during the game, supporting Morton because they are my former team of course.

“Everything happened so fast when I came here. Janne Lindberg told me Morton wanted a midfielder and he had recommended me. I came over, had a trial, did well and signed for two years that summer.

“Being back at Cappielow again has brought up so many memories, and my best memories come from 2003 when Scotty Bannerman scored and we beat Peterhead 1-0 to win the Third Division.

“I still remember it all very well. There were 8,500 here and it was a great atmosphere. I came on as a sub and I remember how nervous the last five minutes were.

“We were kicking the ball anywhere, but we survived. I can still remember the feeling of excitement waiting for the trophy to arrive in a helicopter from somewhere else. It was a good night!

“I was 24 or 25 at that time, my best age as a footballer, and realised how much I had developed as a player when I went returned to Finland. I saw a difference.

“The tempo was higher here and we had a good team with good players at Morton. We played good football and the training was of a high standard. It was good times, good memories.” Uotinen fell out of favour under manager John McCormack and eventually left at the end of the 2003-04 season. His departure is still a source of regret for him.

He added: “I was a little bit disappointed with the way my time here ended. I didn’t get much time in the starting 11 from February until April. I wasn’t involved in the last game of the season, which was against Airdrie, because they didn’t want to renew my contract probably because I didn’t play, which was obvious of course.

“Sometimes I think I should have stayed a longer time in Scotland to play. That’s the one thing I regret as a player.

“I had a chance to sign here at Morton for three years during my first season, but for some reason I can’t remember I didn’t just sign it. Maybe that extra year could have made the difference.” At that stage Uotinen returned to his homeland and played for the likes of MyPa 47, Rakuunat, VPS Vaasa and VIFK before retiring in 2009.

Since hanging up his boots, the former Under-21 cap has gained his UEFA Pro Licence and worked as a head of youth at VPS and current club FC Jazz, for whom he also had a spell as first-team boss.

He explained: “My confidence was down when I left Morton and I just felt like maybe it was time to go back home and try and play some football again.

“I did well and actually helped MyPa win the Finnish Cup in my first season back there, and then moved to VPS and won our version of the Scottish Championship with them.

“When I stopped playing I moved into coaching. It’s my sixth year as a full-time coach and I really enjoy everything about it.

“It’s so different to playing; it’s a 24/7 job. Even now, I am on a holiday in Scotland but I have been watching football all the time. I wanted to see old friends and to see football.

“I went to watch Morton’s Under-20s play Ayr on Tuesday, I went to see Celtic against Inter, I watched the Morton first-team and youth teams train and finally the Stranraer match of course. But I love to do that. To be a good coach you have to educate yourself all the time, because there are a lot of good coaches and the competition is getting higher.” When asked about his coaching ambitions and whether filling the vacant Under-20s coaching position at Cappielow could be of interest to him, he replied: “That is a good question. Of course, I want to learn every day to try and develop myself as a coach. My goal is to make a better coaching career than playing career.

“I had a spell as permanent first-team manager at Jazz for the last 10 games of last season after the coach resigned. It was good for me to see that side of things coaching wise.

“It was all about the results in that job and youth football is all about developing the players. It’s a different world and maybe someday I would do it again.

“As far as the Morton Under-20s job is concerned, I am currently very happy in my role at Jazz, but I am always open to new experiences in football.

“I do have an ambition to work abroad, preferably in the UK, in the future and I would never rule out a return to a fantastic club such as Morton. But as things stand, I am a Jazz coach and fully committed to my work there.” Irrespective of his own future, Uotinen says he will continue to monitor the Ton’s results from afar as they attempt to get up to the Championship, with a special focus on Saturday 2 May. He concluded: “Morton are now just one point behind [Stranraer]. I have been looking all the time at their results and wish them all the best for the rest of the season. I hope they can get promoted.

“The last game of the season is against Peterhead and it might be another cracking match — just like it was 12 years ago!”