KERR Waddell says he didn’t have to think twice about extending his loan with Morton until the end of the season.

The defender, on loan from Dundee, has made 13 appearances so far during his time at Cappielow.

The 20-year-old revealed manager Jonatan Johansson asked him several weeks ago about his desire to extend his contract.

While he consulted close family and friends about the decision, the centre-back knew straight away he wanted to stay on.  

He also spoke to fellow Ton team-mate Connor Bell, who is his housemate in Greenock.

He told the Tele: “I was really happy to get it sorted out. I’d been wanting to do it for some time but I’m glad it’s done now.

“The manager spoke to me about two weeks ago, he told me he wanted to keep me and would speak to Dundee and sort it out.

“When he told me I knew straight away that I wanted to stay, I love it here. I obviously spoke to my parents, my agent and I spoke to Connor as well.”

It was felt Dundee might have considered taking the defender back in January when his original deal ended, with Jim McIntyre’s side sitting at the bottom of the Premiership.

However, there was never any contact between Waddell and his parent club, and Johansson’s desire to keep the centre-back was another big factor in him wanting to stay on at Morton.

He added: “It’s nice to feel appreciated and wanted by someone.

“Neil McCann wanted me to go on loan to get game time, and would send me good luck texts before games, but since Jim McIntyre has been in I’ve not heard from him.

“It’s nice to feel wanted, and the manager has made me his first signing.

“It was good to see the Morton fans being happy about it, I just hope I can keep them onside by the end of the season.”

Waddell is enjoying living away from home for the first time, and is embracing life at the club.

The defender watches the club’s reserve games, as well as taking part in the Morton Community activities.

The self-confessed Arbroath fan says he loves doing the extra bits for the club, as it reminds him of when he was a Red Lichties fan growing up, looking up to his heroes, such as Paul Sheerin.

The player-manager helped seal the club’s promotion in 2011 — Arbroath’s first senior honour in their 133-year history — by beating rivals Montrose 4-1.

He said: “I really enjoy it because I remember what I was like as a kid growing up watching Arbroath play, I started watching them when I was four.

“It is a bit weird with kids suddenly looking up to you when I was like them not that long ago, and them telling me they want to be like me when they grow up, but it’s nice to hear and I enjoy it.

“I used to love Paul Sheerin when I was growing up. 

“We won promotion back in 2011 under him, I was down there when we beat Montrose to win the league and it’s something I’ll never forget.”