MORTON'S Craig McGuffie hopes that he will be like a brand new signing as the season kicks off next month.

The talented playmaker had not long arrived at the club on an 18-month deal when last season was brought to a shuddering halt by coronavirus.

Since then McGuffie has been desperate to get back to action and now that training has finally returned he is itching to make his mark at Cappielow.

McGuffie told the Tele: "The lockdown probably couldn’t have come at a worse time for me to be honest.

“I was just starting to settle into the group and find my feet and I’d obviously nicked my first goal down for the club down at Dumfries.

“To be just getting started and then for it all to stop with no return date was pretty horrible.

"But this gives everyone a fresh start, not just me.

“All the boys who were carrying injuries towards the end of the season have a chance to start fresh.

"Everyone’s on the same page."

McGuffie admits that it took him a few days to readjust to the routine after pre-season recently started but has been impressed with the condition of the squad.

He said: “It’s been tough being back in after such a long lay-off but the boys are looking really sharp.

“We’ve been doing long-distance fitness work in the mornings and then shorter bursts later on in the day.

"I think we’re all just happy to be back in this sort of environment.”

McGuffie feels that the upcoming campaign could be the biggest one of his career so far.

The 22-year-old says he is determined to make himself one of the first names on David Hopkin's teamsheet.

He told the Tele: “I’ve got a big season coming up.

"I came to the club because I felt as if I wasn’t getting enough starts at Ayr United and I wanted a fresh start to prove myself.

“I just want to get some games under my belt because I think if I got a run of five or six starts then I think I could really show everyone what I can do.

“When you’re in for a few games and then you’re out again for a while it’s hard to get consistency in your game, so I’m hoping that I can find that here at Morton.

“I know it's up to me to continue to work hard and show the manager that I’ve earned a chance.

“I’ve got to make sure that I’m fit and that I show it in training, but hopefully I can make one of the positions in the team mine this year.

“I’m hoping that this year can be like a breakthrough for me, even though I’ve had over 100 appearances for Ayr.

“It's a chance for me to really stake my claim and chip in with some more goals and assists.

“When I was a bit younger I was probably doing all the nice flicks and tricks in the middle of the park and not really delivering with the final product.

"I’m going to concentrate on having a more well-rounded impact this year.”