MORTON defender Sean McGinty says that he is ready to show his leadership skills on and off the park as he looks to cement his place in David Hopkin’s side.

The 27-year-old penned a one-year contract extension at the beginning of August and hopes that he can help to set an example for his younger team-mates to follow as pre-season preparations continue.

The former Partick Thistle man is determined to show his best form at the back and wants to add more goals to his game this season.

He told the Tele: “At the last three or four clubs I’ve been at I’ve been the captain at some stage.

“Being a leader sort of comes naturally to me now because of that and we’ve now got a young squad here.

“We’ve got a few older heads and we’ve then got four or five younger ones and you’ve just got to help them out as and when you can.

“They’ve now got their chance in pre-season coming up from the academy to show what they’re all about, and I’m sure if they impress the gaffer then they’ll be in with a chance.

“I’ve got to focus on myself and my performances first and foremost, but I’ve got to make sure that I’m helping out in any way possible.

“I’ve got to try and lead by example and I think the best way of doing that is by the way you go about your duties on the pitch.

“If you’re putting in performances on the park week in and week out then it gives those younger ones something to look up to.

“Hopefully that goal against Arbroath can give me that platform to really kick on and establish myself this season.

“Okay, I’ve got one goal but even as a defender I want to be adding more to that.

“I played 35 games last season and I only scored the once so on a personal note that’s disappointing on top of the number of clean sheets that I’d kept.

“There’s probably no better way to go out than scoring when I did and how I did, but it’s up to me to take that confidence into the forthcoming season.”

The towering central defender believes that having most of last season's squad signed up for the new campaign will help the Ton kick on to a new level.

He said: “There were eight games to go before it all got stopped, so who knows what could’ve happened with the run of form that we were on.

“I think we’ve kept most of the squad together which can work in our favour.

“We’ve lost a couple, but we’ve kept the majority of the mainstay of last year’s side, but I’m sure it’s going to be an exciting season for us."