DEPARTING Morton midfielder Reece Lyon has broken his silence on his 'horrible' exit after the Tele revealed that he was leaving the club.

Lyon is currently on loan at Annan Athletic and he will not be back at Cappielow afterwards.

Incoming Kelty Hearts boss Michael Tidser has already targeted a swoop for the 23-year-old.

Local lad and Cappielow academy graduate Lyon says that the manner of his departure was the worst end he could have imagined as the curtain comes down on a nine-year association with the club.

He exclusively told the Tele: “The last few years have been tough at Morton.

"But I’ve really enjoyed getting back out and playing my football at Annan.

“The club and the gaffer have been brilliant for me whilst I’ve been here and I’ve enjoyed every minute so far.

“The loan couldn't have gone much better for me and it’s been the perfect way to bounce back from what has really been a horrible way to leave Morton.

“I’ve had people who haven’t believed in me, that weren’t giving me the chance that personally I feel I deserve.

"But I’ve gone out on loan and worked hard and it’s all paid off now."

Lyon admits he feels upset by the way his time at the club has ended.

He said: “The worst thing about it is that I’ve had to leave through the back door.

"I’ve been at the club since I was 14 and I’ve been in with the first team for the last six years or so and made over 100 appearances.

“The fans in that time have been brilliant with me, so to kind of only be able to thank them on Twitter wasn’t the best and the story ending like this will hurt me a bit for a good while.

“But listen it’s football, stuff like this happens all the time.

"I hope that one day I can go back to Cappielow and have the chance to say goodbye, even if that’s in an opposition shirt, like you saw Chris Millar do with East Kilbride.

“It’s been a tough few seasons and in particular a tough few months at Morton, but Annan has been a really good and probably a much needed change for me.”

Lyon has achieved play-off football with Annan this season while former team-mate Josh Cooper has won the league title with Stirling Albion.

He said: “It shows that there’s life after your first club.

“Morton has been all that Josh and I knew.

"He’s gone out after making an appearance against East Kilbride last season to now going and playing regularly for Stirling and winning the league.

“Initially I was wary of trying something new, but when I’ve done so and you could probably include Josh in that, it’s probably been the best thing for us.”