Former Celtic player makes Scottish football return as rapid star hailed as 'exciting' transfer move

A former Celtic starlet has joined Scottish Championship club Greenock Morton.

Owen Moffat has found a new club after spending time at Blackpool over recent years, penning a deal with the Tangerines after leaving Parkhead 2022. Moffat came through the Hoops academy before making two first team league appearances, technically winning the Scottish Premiership, while he also won the Scottish League Cup, appearing in the final of that competition in 2022.

Moffat never managed a first team league appearance for Blackpool, but he did spend time in the Scottish Championship with Dunfermline Athletic last season, making 28 league appearances, scoring three times. The winger now pens a deal with Morton, who just missed out on the promotion play-offs last season, and he will wear the number seven shirt.

Manager Dougie Imrie said of the signing: “Owen is a very exciting and promising young player that I am thrilled to have onboard. I was keen to move quickly and secure his signature as soon as I heard of his departure from Blackpool, and he will offer pace and great technical ability to our attacking options.”

Speaking about his decision to leave Celtic to the Dunfermline Press last year, Moffatt said: “Looking back, it's one of those where you think 'was it the right decision?'. Could I have gone to Dunfermline last year, because the manager said it was a possibility? But I wanted to try Blackpool. It was an ambition of mine and, obviously, I'm still contracted there.

"It was a tough decision but I wanted to do it. It didn't really work out last season, but I'm buzzing to come back up here. "I can't really speak highly enough of the coaches at Celtic. They were all brilliant. Guys like Martin Miller, Greig Robertson, Darren O'Dea and Michael O'Halloran - obviously, his son is at Dunfermline, and I travel in with him in the morning."

Asked about his experience in the Hoops first team, the 22-year-old added: “That was really good. I made my debut against at Ross County - you might remember that game, it was a 97th minute winner, I think, from Anthony Ralston - and then I came on in the League Cup final against Hibernian. It was just a whirlwind few days.

"It was crazy. Growing up as a Celtic fan, it was unreal. Then I started against St Mirren, and I think after that we played on Boxing Day. I was an unused sub, and then I got Covid. I came back and it was tough to get back in because they'd signed new players. I can't speak highly enough of my time at Celtic; the best years of my life so far. It was tough but I'm moving forward from that now. I'm just buzzing to be here and I can't wait to play out there."