NEW Morton player/coach Gary Woods says the opportunity to pursue a combined role under former teammate Dougie Imrie was too good to turn down as he looks forward to getting to work with two highly rated goalkeepers in Ryan Mullen and Sam Murdoch.

The former Hamilton, Aberdeen, Kilmarnock and Ross County stopper checked into Cappielow on a two-year deal yesterday morning and he says it was an easy decision to knock back offers from EFL clubs down south to take on a combined role tha will see him lead the club's goalkeeping department whilst still being available for games moving forward.

And as he looks to add another string to his bow, in a competitive industry, Woods is already looking forward to helping both Mullen and Murdoch develop their game further as the two highly rated stoppers look to kick on again this season.

Woods said: "This is a completely new role to me, I've not held anything like it before. It was something that Dougie proposed to me and I had to have a good long think about it.

"But this opportunity, something new and to go into a different side of things really interested me and it's why I jumped at the chance to come and work here at Morton. I had offers to stay down the road, but when this offer came around, I really couldn't turn it down.

"It's a chance for me to broaden my horizons, but I turn 34 in October as well. It's relatively young for a goalkeeper, but football as an industry is getting harder and harder for everyone.

"It's one of them where if you can add more strings to your bow whilst your still fit enough to go and play games, and offer a value on that side of things, then you can give back with your experience.

"We've got two really young goalkeepers here (Ryan Mullen and Sam Murdoch) at 24 and 16. To be able to help them improve their game, from someone who's still doing what they're doing and has that experience and had a career, it adds real value into the goalkeeping department.

"I'm really looking forward to working with Ryan and Sam. I've looked at Ryan's clips from last season, Sam was a bit more difficult because of his age, but having done one session with him, I can see that he's got good natural ability for such a young age.

"I know Ryan had a significant injury, that's halted his progress somewhat, but I'm looking forward to working with him to see where he wants me to help him improve and hopefully we can kick him on again this season."

Woods has had the pleasure of working with some of the best goalkeeping coaches around with spells at Victoria Park, New Douglas Park, Old Trafford and Pittodrie.

And he's tapped into his contacts book for the best of advice as he looks to perfect the balance of the player/coach role.

Woods added: "That was the main thing for me, I'd done my due dilligence on the goalkeepers before coming in, so I'd knew what I was coming in to. I've asked people who I've worked with how to sort of adapt to this combined role too.

"I still love being a part of the dressing room, I still love training and still have the desire to play.

"But you're then on the serious side; how to help the goalkeepers improve, and manage that relationship of a player/coach, where you're working with the staff and then still having a relationship with the players as well.

"I'm really looking forward to getting stuck in."