A FOOTBALLER from Saltcoats took the next big step in his career over the weekend.

For football fans across the world, there were a few familiar names on the Bayern Munich bench on Saturday, May 6, as the Bundesliga leaders travelled to face Werder Bremen.

Manager Thomas Tuchel had a £40m talent in Leroy Sane, a club legend in Thomas Muller and 101 times capped Netherlands internation in Daley Blind to call upon.

But sat alongside them was a rising young star from right here in the Three Towns - Liam Morrison.

It was another step in the promising defender's career. Despite not taking to the field, it was the Saltcoats boy's first time as part of the first team squad.

It has been an incredible couple months for the youngster, who only signed a contract entension with the German giants two months ago, having joined up from boyhood heroes Celtic in 2019.

Morrison's current contract had been due to expire at the end of the season - but the new deal will keep him at the club until 2025.

The talented teen has had to battle through numerous injury setbacks in his three and a half years in Germany, while he also had a tough time with the Covid-19 pandemic, which hit less than a year after he left the Three Towns for Munich.

But he has faced those challenges head-on to assert himself as one of the club's top youth talents.

The 20-year-old described Saturday as an "incredible experience to be involved" in - as he watched from the bench as his side won 2-1 thanks to goals from Serge Gnabry and Leroy Sane.

The result keeps the Bavarians one point clear at the top of the Bundesliga table ahead of Borussia Dortmund, with three matches left to play.

Morrison also made his debut as captain for Scotland's under-21s in a friendly against their Iceland counterparts at Motherwell's Fir Park ground in November.