Dunfermline defender Scott Morrison admits the debt of gratitude he owes the Fifers will prevent him abandoning the club as they attempt to battle their way out of the First Division next season.

The left-back signed from his home town club Aberdeen ahead of the 2005/06 season, but after only three appearances for the Pars he suffered a cruciate ligament injury playing for Scotland Under-21s in Austria that kept him out for the rest of the season.

Dunfermline were relegated from the Bank of Scotland Premier League this season prompting one player so far, defender Souleymane Bamba, to admit he is set to leave after Saturday's Tennent's Scottish Cup final against Celtic at Hampden Park.

Morrison, 23 on Wednesday, is out of contract at the end of the season but hopes to extend his stay at the Fife club.

He said: "It has been difficult with the club not knowing what league they were going to be in next season but I would love to stay because I feel I owe the club.

"I'm really grateful to how they treated me throughout the spell I was injured and so I have something to give back to them.

"I haven't been able to show the form that made them sign me.

"But that's my full season back and it's good to be playing injury-free.

"It's about taking the next step now and I'm looking forward to pushing on and getting back to where I was before the injury.

"There was no guarantee that I was going to make it back.

"I went to see a surgeon in Glasgow who said that he had never operated on an injury like it before but you have to be positive.

"I'm back training and playing, I'm enjoying it and I am looking to get something sorted out with the club for next season."

Morrison played in all the earlier rounds of Dunfermline's

Scottish Cup run before losing his place in the side prior to the semi-final against Hibernian

The former Dons defender has not featured since the 1-0 win in the SPL over Hibs on April 7 but knows the door to a final place has opened due to the depletion of manager Stephen Kenny's squad.

Tom McManus and Stephen Glass are cup-tied, Gary Mason is suspended and on-loan Jim O'Brien has been barred from taking part by his club Celtic.

Morrison is aware that he could benefit from the misfortune of his team mates.

He said: "The manager has not named the team and with those players who would probably have featured missing, it leaves a few spaces open and yes, that means my chances of getting a game are increased.

"It's an exciting week and everyone wants to be in the starting line-up but at the end of the day the manager can only pick 11 and it depends on what formation he decides on or how he wants us to play.

"It's obviously hard to take for them but they (Mason and O'Brien) know that they have played their part so far and they will be wanting the boys to go out and win.

"I was wanting the boys to win the semi-final because you never know what the team will be in the final."