BRIGHTON manager Graham Potter has vowed to get Shane Duffy "back on his feet" following a difficult 12 months for the centre-back.

The Republic of Ireland internationalist moved to Glasgow on loan this summer, with the Parkhead club shelling out around £2million for the deal to go ahead - as well as paying around £30,000 a week.

Duffy got off to a promising start in Scotland before sliding down the pecking order at Celtic Park following a series of costly high-profile errors.

The centre-half - who made his last appearance for the club on 14 February - picked up an injury that ruled him our of the final two Premiership games of the season, resulting in his loan being cut short.

Duffy had to contend with the death of his father shortly before joining Celtic and Potter was keen to stress that the 29-year-old has had a "tough" time, both on and off the pitch.

But now that Duffy is back at his parent club, the Brighton boss says it is down to him to get the centre-back fit and firing once again.

Potter said: “He has had a tough time.

“Sometimes in football things don’t go as you want them to go.

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“Shane has had some tough challenges off the pitch.

"Losing his father just before he went to Celtic was a huge challenge for him, as you can imagine. He has had to deal with a lot.

“He, more than anybody, would have liked it to have worked out better than it did at Celtic but that’s football.

“From our perspective, he is always welcome here.

“He has been a fantastic servant to this club, well liked in the dressing room, well-respected.

“It is important now for us to help him, to get him back on his feet, so to speak, and to put him in an environment where he feels secure and enjoying his football.

“That’s what we will try to do for the next couple of weeks."