With 40 appearances under his belt so far this season, and after bagging a four-year contract extension last week, Liam Scales is enjoying his time at Celtic right now.
Rewind to the beginning of the current Scottish Premiership campaign, however, and describing the 25-year-old as on the periphery of Brendan Rodgers' plans wasn't unreasonable.
Having spent a season-long loan at Aberdeen for the entirety of the previous season, it took a string of injuries for Scales to carve a place in the manager's starting 11 – and now Liam Scales highlights the key moments when things clicked into place for him during the 2023/24 trail.
The Old Firm derby is as fierce as proving grounds come, especially away from home, but it's here that Scales reckons he first showed his worth under Brendan Rodgers last September.
READ MORE: Key member of Celtic starting XI signs new contract
"[Ibrox] was a chance for me to prove a point and prove that I was able," Scales said. "I think the fact that I was thrown into it and didn't have time to think about it, and I came out in a good place from that. It gave me belief and it gave me a hunger for more games like that because it was an unbelievable experience.
"I knew there was no hiding in that game. It was almost a turning point in that it proved to people that I was able. I believed I could go in and do well, I've always had that self-belief, it wasn't a surprise to me, but I know now how important that game was for me in terms of how the season has since turned out for me personally."
Away from the Scottish Premiership, Celtic's UEFA Champions League group earlier this season included Atletico Madrid, Feyenoord and Lazio. Brendan Rodgers' side finished fourth place with four points after six games, but the calibre of opposition is something Scales still relishes today.
He added: "I think it started [to click] for me in the Champions League games because that was the unknown for me. I hadn't played at that level before.
"I didn't have any fear going into those games because I thought it was a brilliant opportunity going in. When I realised I was capable of playing at that standard, that's when I realised that I felt like I could do well here.
"It gives you a buzz and it fills you with adrenaline. It's where everyone wants to be so you have that feeling. But then at the same time the [UCL theme] is over in a second, and then you're out on the pitch and you can't think about it [because] Griezmann is running at you!"
Back to Scotland, and Scales' next taste of the Old Firm derby comes this Saturday at Celtic Park. Here's everything you need to know about Celtic v Rangers this weekend.
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