Liam Scales knows exactly what it takes to stay in the Celtic side, even if it means playing through a broken jaw.

The Irish defender endured a brutal moment in last season’s clash with St Mirren but kept going until the final whistle before later discovering he’d suffered a serious facial injury.

The centre-half was forced onto liquids and soft foods for weeks and missed a chunk of the campaign while recovering. But Scales refused to let the setback define his season. He returned strongly and reclaimed his place in Brendan Rodgers’ backline in time for the title run-in and the Scottish Cup Final.

Scales spent most of last term battling with Auston Trusty for the left-sided centre-back berth. Despite the rotation, he managed to stay in the picture and proved a dependable presence when called upon.

Now fit and firing again, the 26-year-old is determined to stay involved as Celtic look to strengthen their domestic grip and make strides in Europe this term.

He said: (RecordSport), “It was alright! It was the first time I’d had that type of injury.

“Once I had the operation I had a week on liquids and then another week where I could only eat soft foods.

“I was basically eating soup through a straw for that first week! I lost quite a bit of weight but it didn’t take me long to put it back on – I like my food! But it’s all sorted now.

“I have a couple of plates in there so it’s probably stronger now than it was before.

“It happened against St Mirren. I made a tackle and there was a collision with me being hit in the side of the face by his shoulder.

“I actually gave away a foul and they scored from the free-kick. But thankfully we ended up winning 5-2.

“It kept me out for four or five weeks which wasn’t great.

“I’d only ever broken my nose or had some black eyes down the years but this was the first time I’d hurt the jaw.

“It’s okay now, though. It’s part of the game, especially in Scotland where it’s quite physical.

“I was just happy it wasn’t an injury below the waist. It’s not going to affect me longer, so it’s all good.”

Scales has grown into a consistent option at the back for Rodgers and has shown he won’t shy away from the physical side of the game. His commitment hasn’t always grabbed the headlines but there’s no questioning his resilience.

He’s now heading into the new campaign with a renewed hunger and every intention of cementing his spot.

Celtic’s squad is expected to evolve in the coming weeks, with defensive reinforcements on the cards, but Scales has shown before he won’t back down from competition.

The Irishman’s grit and determination have already carried him through tougher moments than most. If he can stay fit and build on last season’s form, he’ll give himself every chance of being a regular in the months ahead.