Fans Q&A

[Toby]

Lol. Think your head is gone mate. What do you think will happen if we go PT since my idea that it would be a disaster is 'utter drivel'?

I’m not your mate for starters. I suspect the second, more realistic scenario that you painted when you decided to stop screeching like a wee brat who’s just been sent to their room would be far more realistic doomsday scenario that you’ve quickly distanced yourself from after being issued with a telt.

 

Probably slightly higher crowds than 800 though, when you consider that our crowds are normally a steady 14-1500 even in trying times and unlike Airdrie, we didn’t lose a generation of supporters by moving out of town.

 

My concern isn’t part time football. If that’s the only way the so be it, my concern is that the current incumbents aren’t capable of carrying it out effectively.

[so72]

I’m not your mate for starters. I suspect the second, more realistic scenario that you painted when you decided to stop screeching like a wee brat who’s just been sent to their room would be far more realistic doomsday scenario that you’ve quickly distanced yourself from after being issued with a telt.

 

Probably slightly higher crowds than 800 though, when you consider that our crowds are normally a steady 14-1500 even in trying times and unlike Airdrie, we didn’t lose a generation of supporters by moving out of town.

 

My concern isn’t part time football. If that’s the only way the so be it, my concern is that the current incumbents aren’t capable of carrying it out effectively.

Yeah you have made that abundantly clear

 

Again - its a football forum, forgive my use of hyperbole, I shall never ever stray from literal posts again Toby.

[so72]

I’m not your mate for starters. I suspect the second, more realistic scenario that you painted when you decided to stop screeching like a wee brat who’s just been sent to their room would be far more realistic doomsday scenario that you’ve quickly distanced yourself from after being issued with a telt.

 

Probably slightly higher crowds than 800 though, when you consider that our crowds are normally a steady 14-1500 even in trying times and unlike Airdrie, we didn’t lose a generation of supporters by moving out of town.

 

My concern isn’t part time football. If that’s the only way the so be it, my concern is that the current incumbents aren’t capable of carrying it out effectively.

As for your actual hypothesis, if it stays at crowds of over a thousand then, if new ownership comes quickly, maybe we could bounce back. However, it feels as though a transition to PT football in the current climate would be very hard to reverse.

[TONofmemories]

Same guy also said QOTS looking to go part-time too. Currently plays in our league, but could just be stories going around between players. 

 

I hope to never see us go PT. It really would cement the tin-pot image of Morton.

[Jamie_M]

Of course there's potential. If someone were to take over the club they'd have a team with their own ground, a decent deal on training facilities, a full youth academy, a community programme that bigger clubs are looking to emulate and crucially no debt if Rae is as good as his word.

 

None of the above might be perfect but if someone comes in then there's definitely a lot to work with.

To carry on that part time debate, how would that 'decent deal on training facilities' move forward when we tell them we no longer need it during the day but want it several nights a week instead?

[irnbru]

To carry on that part time debate, how would that 'decent deal on training facilities' move forward when we tell them we no longer need it during the day but want it several nights a week instead?

I dunno. My point is that if someone is interested in taking over then the current infrastructure around the club gives it potential for success if its managed properly. We certainly aren't lacking in any potential at all which was suggested.

[Toby]

As for your actual hypothesis, if it stays at crowds of over a thousand then, if new ownership comes quickly, maybe we could bounce back. However, it feels as though a transition to PT football in the current climate would be very hard to reverse.

After their last relegation in 2016, Ayr United managed to go full time in League One and have since had two successful seasons. With it you need a bit of luck of course, and they’ve had that with Shankland’s dramatic turnaround in form and McCall being able to pick up guys like Murdoch that we were stupid enough to free, but it’s not outwith the realms of possibility for a club’s fortunes to change quickly.

[Jamie_M]

I dunno. My point is that if someone is interested in taking over then the current infrastructure around the club gives it potential for success if its managed properly. We certainly aren't lacking in any potential at all which was suggested.

People refute the big club, potential, sleeping giant tag as it now only exists in the minds of some older generation Morton fans and certainly nobody without a connection to the club sees us as anything other than a lower league also ran.

 

Of course we have potential to be successful if run correctly and invested in correctly though, as could any club at our level.

 

The bigging up of the infrastructure as something specifically special is a little tiresome though as none of what is listed cannot also be said about any other club at our level and ignores the neglected facilities (often cited as a unique cash drain on Morton) that could do with proper investment, that many other clubs have done through the years, which makes us less attractive.

[irnbru]

People refute the big club, potential, sleeping giant tag as it now only exists in the minds of some older generation Morton fans and certainly nobody without a connection to the club sees us as anything other than a lower league also ran.

 

Of course we have potential to be successful if run correctly and invested in correctly though, as could any club at our level.

 

The bigging up of the infrastructure as something specifically special is a little tiresome though as none of what is listed cannot also be said about any other club at our level and ignores the neglected facilities (often cited as a unique cash drain on Morton) that could do with proper investment, that many other clubs have done through the years, which makes us less attractive.

I've never said it was anything special. The point is that we're not in such a bad state that it's past the point of no return.

[TRVMP]

After their last relegation in 2016, Ayr United managed to go full time in League One and have since had two successful seasons. With it you need a bit of luck of course, and they’ve had that with Shankland’s dramatic turnaround in form and McCall being able to pick up guys like Murdoch that we were stupid enough to free, but it’s not outwith the realms of possibility for a club’s fortunes to change quickly.

Another great example is Dunfermline. They finished, what, sixth, in League One the year Duffy took us up? They looked dead and buried. But they were able to rebuild and there's still enthusiasm at the club.

 

My fear is that, for us, going down again would be the last straw for too many people. DA didn't have that issue.

[TheGoon]

It was 7th, a good laugh. There used to be discussions on here all the time about what would actually happen to us under new ownership and what kind of bounce it’d generate. I think me and LargsTon squabbled about it and I was very much in the “it’ll make next to no difference” camp in terms of getting lapsed fans back. I guess I’m still kind of in that position. It’d be better than where we are now certainly, but I think far too much damage has been done/could still be done to ever see the kind of enthusiasm we had back in 2002.

[vikingTON]

If we're going to cut costs drastically then the Braeside La Masia should be for the chop long before we ever commit to a largely part-time first team squad. The latter would be an obstacle that we'd have to overcome when playing in the second tier as usual; a youth academy is little more than a vanity project that we could easily do without. 

[SpoonTon]

Another great example is Dunfermline. They finished, what, sixth, in League One the year Duffy took us up? They looked dead and buried. But they were able to rebuild and there's still enthusiasm at the club.

 

My fear is that, for us, going down again would be the last straw for too many people. DA didn't have that issue.

 

Probably because they had Gregor Buchanan playing in their defence. 

[so72]

It was 7th, a good laugh. There used to be discussions on here all the time about what would actually happen to us under new ownership and what kind of bounce it’d generate. I think me and LargsTon squabbled about it and I was very much in the “it’ll make next to no difference” camp in terms of getting lapsed fans back. I guess I’m still kind of in that position. It’d be better than where we are now certainly, but I think far too much damage has been done/could still be done to ever see the kind of enthusiasm we had back in 2002.

I think the identity of the new owners would make a difference also. Do not see there being a rush to back an Easdale owned Morton (although I personally would settle for it).

[GiGi]

Are the majority of our players good enough to be making a full time living out of playing football? I'd say no, with 2 or 3 exceptions. 

 

Part time football wouldn't kill us. Alloa are doing fine with a much smaller budget but the right people in charge. 

[Malt]

17 days on from Crawford & Warren telling us we won’t be relegated and that we’ve actually played ‘sublime’ football this season, we are now only 1 point from 9th & 2 points from 10th with no wins in six and only 1 in 12.

 

How can the fans not be excited by the prospect of going into next season with Dylan Dykes and more players like him, throwing six or seven untested youth players into the first team at once and continuing with the worst manager in the club’s history regardless of what division we’re in?

 

Truly, we are all disgustingly fickle for not lapping this up.

Crawford was part of the tram who banked in 4000 a week so he has clearly shown he is totally incapable of operating a football club. Add to that debt of £350k a year and 18 years of no ‘sustainability’ to break even and turn a profit, I wouldn’t listen to anything he said.

[Malt]

Are the majority of our players good enough to be making a full time living out of playing football? I'd say no, with 2 or 3 exceptions.

 

Part time football wouldn't kill us. Alloa are doing fine with a much smaller budget but the right people in charge.

Part time football will mean bouncing between championship and league one which really does secure our place as small, insignificant team as we won’t attract higher crowds and we will never compete for the premier league or a major trophy and the gap between us and the clubs we like to think we are on a par with will

Widen even more.

 

At least Crawford would back up one of his plans in the threat of part time.

[pink_panther]

I'd rather see part time players giving it their all than the bunch of wasters that we currently have. Turning up a couple of hours a day and calling it work

[Madton]

I'd rather see part time players giving it their all than the bunch of wasters that we currently have. Turning up a couple of hours a day and calling it work

 

Are they though or is it more they are not managed properly??

 

I have no issue with the effort/desire of the players week to week, they all put a shift in for me!  Some are not good enough as with most squads but i think the bigger issue here is how badly managed they are and how we are set up as a team which is completely down to JJ.

 

We are set up far too defensively which invites pressure straight away which is why we are so often behind early in games.

[hayfever]

Ok, now tell us where the club will get the money for a temporary replacement for Jonathon. Keeping in mind the club is losing money hand over fist.

 

Plenty of people have replied to show what a daft question that is, but here's my answer as well:

 

Are you joking? It's REALLY easy to get people to do that kind of thing. I bet you there are hundreds of people choking at the chance to work FOR FREE for a full-time "professional" football club, even it's simply helping with social media or some website stuff a couple of days a week.

 

West College for starters has Journalism courses whose students I'm sure would be desperate for real-life practical experience...