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  1. Admin

    Tips to Choose the Best Crypto Casino

    By Admin,


    General Content
    Tips to Choose the Best Crypto Casino
    With the development of technology, important developments continue to take place in all areas of our lives. One of these is that we can gamble in online casinos with Cryptocurrencies. For most people, it would not be wrong to say that this currency is not yet in very common use. Also, as a matter of fact, with the increasing number of crypto casinos, choosing the most reliable casino to play can become a challenging task. In this article we have come to save you from these troubles. Let's get started right away.

    Alt : Bitcoin symbol on a black surface
    What You Need To Know
    There are important things to consider when choosing the casino that suits you best. The most important of these is undoubtedly the license of the online casino. Never gamble at an online casino without a license. There are also other things to look out for such as customer support, deposit/withdrawal methods, bonuses and promotions. It may seem difficult to find an online casino that meets all these requirements. However, the situation is actually not that complicated. We will now tell you about a few online casinos that are suitable for crypto betting and both of them are user-friendly and leave no doubt about security. You can place your bets in these casinos with peace of mind! 
    Bons Casino
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    Everygame Casino
    While it might appear that Everygame Casino is a newcomer in the online gambling sector, the reality is that this operator has a substantial track record. Interestingly, they are not the pioneers in making such a choice. Numerous providers and operators have already opted for rebranding, anticipating that it would lead to increased business success, improved visibility, and a broader range of players.
    The iGaming industry is witnessing the increasing prominence of Bitcoin and various other cryptocurrencies as we mentioned above. This trend has motivated a rising number of operators to expand their payment options to include these digital currencies. In this context, this particular venue offers BTC, LTC, and ETH among its banking methods, aligning with the industry's shift towards cryptocurrency integration.
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  2. Admin

    Signing Off With A Slump

    By Admin,


    Feature Article
    (Photo-Gary Bradley)
    Signing Off With A Slump
    A Review of Morton’s 2023-24 season, Part Three
    By Russell Gordon
    Beware the ides of March. After sixteen games unbeaten, but with a mounting injury list following the loss of George Oakley, Ryan Mullen and Iain Wilson, a defeat was perhaps inevitable at some point in March, with the visits of promotion-chasing Dundee United and high-flying Premiership big-guns Hearts on the horizon.
    But it was the visit of struggling Inverness that saw the bubble finally burst on an afternoon that Morton just didn’t get to grips with their lowly guests. Having not trailed at any point in the unbeaten run, stretching back to Blair Alston’s winning goal back in November, Morton were behind after only two minutes, as Cameron Harper’s through ball caught the Morton backline sleeping, allowing for veteran Thistle striker Billy McKay to lash the ball past Jamie MacDonald to give the Highlanders a surprise lead. That lead was doubled on 34 minutes as MacDonald fumbled a Sean McAllister free kick into his own net, an error we wouldn’t have expected to see from a fully fit MacDonald.
    Morton huffed and puffed without really threatening in a match that Inverness managed magnificently. While Morton have been “credited” for their supposedly cynical tactics throughout the season, Inverness played that particular game to a tee, with chief culprit Alex Samuel spending more time on his ample posterior than he did on his feet, at Thistle ran the clock down from early on, much to the frustration of the home support.

    A home defeat by League One-bound Inverness finally brought Morton's long unbeaten run to an end.
    (Photo- Gary Bradley)
    There was more frustration to come in midweek, as United arrived for their re-arranged fixture, finally getting the better of Morton having failed to get the better of the ‘Ton in the two Tannadice meetings. While the return of Ryan Mullen was welcome, it was perhaps premature, thanks to him being slightly less injured than his compatriot, MacDonald.
    One common theme from the previous two meetings was the identity of United’s goal scorer, Louis Moult, who notched the only goal from a Tony Watt cross on 26 minutes, though like MacDonald the previous weekend, one wonders if a fully fit Mullen would have made a better job of dealing with Moult’s effort. In truth, Morton didn’t really deserve anything from a match in which Watt ran the show for the visitors, who took another important step towards the crown in their fascinating battle with big-spending Raith Rovers.

    Louis Moult's goal was enough to give eventual champions Dundee United the points on their re-arranged visit to Cappielow.
    (Photo- Gary Bradley)
    Morton however, could focus their attention elsewhere for the time being, as cup fever came to Greenock with the visit of Hearts. With a large travelling support contributing to a near-capacity crowd at Cappielow for a match moved to the Monday night for television coverage by BBC Scotland, injury ravaged Morton, still without Oakley and Wilson, and with Robbie Muirhead handed the thankless task of ploughing a lone furrow up front, acquitted themselves well against their more fancied opponents and in the end, were left to curse Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon, whose two excellent second half stops denied Jack Baird and Lewis Strapp. While Hearts were probably the more deserving of the two sides, on a night that Hearts’ talisman, former Morton striker Lawrence Shankland was for the most part kept in check, it took until five minutes from time for Shankland to feed the Jambos’ Costa Rican midfielder Kenneth Vargas to finally break the ‘Ton resistance and send Hearts through to their inevitable Hampden defeat by Rangers.

    Lewis Strapp was unfortunate to come against a formidable Craig Gordon in the Scottish cup Quarter Final defeat by Hearts.
    (Photo- Gary Bradley)
    So, it was back to league business, and a trip to Glasgow to visit old friends, Partick. The miserable form continued, as Alan Power was caught in possession by villain of the piece, Brian Graham, who, as usual took great pleasure in dispatching the opening goal. Morton were second best all over the park, and it was little surprise when Scott Robinson doubled Partick’s lead early in the second half. Though Muirhead nodded in an injury time consolation, there were few positives that could be taken from a miserable afternoon.
    The following week saw Morton endure another forgettable afternoon, this time against a Dunfermline team that they had annihilated 5-0 at East End Park a mere seven weeks previous. Even with the returning Oakley to the starting XI, Morton huffed and puffed without really threatening the Pars’ defence, and the decisive moment arrived in the 55th minute as defender Miles Welsh-Hayes looped home a header from a corner over a despairing Mullen to secure the points and leave Morton in an extremely difficult position in the chase for the final play-off place. They weren’t helped when Deniz Mehmet foiled Muirhead from the spot to ensure Morton suffered a fifth consecutive defeat.
    If there’s one thing Morton needed when enduring such a desperate run, it was the visit of their wee pets, Queen’s Park. With the Spiders having failed to beat Morton in the league since 1962, another season was to pass with them tucked firmly in the ‘Ton’s back pocket thanks to second half goals via the head of Kirk Broadfoot and from a Muirhead free kick which was helped into the net by Callum Ferrie, a man whose performances against Morton down the years would suggest he loves the club more than I do!
    Love wasn’t in plentiful supply though, as Muirhead “celebrated” his goal by cupping his ears to the Cappielow crowd, clearly unhappy with the supports’ reaction to a difficult run of results.

    Kirk Broadfoot headed Morton towards a much-needed 2-0 win against Queen's Park to stop a five-game rot.
    (Photo- Gary Bradley)
    And so, it was onwards to what probably proved to be the pivotal match in the campaign. Morton visited Airdrie realistically needing a victory, but certainly needing to avoid defeat to keep in touch with the on-form Diamonds. Cue a horrific first minute mistake from Power that allowed Nikolay Todorov to open the scoring from distance. Smashing. Fifteen minutes in, ex-Morton midfielder Charlie Telfer added to his former employers’ woes by adding a second on a bad-tempered afternoon in deepest, darkest Monklands. Midway through the second half, Mason Hancock nodded home a Telfer corner to finish the match as a contest, before Garrity scored a scrappy consolation that he was probably embarrassed to be credited with. A flashpoint late in the game that saw Baird and Quitongo enter the book summed up a miserable afternoon that guaranteed that Morton would not be gracing the Premiership, and would have to be careful not to be joining Arbroath in League One.
    Following the cup run, the rearranged trip to Somerset Park was fitted in for the Tuesday night before Dundee United’s Friday visit to Cappielow, not particularly good planning from a recovery point of view with the division’s top side visiting so soon after.
    Nevertheless, a Kirk Broadfoot header gave Morton a first half lead, before Anton Dowds equalised on the stroke of half time. Baird was again apparently involved in an altercation in the aftermath of that goal, and lucky not to see red, but after a second half that played out very much like an end of season affair, the teams had to settle for a 1-1 draw.
    When United made the trip to Cappielow the Friday night match with the title in their sights, Morton were in truth, blown away on a miserable night for Dougie Imrie’s side. Ross Docherty who nodded the Terrors into a 20th minute lead with the ‘Ton defence sleeping. Less said about the defending as Glenn Middleton added a second three minutes later, and Louis Moult added his customary goal against Morton to make it three early in the second half. Baird was again fortunate not to be ordered off for a late tackle on Moult.
    Quitongo felt aggrieved not to be awarded a penalty before Baird was caught in possession on the halfway line by Watt, who took full advantage to add a fourth, as their visitors sensed the trophy would be heading to Tayside.
    Though Muirhead reduced the arrears a few minutes later, Dougie Imrie conceded this was one of the most chastening evenings in his time in charge of Morton.
    There was a boost to come though, in the shape of big-spending Raith Rovers’ forlorn chase for the title. In their televised trip to Inverness the following week, Murray’s moneymen were battered by Duncan Ferguson’s toiling Highlanders, but try as they might, Thistle could not find a way past Rovers’ keeper Kevin Dabrowski, and Lewis Vaughan changed the habit of a lifetime and managed to stay on his feet inside the box to lash home a second half winner. As a result, a win for Morton the following day coupled with Queen’s Park failing to beat Dunfermline at already relegated Arbroath would confirm their Championship place for another season.
    After a pretty uneventful first half, two goals within a couple of minutes from Crawford and Oakley looked to put Morton in easy street, before Michael McKenna pulled one back midway through the half, another who loves a goal against Morton. Though there weren’t too many scary moments after that goal, the final whistle, coupled with Dunfermline’s 0-0 draw with Queen’s Park confirmed Morton’s place in the division for another season. Job not exactly done, but given the drop off, no major damage done.

    Robbie Crawford signed off as a Morton player with his final goal in a win at Arbroath before returning to the dark side.
    (Photo- Gary Bradley)
    United all but sealed the title a few miles down the road at Tannadice, and confirmed their crown with a goalless draw in Airdrie the following Friday. That rendered the match with big-spending Raith Rovers pretty meaningless, and I can’t in all honesty recall much about the goalless draw that saw a number of players play their last home game for the club.
    With only the trip to Inverness remaining, Morton played a supporting role on a big night for the Highlanders, who required a victory and a favour from Airdrie, who visited Queen’s Park. With the Diamonds looking forward to their play-off quarter final with Partick, Thistle were always playing for snookers.
    Not for the first time though, the star of the show was the referee- this time the hapless Craig Napier. After Morgan Boyes had given Inverness the lead on the half hour, Broadfoot pulled Morton level just before the break. Napier decided to lose the plot early in the second half, throwing yellow cards around like confetti and awarding a penalty to Thistle, converted by Cameron Harper, before sending off a clearly incandescent Robbie Muirhead after he was booked after being denied a penalty claim of his own. Sean McAllister added a third a few minutes later to finish Morton’s season with a whimper, but with a fifth placed finish as a result of Ayr and Dunfermline cancelling each other out and failing to match Morton’s points total, things could have been worse. Ask Inverness, condemned to a relegation play-off place following Queen’s Park’s 2-0 win over Airdrie.
    The play-offs kicked off with a thrilling 2-2 draw between Airdrie and Partick at Broomfield, with our friends from Glasgow progressing after a 2-1 victory at Firhill. Meanwhile Inverness played out a turgid 0-0 draw at Links Park in the relegation play-offs, before Billy McKay’s goal in the Highland Capital took them through to the final with Hamilton, who beat Alloa 5-4 on aggregate.
    Moving onto the promotion semi-final, big-spending Raith Rovers dominated on their visit to Firhill, but would have been disappointed to only record a 2-1 victory as play-off specialist Blair Alston gave Partick a late lifeline. Alston was again Partick’s hero in the second leg, his double sandwiching a Ross Matthews counter to take the tie to extra time. But where there are heroes, there are also villains, and with penalties looming, Partick captain Brian Graham passed up a gilt-edged chance in the dying seconds to send Partick to a final with Ross County, before Ricco Diack was the unfortunate player to miss the decisive spot kick on yet another night of play-off heartbreak for Partick. What a shame.
    Inverness didn’t have anymore joy, losing both legs of their final with Hamilton, who returned to the division at the first time of asking, unlike champions Falkirk, who took a full five seasons.
    Kevin O’Hara’s bizarre early opener should really have been awarded as a Mark Ridgers own goal, but the hapless keeper suffered yet more ignominy when Fergus Owens added a comical second. Though Inverness pulled one back and looked to stand a decent chance going into the home leg, they were comfortably beaten by a ruthless Accies performance on the road, the 3-2 scoreline not flattering the Lanarkshire side in the slightest, and leading to recriminations in the Highlands that have continued in the weeks since and are showing no signs of letting up.
    The Championship line up for 2024-25 was completed by big-spending Raith Rovers, who found themselves facing up to another play-off specialist in Simon Murray, as Ross County followed up a 2-1 victory in the Kingdom with a resounding 4-0 victory in Dingwall. For all their lavish spending, and social media digs at other clubs, there was only one word that could describe their misfortune when they came up against another well-funded club at the final hurdle. Priceless.
    Closer to home though, it’s fair to say that things aren’t looking great at this stage of the close season. There are always comings and goings though, and the board reassured the support that the budget for the next campaign would be increased. The problem is though, so has everyone else’s’ budgets, and they’re all starting from a position of strength on Morton- which has seen the club outmuscled by Partick, who signed Robbie Crawford on the expiry of his contract, while relegated Livingston signed up Muirhead and Oakley went to Ayr. At the time of writing, one can only anticipate with dread which fellow Championship club will offer Lewis Strapp more than Morton can afford.

    Another moving on is Robbie Muirhead, who has joined up at Livingston. His failure to convert a late spot kick in March saw fall to a narrow defeat by Dunfemline at Cappielow.
    (Photo- Gary Bradley)
    With Falkirk coming up on the crest of a wave, and Raith likely to continue their big-spending ways, Hamilton’s budget being a bit of a mystery, but rumoured to have been bigger than Falkirk’s last term, Dunfermline being in a similar boat to Partick in having more resources than ourselves and Queen’s Park being more flush than Morton after Willie Haughey got involved, it looks like Morton will have the lowest budget in the division along with maybe Airdrie, but critically, not as far down the line with squad building.
    The welcome additions of pre-contract signing Jordan Davies from Connah’s Quay and of Maidstone’s FA Cup hero Lamar Reynolds will hopefully fill the gap left by Muirhead and Oakley, but Imrie has his work cut out to repeat his feat of the previous two seasons in securing a fifth placed finish, let alone challenging at the top end of the table.
    We’ll likely see inward movement over the next couple of weeks, and with most of our players from last season already having left the building, there may only be the disappointment of Strapp’s next destination to come on that front, but we may well have to brace ourselves for seeing rumoured targets going to higher paying clubs, and Imrie looking to again make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.
    A thankless task perhaps, we all wish him well.
  4. Admin
    (Photo- Gary Bradley)
    Hat-Trick Heroes and Stunning the Steelmen.
    A Review of Morton’s 2023-24 Season, Part Two
    By Russell Gordon
    Sitting on eight points and at the bottom of the Championship, if ever Morton needed a relief from league duty it was now. While the country’s focus was diverted to marking the national team’s fine achievement in reaching the summer’s European Championships in Germany as Scotland drew the curtain on their excellent qualifying campaign with a 3-3 draw at home to Group A also rans Norway, the ‘Ton’s focus moved to the cup competitions.
    With Scotland’s match being played on the Sunday, there was SPFL Trust Trophy action at Cappielow a day prior, as Airdrie put an end to Morton’s interest in the competition, condemning the ‘Ton to a scarcely deserved quarter final defeat after a far more encouraging Morton performance. After an entertaining 0-0 draw which was very much a game of two halves, the first of which Airdrie had the better of, Morton dominated the second period, missing numerous chances before Lewis McGrattan’s missed spot kick proved the difference as the Diamonds progressed.
    While Robbie Muirhead’s last-minute ordering off was a sore point, with the striker taking one for the team to ensure the game progressed to a penalty shoot-out, the returns of Ryan Mullen to the starting line-up, and Jai Quitongo and Darragh O’Connor to the bench, with both getting the last fifteen minutes, were encouraging signs that Morton’s injury woes were beginning to ease.
    With another week’s respite from the league, the Scottish Cup campaign kicked off with the visit of Lowland League side Bo’ness United. Though the most entertaining aspect of the first half was the visiting support giving Morton’s under-worked, over-officious stewards a run for their money, until George Oakley gave Morton the lead on the cusp of the break.
    While Morton were never really in danger, the 52nd minute ordering off of Bo’ness defender Ryan Stevenson killed off any chance of the visitors producing a shock before Jack Bearne added a second and Robbie Muirhead dispatched a 79th minute penalty to make it three.
    During the SPFL Trust Trophy campaign, it was good to see Imrie introducing youngsters Matthew Davidson and Cameron Keay, and on this occasion, it was young Logan O’Boy’s opportunity, which he took in style- adding a debut fourth a minute from time. Montrose at Cappielow would be Morton’s reward for a resounding victory, with the added bonus of a bit more game time for the returning duo.

    Young Logan O'Boy enjoyed a dream debut as Morton progressed in the Scottish Cup at the expense of Lowland League Bo'ness United.
    (Photo-Gary Bradley)
    Mother Nature saw to it that Morton were relieved of league duty for a third week, with the visit of title favourites Dundee United postponed due to the weather. While the board would have been disappointed to lose the revenue from a potentially large travelling support coming to town to support the high-flying Terrors, there would be some good news around the corner.
    Morton would return to league action against bogey side Arbroath, whose new manager Jim McIntyre was debuting in the dug-out following the departure of long-serving Dick Campbell, who resigned after a shock cup exit to Spartans. But there was also an incoming at Cappielow, with Lewis Strapp returning to the club on a short-term deal on his return to fitness.
    With the Red Lichties unbeaten in the previous thirteen meetings between the sides, the signing of Strapp proved a galvanising force for Morton. McGrattan got onto the end of a beautiful Jack Bearne through ball on 37 minutes to dispatch the ball past ex-Morton custodian Derek Gaston, but on the hour, it looked like a familiar old story would be playing out, as David Gold levelled the affair. Strapp then entered the fold from the bench and, as though he’s never been away, entered the book two minutes later.
    But it was from a trademark Strapp long throw that Morton’s winner arrived. The full back hurled the ball into the box, and aided by a Muirhead nod-on, the ball landed at the feet of Oakley, who turned and lashed the ball into the roof of Gaston’s net. Finally, the hoodoo was broken, and Morton were now within a point of their ninth-placed hosts.

    The return of Lewis Strapp proved a timely boost to help Morton climb the table.
    (Photo- Gary Bradley)
    In midweek, Inverness came to Cappielow for the re-arranged fixture from October that was conveniently re-arranged due to injury travel issues. Not that it did them a lot of good, as a rejuvenated Morton took the game to their visitors, taking the lead in the twentieth minute as George Oakley latched onto a Nikola Udjur mistake to caress the but over Mark Ridgers’ head and into the net. With Morton always in control, it took until ten minutes from time for a second to arrive, again from a long Strapp throw in, which was lashed in by Jack Baird. Inverness’s Adam Brooks scored an injury time consolation, but Morton held on to climb off the foot of the table ahead of the visit of another struggling side, Queen’s Park.
    The Spiders arrived at Cappielow with Paul Nuijten in the bench following the departure of the hapless Robin Veldman, who had only won one of their last fourteen matches, and even that was against Welsh minnows Bala Town in the Trust Trophy.
    When Muirhead finished off a delightful move to give Morton an early lead, all was well in the world, but this is Morton after all. Five minutes before the break, Oakley fouled Queens’ Jack Thomson on the halfway line, and was shown a straight red by referee Craig Napier, an official who has form for flashing cards without taking time to think, for what was no more than a yellow card. To make matters worse, Napier then pointed to the spot just before half time for well, I don’t know.
    Fortunately for Morton, despite what appeared to be the official’s best efforts, they went in at the break ahead, as Mullen smothered Ruari Paton’s tame penalty.
    The second half predictably saw Queens dominate possession but lack a cutting edge, as Morton managed the game superbly, restricting their guests to little more than a couple of half chances and making it three wins from three. In a week, Morton had accumulated more points than they had in the previous four and a half months and were sitting in mid table.

    Ryan Mullen's penalty save from Queen's Park's Ruari Paton proved pivotal as ten-man Morton claimed three points against the Spiders at Cappielow.
    (Photo- Gary Bradley)
    They made it five unbeaten in an insipid 0-0 draw at New Broomfield. Given that Morton were missing Oakley due to suspension, this was very much a point gained against a side who had the measure of Morton to date, but the only really noticeable thing about the game was the performance of the much-derided Willie Collum in the middle. In a season in which refereeing standards were plummeting to new depths, it should be noted that the difference between some of those Morton had been subjected to and Scotland’s best official was night and day. Perhaps some of his detractors who are used to watching Premiership football should be careful what they wish for.
    After Christmas passed, and we approached new year, the fixture list saw Morton handed a trip to Inverness in inclement weather conditions. Of course, Morton weren’t handed the same courtesy of a postponement that the Highlanders were offered ahead of their scheduled visit to Cappielow a couple of months prior when it was a bit windy, but we’ve come to expect that. Again, a solid point from an uneventful 0-0 draw was a satisfactory outcome to take before the difficult journey down the A9.
    As 2023 left us and 2024 arrived, Morton were first footed by Lee Bullen’s Ayr United. With Morton currently on a six-match unbeaten run, Robbie Muirhead opened the scoring with a back post header after Cammy Blues stood the ball up beautifully for him on 35 minutes.
    Muirhead added a magnificent second on 57 minutes, curling a beauty past Ayr keeper Robbie Mutch with his right foot, and taking great pleasure in reminding his bosses of the qualities his “weaker foot” possessed. Not that Imrie and Andy Millen were complaining!
    Two minutes later, with Ayr on the ropes, Muirhead completed a perfect hat-trick, reversing Kirk Broadfoot’s pass across the face of Mutch’s goal into the corner to the delight of the Cappielow crowd. The statisticians had no issues in noting Muirhead’s second treble of the season, but had more problems establishing the last perfect hat-trick scored by a Morton player. They would have few problems establishing the next.

    Hat-trick hero Robbie Muirhead takes the acclaim of the Morton bench after putting Ayr United to the sword.
    (Photo- Gary Bradley)
    The visit to Tannadice saw the return of Michael Garrity from a successful loan spell at League One Annan Athletic. And while young Garrity made his mark on the game, he wasn’t to steal the headlines. With the Premiership in shut down due to its winter break, Scotland’s match of the day saw title favourites Dundee United host a Morton team enjoying a terrific run, and it was Garrity’s cross on 25 minutes that was headed into the net by George Oakley to give the visitors a shock lead. Oakley doubled Morton’s advantage nine minutes later, prodding home a Lewis Strapp cross to the shock of the home support.
    It didn’t take long for United to hit back though, as Kai Fotheringham nodded home to reduce the arrears two minute later, and Louis Moult levelled on the stroke of half time.
    Morton would receive a boost at the break though, with Moult not coming out for the second half. They had their scares in the second period, notably a penalty appeal, but Morton were to finish the game the stronger after United’s Craig Sibbald saw red for a second booking two minutes from time. A minute later, Oakley got onto the end of an up-field clearance from Mullen, outmuscled Kevin Holt and launched a fantastic left footed drive towards Jack Walton’s goal, kissing the inside of the post on the way in, and sending the Morton bench and the away end into raptures. A second perfect hat-trick from a second Morton player in the space of a couple of days, shocking the best team in the division in their back yard. A day that will live long in the memories of those who travelled from the west!
    The visit of good friends Partick saw Morton’s biggest league crowd of the campaign, as 3568 descended on Cappielow for a meeting of two clubs who were pushing for play-off places by this stage of the season. With that big crowd though, came the logistical problems of actually getting a crowd into Cappielow, as Warren Hawke’s legacy reared its ugly head with hundreds of fans locked out well into the match with an entry system and stewarding operation that couldn’t cope with around 2500 Morton fans.
    On the park, Morton took the game to their visitors, and were unfortunate to see a Robbie Crawford goal ruled out early on before Jack McMillan’s own goal put the good guys in front. They weren’t to hold onto that lead, however, as Ricco Diack, son of former Morton “ace” Ian, provided a fine late equaliser for the baddies, and the sides had to settle for a point apiece.
    Following that, the Scottish Cup campaign continued apace, with the visit of League One play-off chasers Montrose. Morton had never beaten the Gable Endies in the cup before, and those of a certain vintage will have had horrible memories of their most recent cup meeting, in 1996 when a far worse Montrose team shocked perhaps the best Morton team in a generation in a Links Park replay.
    There was to be no shock this time around, however. A tenth minute Grant Gillespie penalty settled any nerves before George Oakley nodded in from an inch out in the second half to ease Morton through to a home fifth round meeting with Motherwell.
    To add to the feel-good factor, the club announced the pre-contract signing of Welsh striker Jordan Davies from Connah’s Quay Nomads, who was paraded in front of the Cappielow crowd.
    Montrose’s Angus rivals Arbroath were next to visit Cappielow, and after Morton’s victory on the road finally ended the Arbroath hoodoo, they made a good job of making it a distant memory, with a helping hand from Red Lichties’ captain Keaghan Jacobs, who foolishly picked up a couple of bookings in a couple of minutes, half an hour into the game to make life even more difficult for his injury-hit side. While Morton laboured against the resilient ten men, a Muirhead penalty on 63 minutes, before Oakley added a second from Tyler French’s fine ball down the line in the 75th minute, and Gillespie added a third, also from the spot, eight minutes from time.
    Though not a vintage performance, the three points were the priority, but the following weekend saw Morton record their most resounding victory of the season over another injury-hit side, Dunfermline.
    Though the Pars had taken maximum points so far from the previous meetings, they were blown away by a Morton performance that emphasised everything that was good about Glen’s Championship Manager of the Month Dougie Imrie’s side.
    Pressing high up the park and not allowing their opponents a second on the ball, with Lewis Strapp’s throw ins causing chaos in the home defence, this was big-bad-physical Morton, a label the team had been unfairly hit with all season, at their absolute best.
    Though they were aided by a horrific defensive performance, doubles from centre backs Darragh O’Connor and Jack Baird, both of whom scored in each half, put Morton in a commanding position, and Michael Garrity added a fifth in front of a nearly empty East End Park, with the exodus from the home stands having started early in the second half.

    Jack Baird stabs home his second and Morton's fourth in a resounding victory over Dunfermline at East End Park.
    (Photo- Gary Bradley)
    This of course set Morton up well for their Friday night TV encounter with Premiership strugglers Motherwell in the Scottish Cup. If the Steelmen were short of confidence going into the game though, they got back on track in the nick of time, battering Ross County 5-0 a few days earlier.
    But in a season when cup shocks were at a premium, Morton produced an excellent performance against their more fancied opponents to produce perhaps the shock of the tournament in front of a raucous Cappielow crowd. In a fairly even first half, the ‘Ton drew first blood in bizarre circumstances after 35 minutes when Robbie Muirhead’s near-post corner was fumbled into the net by ‘Well keeper Liam Kelly, a moment the Scotland international would rather forget.
    Ten minutes into the second half, Morton’s press again paid off, as a poor touch from another Scotland international, Paul McGinn allowed Cammy Blues to play in cinch Championship Player of the Month George Oakley, who made no mistake to double Morton’s lead and send Cappielow into ecstasy!
    A late Jack Vale goal five minutes from time made for a nervy ending, but on the final whistle, Morton boss Imrie certainly enjoyed his moment of retribution towards the visiting fans, doing his reputation with the Morton support no harm whatsoever.
    The following day’s draw saw Morton paired with familiar foes Airdrie or less-familiar opponents in Hearts, who met immediately after being pulled out the hat. There was one familiar face in the Jambos ranks however, and our old pal Lawrence Shankland stuck a double past the Diamonds in their 4-1 win to give us a wee warning of what could be to come.

    George Oakley and Darragh O'Connor lead the celebrations as Morton's season reaches its peak in the Scottish Cup defeat of Motherwell.
    (Photo- Gary Bradley)
    With dreams of Hampden in the forefront of the fans’ minds, they had a visit to the National Stadium in less glamorous circumstances to face Queen’s Park, now managed by Callum Davidson. The Spiders could count themselves lucky to come away with a point after keeper Calum Ferrie broke the habit of a lifetime and had a good game against Morton, his highlight being a fine point-blank stop from Oakley late on.
    The visit of Airdrie saw Morton collect a costly three points, with Diamonds defender Aaron Taylor-Sinclair lucky not to see red for a flying elbow on Crawford after five minutes.
    However, Morton took the lead four minutes later, as Jai Quitongo, a hate figure to the visiting support, flighted a beautiful ball to Oakley at the back post, who headed the ball across Josh Rae to give Morton an early lead. A magnificent Garrity volley, from what initially looked to be from an offside position, doubled Morton’s lead.
    In a bad-tempered affair, Taylor-Sinclair struck a significant blow in Morton’s promotion challenge, aiding his own side’s in the process by landing a sore one on George Oakley, and forcing the talismanic hitman off with twelve minutes remaining, and at a crucial time of the season.
    Airdrie’s Callum Fordyce pulled one back late on, but while Morton held on to win the battle, winning the war without Oakley would prove far more problematic.
    A midweek trip to big-spending Raith Rovers saw a further injury blow, with inspirational midfielder Iain Wilson carried off on 38 minutes. With Ryan Mullen missing the game, and replaced by a clearly unfit Jamie MacDonald, Morton held on for a decent point in a pretty turgid 0-0 draw with the monied title-chasers, but after sixteen games unbeaten, it was clear that the problems that had beset Imrie earlier in the season were returning, and just as we were heading into the business end of the campaign.
  6. Admin
    (Photo- Getty Images/SNS)
    The Disaster Seasons Part 2- From the Sublime to the Ridiculous
    By Russell Gordon
    While I recently wrote about Morton’s worst ever season on the anniversary of that game at New Douglas Park ten years ago, it’s safe to say Morton have had a few bad experiences at that particular venue, not to mention difficult seasons when the year ends in a four.
    Though 2013-14 was, certainly in my time following Morton the club’s worst, in what is arguably the least successful period in the club’s history, no campaign has fitted in so much joy, despair, controversy and downright regret as the bizarre 2003-04 campaign.
    Having led the league by a staggering twelve points at Christmas time and fallen to fourth place in the pre-play-offs era to end with nothing after a 0-2 defeat by champions Airdrie, twenty years ago today, there are still Morton fans of a certain vintage who quiver at the mere mention of that horrible season.
    Regardless of their age, there will be few Morton fans unfamiliar with the back story. Having been rescued from the brink of liquidation by Douglas Rae in 2001, and fallen to the Third Division, Scotland’s fourth tier in 2002, Morton bounced back as champions in dramatic fashion on an emotional day as they beat Peterhead 1-0 to claim the crown, and were taking the step up with a real sense of optimism that they could win consecutive promotions to return to their natural level of the First Division.
    Manager John McCormack hadn’t been too busy in the transfer market over the summer, preferring to rely on the core of a squad brimming with confidence from the previous season’s success. In came Stewart Greacen from Forfar, a centre back who had a previous, injury-plagued spell at Cappielow as Morton dropped into the Third Division two years previous. He was joined by winger Paul Walker, who arrived from SPL Partick, and Morton’s marquee signing, £30,000 Queen of the South hitman, Peter Weatherson.
    Pre-season went well- a tour of the Highlands was embarked upon, which yielded a 1-1 draw at Buckie Thistle, a 3-1 win at Keith and a 4-1 win at Deveronvale, as well as giving the fans lovely few days of exploring the north of Scotland’s hostelries! On their return to civilisation, Morton hosted Partick at Cappielow and played out an encouraging 1-1 draw, before going to Love Street to face First Division St. Mirren in the Renfrewshire Cup Final. A second half Greacen header was enough to take the trophy back to Greenock, to the delight of a healthy travelling Morton support.
    The season started in earnest the following week, with the visit of Arbroath in the first round of the Challenge Cup. With the previous season’s star man Alex Williams suspended, the bookies that back then lay on the ground floor of the Norseman building supplied fairly generous odds on Morton new-boy Weatherson to bag the opening goal.
    Weatherson duly obliged in only four minutes, but the ‘Ton were to make heavy weather of a game that should have been comfortably negotiated, with John McGlashan pulling the Red Lichties from 1-3 down to equalise in the final minute. Fortunately for Morton, Weatherson went straight up the park to complete a debut hat-trick and send Morton through in injury time, leaving the local turf accountant short of cash to satisfy the queue of punters who took advantage of his generosity.
    The league campaign opened with a real classic. A terrific crowd turned up at Cappielow for the visit of Airdrie, who most saw as the main threat to Morton’s promotion ambitions. Morton fell behind to a Stephen McKeown goal but hit back through a deflected Williams free kick and a fine John Maisano strike, to put them in front. The game then took a dramatic turn as referee Dougie Somers went down with a hamstring strain, to be replaced by his assistant. As a result, a tannoy announcement was made for a qualified official, and Morton fan Chic Kavanagh, resplendent in his replica shirt, emerged from the Cowshed to the fury of the Diamonds’ faithful. In truth, he didn’t have any influence on the final score, though Morton added a third through a Weatherson penalty to seal the points. Airdrie did enact swift retribution by knocking Morton out the Challenge Cup in midweek, but Morton had laid down an excellent marker for their league season.

    Morton's players celebrate Peter Weatherson's goal in the 3-1 opening day victory over Airdrie at a rauchous Capppielow.
    (Photo- source unknown)
    The deadly duo of Williams and Weatherson secured the points at Ochilview the following week, before Dumbarton emerged from Cappielow with a 2-2 draw. A disappointing result perhaps, but there could be few complaints about collecting seven points from the first nine. And the fine run continued with victory over East Fife and a League Cup win against Stranraer, both at Cappielow, before Morton travelled to Station Park, Forfar.
    Despite falling two behind in the first fifteen minutes, Morton staged a terrific fight back, with goals from Weatherson and Marco Maisano drawing them level, before Paul Walker’s sublime chip secured three vital points and sent the ‘Ton faithful back down the road in fine spirits. Home form though, wasn’t as great as that on the road, and another couple of points were dropped in a 1-1 draw with a mid-table Hamilton side who hadn’t yet clicked into gear.
    The League Cup campaign came to an end at Tannadice, though Morton’s fine performance in a 1-3 defeat drew numerous plaudits, and was financially rewarded by a purring Douglas Rae, despite failure to progress. But after that midweek reverse, it was back up the east coast at the weekend to Gayfield, where Arbroath were ruthlessly dispatched, 4-0.
    After eight games though, Morton’s unbeaten record fell, as they were beaten 1-3 by Berwick Rangers, and that concerning home form which yielded only eight points from fifteen should have drawn more attention than it did, such was the efficiency with which the team were performing on the road. A solitary Alex Williams goal at Recreation Park maintained that 100% away record as Morton concluded the first quarter on the top of the tree, a point clear of East Fife and Airdrie.
    And the second quarter started with another Cappielow thriller- this time around, Stenhousemuir were the visitors, and it was to prove another difficult afternoon in front the Cowshed. Having coasted to an early two-goal lead through Williams and Weatherson, Morton were pegged back to 2-2 with 25 minutes remaining before a late burst from Marco Maisano, Weatherson again and Jani Uoitinen secured the points. It was a good thing Morton were scoring for fun, as the defence was unconvincing as they made heavy weather of games that should have been comfortably negotiated.
    But scoring for fun and negotiating the game wasn’t a problem when they faced what many saw as their toughest test of the season- Airdrie at New Broomfield. Morton were three up in the first half hour- goals from Greacen, John Maisano and Williams put them in easy street going into the break.
    After the previous week’s indiscretions, there was to be no risk of losing this lead, as Greacen headed home his second of the game, Walker added the finishing touches to a terrific move to add a fifth and John Maisano added his second and Morton’s sixth. A last-minute McKeown consolation did little to ruin the Morton fans’ day as they witnessed what was perhaps the best overall performance a Morton team have produced this century. Seven points clear at the top and it was only November, what a time to be alive!

    John Maisano enjoyed a prolific season, but was caught up in the end-of-season controversy.
    (Photo- source unknown)
    But the old frailties couldn’t be shaken off- more points were dropped at home, with Forfar emerging from Cappielow with a point, before a trip to Methil saw Morton drop their first away points of the season with a 0-0 draw against East Fife. We didn’t know it at the time, but Morton had reached their peak for the season.
    The trip to Hamilton was a late victim of the weather, but when it was played, Morton were battered by an Accies side who threw everything but the kitchen sink at them. A last-minute Williams header secured a scarcely deserved three points as Morton prevailed 2-1, on an evening they got away with murder. It was perhaps, better to be lucky than to be good.
    But the cracks were really starting to emerge as struggling Arbroath came to Cappielow and were beaten 6-4! There was no doubt this was a thriller, as the scoreline suggest, but it was clear that all was not well. Morton were scoring for fun, but conceding at an alarming rate. A 3-2 victory against Berwick at Shielfield Park was another positive away result going into Christmas, and a routine victory over East of Scotland League minnows Vale of Leithen to kick off the Scottish Cup campaign was the least anyone would have expected. Morton were twelve points clear as Santa came down the chimney, so what was all the fuss about? We would soon find out.

    John McCormack's Manager of the Month Awards quickly dried up as Morton's form fell off a cliff.
    (Photo- Getty Images/SNS)
    As we left 2003 and brought in 2004, Morton made their first visit to Dumbarton’s new home, and lost their first away match of the league season by a goal to nil in front of a huge visiting support. The cup visit of bottom of the SPL Partick was seen by many as a potential cup upset, but proved to be the dampest of damp squibs as Morton were soundly dispatched 0-3 by the Glasgow side.
    McCormack brought in defender Chris McLeod from Rangers to help shore up the leaky defence, and the defender was culpable for Hamilton’s opener in the first minute of the Cappielow 2-2 draw. In truth, his time at Morton didn’t get much better after that.
    And two trips up the east coast yielded only a point, with a 2-2 draw at Arbroath and a 1-2 reverse at Forfar. There wasn’t much love in the air when East Fife visited Cappielow on Valentines Day with Morton’s lead over second-placed Hamilton cut to seven points. A last-minute Scott Bannerman goal rescued a point for Morton, but it was clear Morton’s form was cause for real consternation. The ‘Ton saw out February with more dropped points, this time from a 3-3 draw at Alloa.
    As we entered March, Morton registered their first win of 2004. A second half Chris Millar strike claiming the points at Stenhousemuir before the midweek visit of Airdrie for a rearranged midweek fixture. With Airdrie motoring at this point, and by now sitting only five points behind their hosts, a victory would have provided breathing space in what was turning into a real tussle, having previously looked like becoming a procession. Alas, Morton had to settle for a point despite leading through a John Maisano free kick. With those dropped points, Hamilton were now breathing down their neck, only four points behind, and Airdrie only a point further back.
    So, two home wins over Dumbarton and Berwick were just what the doctor ordered. But Doctor Kenny Deuchar added to the ill-feeling around the Morton support by scoring the only goal in a 0-1 defeat at East Fife.
    With a massive game at Hamilton approaching, form continued to be patchy. A narrow 1-0 win over Arbroath was sandwiched by draws with Alloa and Forfar. Morton had been usurped at the top of the table by Airdrie, but with two going up, still had breathing space over Accies.
    Though heading into the match with a degree of trepidation, nobody could have foreseen a 1-6 drubbing from a rampant Hamilton. If Morton had been let off the hook on their previous visit to New Douglas Park, they were shown no mercy this time around as they were humiliated by a team that clearly smelt blood. Bannerman’s last-minute consolation flattered Morton, and all of a sudden, even promotion was beginning to look unlikely.
    Paul Walker’s last-minute winner at home to Alloa was enough to win the points on a nervy afternoon that saw Cappielow erupt as the ‘Ton’s season took what was to prove it’s last positive turn, and a trip to Noth East England saw a miserable defeat by Berwick.
    But by now, if it didn’t look like things could get any worse, Morton’s season took a turn that nobody could have predicted. A squad of young guys with a few quid in their pockets who were treated like local celebrities was always going to have its faults- in the early days of camera phones, it wasn’t uncommon to see the players out enjoying their newly found status and attention, and the generosity of their adoring public. Unfortunately, that often led to overindulgence, and photos of players lying drunk on couches were often exchanged between fans. This of course, wasn’t a problem when the team were winning, but with results turning, fans looked for scapegoats, and rumours started to emerge about some members of the squad placing a not insignificant amount of money on Airdrie to win the title, at the point Morton were coasting. The prime suspects appeared to be Williams, Weatherson, the Maisano brothers and Millar- all relatively young players who were perceived to be too big for their boots and found the fans had turned against them.
    With Airdrie confirming themselves as champions at Alloa, Morton travelled back to Dumbarton, and this time took a 0-3 hammering, with captain Derek Collins receiving his marching orders in front of an incandescent travelling support. Marco Maisano was dragged from a furious fan in the car park after being asked if he was “off to collect his winnings” to compound a horrible afternoon for Morton.
    Nevertheless, a victory over Stenhousemuir the following week could have secured promotion in second place. Morton had collected nine points from nine against the beleaguered Warriors, who sat bottom of the table, thirteen points behind ninth-placed East Fife and already relegated. Stenny however, left Cappielow with a resounding 4-1 victory, and for the first time all season, Morton were out of the promotion places, and with one game remaining, away to champions Airdrie, promotion was out of their hands.
    With goal difference in Hamilton’s favour, realistically Morton had to win and hope Forfar could do them a turn. It didn’t happen. With Accies striker Brian McPhee proving the hero in a week that he had earlier battled an explosion in a Maryhill plastics factory in has day job as a fireman, he took more plaudits in helping the Lanarkshire side to a 4-0 victory, as Morton slumped to a 0-2 defeat to the newly-crowned champions and even slipped to fourth behind Dumbarton.

    Alex Williams is consoled by Paul Gaughan after their final day defeat at Airdrie completed a monumental collapse.
    (Photo- Kenny Ramsay)
    As betting slips flew onto the pitch like confetti, Airdrie fans raced on to celebrate and some Morton fans to show their displeasure at the goading of their hosts. The players stood and saluted their support, with many in tears at how a season that promised so much had unfolded.
    It would be the making of some, and the breaking of others as Weatherson and Millar went onto stellar careers, while Williams in particular suffered. The best natural finisher this observer has ever seen in a Morton shirt saw his career fizzle out after brief renaissances at Clyde and Ayr, but he, and we, were left with a sense of what might have been, though you still hear fans in their late thirties upwards talking fondly of “Super”.
    The betting rumours came to nothing, with no concrete evidence found to implicate anyone, but mud sticks, and only the players themselves could tell us of the personal impact it had on them going forward.
    For Morton, while the 2014 relegation may have been a blessing in disguise, this was nothing of the sort. With the rise of big-spending, all-conquering Gretna forthcoming, they suffered in the Second Division for another three seasons before finally gaining promotion. McCormack was sacked the following season and replaced by Jim McInally, who twice failed to take Morton up before finally getting it right.
    Worst of all, the trust between the club and fans had evaporated. A club that had so much going for it wasn’t the same again, and the damage that season brought felt irreparable, as McInally commented during the 2007 title-winning year.
    While he may disagree, I don’t think the trust was properly built up again until Jim Duffy’s arrival years later, and some may argue that twenty years down the line, the club has still never recovered.
    Though there were many directions the finger of blame could be pointed in, that many of us look back on that season more with sadness now, than with anger, is perhaps the worst thing about it. Morton was a club we felt were really going places, but more so than any other near miss, there was a horrible sense of what might have been.
  7. Admin

    Why Does It Always Rain On Me?

    By Admin,


    Morton
    (Photo- Gary Bradley)
    Why Does It Always Rain On Me?
    A Review of Morton’s 2023-24 Season, Part One
    By Russell Gordon
    So, after ten months of ups and downs, another season has come and gone. Once again, Morton have finished fifth in the Championship- but while last time around, the season’s climax was met with a sense of gut-wrenching disappointment at such a near miss in the race for the play-offs, this time around, the sense of frustration can only really come from Morton’s own failings to give themselves an opportunity to reach the end-of-season finale.
    But that fifth-placed finish would have been something many of us would have taken after a torrid start to the league campaign that saw them rooted to the table’s foot and staring at the prospect of League One football next term.
    Close seasons for Morton have in recent years, always been times of uncertainty. Season ticket sales were encouraging- off the back of the previous season’s near miss, over a thousand were shifted to a support who were hoping for more of the same.
    But behind the scenes, a board of directors who refused to allow a penny more to go out than came in, appeared to be at loggerheads with a manager who wanted to push Morton on and strengthen his squad.
    As is always the case, there were plenty of comings and goings from Cappielow. The likes of Ali Crawford and Brian Schwake’s loan spells ended, while Carlo Pignatiello, Reece Lyon, Efe Ambrose and Liam Grimshaw all moved onto pastures new.
    Fans’ favourite Lewis Strapp, still recovering from and injury sustained at Celtic Park in last season’s Scottish Cup defeat, was allowed to leave, but offered training facilities to aid his recuperation, while winger Calvin Miller, who had enjoyed a fruitful second half of the campaign in the famous blue-and-white hoops, looked to have agreed a new deal before having his head turned and accepting the devil’s coin from League One minnows Falkirk.
    In came experienced former Scotland, Kilmarnock and Rotherham centre back Kirk Broadfoot, who had spent the previous season with Lowland League circus act Open Goal Broomhill, and was seen as the natural replacement for the departing Ambrose, to provide cover for Jack Baird and Darragh O’Connor.
    Calum Waters made his loan from Kilmarnock a permanent deal after his release from the Premiership side, and young goalkeeper Ryan Mullen arrived from Clyde, who had been relegated from League One.
    In the forward positions, Steven Boyd signed up after his release from fellow Championship club Inverness, and winger Jack Bearne signed up following his release from English Premier League also-rans, Liverpool.
    While the arrivals were underwhelming, to those watching on there was a massive problem position that Imrie needed addressing. The loss of Liam Grimshaw to title favourites Dundee United was huge, and there was no obvious replacement at right back in the current squad, though former Morton defender Michael Doyle came in during pre-season to train with the club.
    There were other pre-season trialists, and the Morton team who kicked off the first friendly, an insipid 0-1 defeat by Alloa at Recreation Park, was unfamiliar from the side who agonisingly missed out in Aberdeen two months previous.
    The following midweek, Morton made a trip to Galabank to face Annan Athletic, having hit the headlines by giving an opportunity to defender Brandon Diau, who had previously played in the Welsh League, and chronicled his attempts to gain a professional contract on a social media platform, and drawn much attention to his efforts. Given Imrie and Andy Millen’s own career paths, they were prepared to give the defender an opportunity to prove himself in training and against the Galabankies.
    While Diau was to unfortunately only get on a minute before the match was abandoned, the real victim on a difficult night was fellow trialist Doyle, who had already been told he wouldn’t be getting a deal, but agreed to play with Morton needing numbers. Doyle went down with what looked like a career-threatening injury, and with a lack of medical facilities at the ground, and those treating him needing to keep the stricken defender’s leg stable while awaiting an ambulance’s arrival, the match reached a premature conclusion with Morton leading 1-0 through Calum Waters’ first half goal.
    Things did look up the following Saturday though, as Morton beat local rivals St. Mirren in a Cappielow friendly. A second half penalty from Robbie Muirhead and a Lewis McGrattan goal, following a terrific through ball from another trialist, Frankie Deane sent the home fans home with a sense of optimism going into the League Cup campaign. As it turned out, neither Diau nor Deane were handed deals.
    Morton were handed a manageable group, with Ross County, Kelty Hearts, Edinburgh City and Stranraer. With the Premiership Highlanders favourites to progress, the ‘Ton’s ambitions were at worst a second-placed finish and the opportunity to progress depending on their record in comparison to the others.
    And that’s exactly how it turned out- Morton made their first visit to New Central Park, Kelty and after falling behind in the first half, rallied well to record a comfortable 3-1 victory, thanks to goals from Boyd, Robbie Crawford and Broadfoot. That was followed up by a resounding victory over Stranraer at Cappielow, thanks to goals from Jack Baird, Cammy Blues and Crawford. They did however, suffer their first set-back of the season with Baird forced off late on with a broken metacarpal and fractured fingers which saw him sit out for five weeks.
    Fellow defender Darragh O’Connor gave Morton a first half lead at group favourites County, but after dominating the first half, their defensive frailties saw them fall to a 1-2 defeat thanks to second half Jay Henderson and Simon Murray strikes. All was not lost however, and a 4-1 Cappielow victory over Edinburgh City took Morton through to the knockout stages and a tie against Rangers at Ibrox that provided a welcome financial boost with Imrie still in the process of building his squad with a month of the transfer window remaining.
    There was however, sad news with the passing of one of Morton’s greatest ever managers, Benny Rooney, who left us at the age of 80 on 28th July.
    Injury problems were never far away, with Mullen forced out with an injury on the eve of the league campaign. After an encouraging start to his Morton career, particularly excelling in the victory over St. Mirren, it was to prove a massive blow for the young goalkeeper, and Imrie turned to former Kilmarnock goalkeeper Jamie MacDonald, with the experienced keeper recently released by big-spending Raith Rovers. In with MacDonald came another experienced former Killie man, Irish midfielder Alan Power, with both preparing to debut against their ex-employers’ local rivals, Ayr United in the season’s curtain-raiser.
    And what a start it was. An abysmal first half challenge from ex-Morton midfielder Andy Murdoch took Jai Quitongo out, but also ended the United skipper's season before it had began. With the teams going in goalless at the break, Murdoch’s replacement, Oliver Pendlebury gave the Honest Men the lead, but a fantastic turnaround saw Morton register the three points thanks to a beautiful curling effort from Crawford from the edge of the Ayr box, a Robbie Muirhead penalty and Boyd’s late goal, following great work on the right from Bearne. Three points against a team who had a bit of an Indian sign over Morton the previous season was a great start!

    Robbie Crawford's fine equaliser helped Morton towards an opening day victory over Ayr United.
    (Photo- Gary Bradley)
    But the following week’s trip to Kirkcaldy was not such a happy affair. Raith Rovers were on the crest of a wave. They’d received significant investment, with Kelty Hearts investors jumping ship across the Kingdom, with the Maroon Machine perhaps having reached their ceiling. A lot of money had been spent on infrastructure and on their playing staff, and on entering the ground, it was easy to tell there was a sense of optimism around Stark’s Park.
    If their financial muscle wasn’t enough of an advantage against Morton, referee David Munro was quick to offer a helping hand, on an afternoon that he produced perhaps the worst refereeing performance this observer can recall in over 30 years of watching football in this country.
    Morton started poorly, falling behind to an early Jack Hamilton strike, before Lewis Vaughan went down in the box in the vicinity of O’Connor, and directly in the hapless official’s line of vision. Vaughan converted the resultant spot kick to give the big-spending Fifers a two-goal advantage and delighted in goading an incandescent visiting support, but Morton hit back straight away, with Muirhead bulleting home McGrattan’s pinpoint cross from the right on 17 minutes.
    Later in the first half, the referee further infuriated the Morton support by failing to order off Hamilton for what was clearly a second bookable offence, and in the second period, he decided that Ross Millen’s flying elbow only merited a yellow card. He did of course, find time to throw yellow cards at eight Morton players on the afternoon.
    With 20 minutes remaining, Crawford finally found Morton’s equaliser after a dominant performance, but a mistake from Broadfoot late on was pounced upon by Callum Smith, who ran half the length of the park to seal the three points for the Kirkcaldy big-spenders. While Josh Mullin missed an injury time penalty, it was to provide no consolation to Dougie Imrie’s side, who could feel extremely hard done to on an afternoon that still leaves a sour taste in the mouth.
    With the promise of a big payday at Ibrox, Imrie had the opportunity of adding to his squad, which he did by bringing in a familiar face- Iain Wilson, on loan from League One Queen of the South. The signing didn’t appear to be met with much enthusiasm from the Morton support, many of whom must have had short memories from his previous spell at Cappielow. Bizarrely though, despite the Doonhamers already having exited the League Cup and Wilson not having taken part in any of their group games, they refused Morton permission to include him in the squad for the trip to Ibrox. A few “good Rangurz men” in the Palmerston boardroom, I’d suggest?
    So onward to Govan it was, and against a team who had endured a slow start to the season by their standards, and had mixed their team up a bit with a view towards a crucial Champions League qualifier against PSV Eindhoven in midweek, Morton gave a decent account of themselves, despite their own selection issues. Able to only name four substitutes, including Ryan Mullen and Jack Baird, neither of whom were going to get any game time as they recovered from injury, it was perhaps surprising to see the sides go in goalless at the break. But nowhere near as surprising as to see that rarest of events, as Rangers striker Cyriel Dessers was adjudged to have caught Broadfoot in the box. With referee David Dickinson called to the monitor, he had little choice but to award the visitors a spot kick. With 1600 Morton fans in the corner of the ground on tenterhooks, Gillespie stroked the ball home with aplomb to give the ‘Ton a shock lead and send the visiting support into delirium.

    Grant Gillespie takes in the applause of the Morton support after putting the 'Ton into a surprise lead at Ibrox in the League Cup.
    (Photo- Gary Bradley)
    We’ve had our League Cup glory to last us a lifetime though, and within a few minutes, and three big money substitutes coming on to help rescue the hosts, VAR official Gavin Duncan alerted Dickinson to a real needle-in-a-haystack infringement from Broadfoot. While I wouldn’t want to go all Kenny Miller and say it wasn’t a foul, one wonders if a referee would have been alerted to such a challenge at the other end of the park. Dessers took the opportunity to make amends for his earlier indiscretion and levelled the affair, before Danilo took advantage of a Gillespie mistake at the edge of the area to send the bad guys through, despite an inspired performance from MacDonald between the sticks. Beaten, but not humiliated, Morton could again focus on their league campaign, with the added financial boost the tie brought them.
    The league campaign however, was to take a horrid turn. Consecutive home drubbings weren’t what the doctor ordered, especially when the first came from relegation favourites Arbroath, who stuck three past Morton without reply, thanks to a Michael McKenna penalty, a Wilson own goal on his Morton return and a Joao Balde coup-de-gras.
    The second was even more painful. Partick are never the most welcome of visitors to Cappielow, but they certainly enjoyed their trip this time around. It was Morton who started the better, with Muirhead lashing home an early free kick, but their fortunes took a turn for the worse when Robbie Crawford was withdrawn through injury after 20 minutes. Steven Lawless levelled the affair before half time, before Brian Graham, the man Morton fans all love to hate, scored two within a minute, with twenty minutes remaining to the delight of the Partick fans and the despair of a rapidly emptying Cowshed. Though Partick’s Harry Milne was ordered off, they still found time to add a fourth through substitute Tomi Adeloye to round off a miserable afternoon for the Morton fans.
    With Scotland’s relentless charge to Euro 2024 in Germany taking centre stage, Morton welcomed League Two strugglers Elgin City to Cappielow in the third round of the SPFL Trust Trophy. Despite falling behind to the Highland side, goals from Muirhead and McGrattan eventually eased the ‘Ton through.
    On their return to league duty, Morton faced formidable opposition at Tannadice- not only in title favourites Dundee United, but also in Scotland’s worst official, David Munro, who had played such a significant role in costing Morton the points at Stark’s Park five weeks previously.
    With loan signing Tyler French from United’s next-door neighbours, Dundee debuting and hoping to solve the problem right back position, Morton fell behind to an early Louis Moult header, but acquitted themselves well and stayed in the game until the break, before taking their chance. Muirhead latched onto a mix-up between ex-St. Mirren defender Declan Gallagher and United keeper Jack Walton to rescue an unlikely point. It was the United fans this time who were incensed by Munro’s performance this time though, as he ordered off Matthew Cudjoe for an elbow on Calum Waters. It was the correct decision, but we’ll credit Munro’s assistant for alerting the referee to the incident.
    Any green shoots of optimism were quickly extinguished, though. A trip to newly promoted Dunfermline proved a harrowing afternoon. Two down in half an hour French would be replaced by Darragh O’Connor after taking what looked to be a nasty injury, and O’Connor lasted only seven minutes before he was also forced off. Everything that could go wrong, did. Robbie Crawford clawed Morton back into it late on, but with the ‘Ton pressing for an equaliser, Michael O’Halloran added a third in injury time to compound the visitors’ misery.
    It didn’t get any better against the other promoted side the following week. Airdrie arrived at Cappielow having won all their home games and lost all their away games. That anomaly had to end some time, and it of course ended here, thanks to a first half goal from Lewis McGregor, released by Morton the previous season. To compound matters, new loan signing from Rangers, right back Jack Harkness was injured in the warm-up and never kicked a ball for Morton, while bottom of the table Inverness beat Arbroath 3-2 at Gayfield in new manager Duncan Ferguson’s bow to climb off the foot of the table at Morton’s expense. It didn’t rain but it poured.

    Morton boss Dougie Imrie didn't have his troubles to seek after a devastating home defeat by newly promoted Airdrie.
    (Photo- Gary Bradley)
    And after that, it certainly did pour- quite literally. In a week of torrential downpours that saw all routes in and out of Greenock blocked, Queen’s Park managed to get the game on for the visit of Morton despite treacherous conditions around the national stadium, the vast majority of the Morton support and even Morton winger Bearne being unable to reach Hampden. That Morton managed to salvage a point from a thoroughly forgettable 0-0 draw was cause for satisfaction, if not celebration.
    The SPFL Trust Trophy campaign continued with a comfortable 4-1 home win over Kelty, with Robbie Crawford adding the final goal to a Robbie Muirhead hat-trick, after ex-Morton midfielder Reece Lyon had brought the Fifers back into the tie in the first half.
    But the following week,  weather conditions were taken into account, as it was deemed unsafe for Inverness to travel to Greenock, coincidentally while they were suffering an injury crisis, and their visit was postponed.
    The Morton fans finally had something to cheer at Somerset Park in late October as a tousy affair was settled late on by George Oakley, who headed home Power’s 87th minute free kick to send the Morton support wild and ensure an unlikely three points for bottom of the table Morton.

    George Oakley was on everyone's mind as he headed home a late winner against Ayr at Somerset Park to give Morton a vital three points.
    (Photo-Gary Bradley)
    But it was to prove a false dawn. Big-spending Raith Rovers visited Cappielow for a Halloween horror show. Aidan Connolly, the smallest man on the park, headed two first half goals to give the Fifers a 2-1 victory, Wilson’s second half reply proving to be mere consolation.
    After that Tuesday night reverse, it was a quick turnaround for a televised Friday night Cappielow showdown with Raith’s Fife cousins, a well-rested Dunfermline, who had been allowed the midweek off as their exit from the SPFL Trust Trophy opened up a weekend slot for their previously scheduled game with Inverness. Even the fixture list did Morton few favours. They only had themselves to blame for falling behind in 17 seconds though, to an Owen Moffat strike. Moffat doubled his account on five minutes on a real landmark evening in Morton’s season, as in front of a national television audience, boos rained down on Imrie and his team, with Broadfoot a particular target of the fans ire. With Wilson withdrawn after only half an hour and losing his temper as he stormed up the tunnel, Morton’s season reached its nadir.
    The second half however, was much improved, with Bearne especially producing a fine cameo from the bench. In the end, a Boyd penalty only proved consolation, and Imrie was under serious pressure from an increasingly impatient support.

    Defeat to Dunfermline at Cappielow was perhaps the lowest point of Morton's season as the pressure ramped up on Dougie Imrie and his under-fire team.
    (Photo-Gary Bradley)
    The following week’s trip to Firhill was a daunting one, and it was imperative that Morton didn’t concede early. So, Kerr McInroy gave Partick a 1-0 lead in the third minute. Again though, Morton rallied and got back into the game, thanks to a Gillespie penalty half an hour in.
    With fifteen minutes remaining, Partick captain Graham was replaced by Adeloye and gesticulated to the Morton support, earning himself a red card- only Morton could see their opponents’ talisman ordered off and not see them reduced to ten men. Of course, a few minutes later, Blair Alston won the match for Partick, and Morton were in a massive hole.
    The result brought great pleasure to some, and completely unjustified criticism of a manager suffering the first really difficult time of his career from others who should have known better.
    While the jibes of “I love all those laughing, smiling Morton faces. Their wee moment if (of) joy before being stuffed again and remain rooted to the bottom of the league” and “8 points and you’re going down” were understandable from a support from which there is no love lost, but to see Imrie’s head being called for by an online fans’ page ran by guys who had never in their lifetimes seen a better boss was uncalled for.
    While Imrie’s treatment in some quarters was unfair though, the manager was bullish about the situation- continually reiterating his confidence that on the return of his main men from injury, Morton would be fine. He was however, acutely aware that things would have to improve sooner or later…
  8. Admin
    (Photo-SNS)
    The Disaster Seasons, Part 1- Celtic Park Celebrations and Douglas Park Despair
    By Russell Gordon
    With Morton’s season reaching its climax this evening with a trip to play opponents who have far more at stake than our own favourites, it’s perhaps appropriate that the trip to an Inverness side who are desperate for points, but thankfully not requiring to make up a goal difference deficit, falls on the tenth anniversary of Morton’s darkest day, on the park at least.
    The 2012-13 season was a gamble for Morton. Morton had recruited well in the previous couple of years, with young players such as Michael Tidser and Faoud Bachirou, picked up from the academies of much larger clubs at home and abroad and looking to relaunch their careers, and Chairman Douglas Rae opening the purse-strings to bring in more experienced campaigners such as Peter MacDonald in 2011, and in 2012, Mark McLaughlin, Martin Hardie and Kevin Rutkiewicz to make a challenge for the First Division title and promotion to the SPL.
    Alas, they were to fall short to a Partick side who were ultimately to prove too strong in the end and the all-or-nothing approach ended with Morton empty handed and needing a massive re-think in their strategy going forward as the club opted for a far more streamlined approach to squad building going into the 2013-14 season.
    While Bachirou remained under contract, most of the other big hitters moved onto pastures new, and the club took a, let’s say “novel” approach to squad building, with what was mooted to be an 8-8-8 structure, an idea apparently concocted by then club advisor, and future director and CEO Warren Hawke.
    In essence, the squad would consist of eight senior pros, eight less so, be they youngsters or players aspiring to achieve at First Division level, and eight kids. Fool proof, as we discovered.
    Morton’s biggest asset Tidser, with a year remaining on his contract made his big money move to English League One side Rotherham United for an Earth-shattering fee of, err… £50,000. MacDonald would move on to title favourites Dundee, while Hardie also departed, but only to League One Airdrie before his career fizzled out. There was however, one unnecessary departure who would come back to haunt Morton far earlier than even the most pessimistic of ‘Ton fans would have predicted. More of that later.
    So, Moore’s recruitment drive began, and the net was cast far and wide. In came two Slovakians- centre back Tomas Peciar and midfielder Michal Habai, Belgian-born Gambian striker Kabba-Modou Cham and Nicolas Caraux, a French goalkeeper brought in to challenge Derek Gaston for the number one jersey.
    On these shores, midfielders Reece Hands and Joe McKee came in from Blackburn Rovers and Bolton Wanderers respectively, along with left back Marc Fitzpatrick from Motherwell and the most high-profile signing, Dougie Imrie from local rivals St. Mirren.
    And things started promisingly. There was no shame in losing to Sheffield United and drawing with Tidser’s new club Rotherham at Cappielow, before Morton lost 0-1 to St. Johnstone in the departing Peter Weatherson’s testimonial, as the long-serving striker was thanked and waved off to League Two Annan Athletic.
    The following week, Morton visited their nearest and dearest, St. Mirren, to contest the Renfrewshire Cup at St. Mirren Park and a terrific performance saw Moore’s side blow the hosts away with a 4-2 victory thanks in no small part to a Reece Hands howitzer from range and a double from Morton’s new talisman, Cham. Happy days.

    A resounding victory over St. Mirren to lift the Renfrewshire Cup provided plenty of scope for optimism going into the new season. (Photo- SNS)
    But it didn’t take long for the cracks to appear. The Challenge Cup campaign was over before it begun. A lovely sunny afternoon in Annan in July is normally one of Scottish football’s great joys. When you go down there and lose 0-1 to a late free kick dispatched by the long-serving striker that you prematurely released a fortnight after his testimonial, it doesn’t quite have the same lustre. To add to Morton’s woes, Marc Fitzpatrick started as he would go on by following up a horrendous performance by engaging in an altercation with the furious travelling support.
    Lessons were at least learned the following week in the League Cup as, despite conceding a last-minute equaliser at East Fife, Morton eased through to a second round date at home to Montrose with a 6-2 extra time victory over the Fifers.
    The league campaign started with a comfortable, and not unexpected 2-0 home win over Cowdenbeath. With The Blue Brazil, Dumbarton and Alloa all in the division, there was reason to feel that even if Morton were to endure a more difficult season with budget cuts, there would be enough of a buffer with three part-time clubs likely to finish below them, and allowing Morton to cash in the following campaign with the inevitable arrival of at least Rangers and Hearts coming into the league from opposite directions in 2014-15.
    But two 1-3 defeats on the road, at Falkirk and perhaps more alarmingly, part-time Dumbarton, opened the eyes of many as to just how difficult a season Morton were going to endure.  A comfortable 4-0 victory over Montrose earned Morton a plum League Cup draw at Celtic Park, a draw that was conducted the same day as the Glasgow side were thrown in with AC Milan, Ajax and Barcelona in their Champions League group. Perhaps the League Cup draw garnered more attention in Greenock than in Glasgow!
    In the meantime, a home draw with Raith was followed up by another tie at Livingston before Queen of the South came to Cappielow and sauntered out with three points having not even needed to break sweat. Reece Hands’ penalty hitting the Sinclair Street car park proved a particular lowlight.
    And so, it was off to Celtic Park for what everyone anticipated would be a midweek League Cup hounding. I won’t go into it too much as I’ve discussed it at length in a previous article, but of course, Morton defied all odds despite the loss of David O’Brien to an injury that effectively ended his career, and a barrage of Celtic pressure, with Dougie Imrie’s penalty in the first period of extra time producing the shock of the round and sending the visiting support into raptures, ending the favourites’ treble hopes in the process.

    Allan Moore fell by the sword in November despite Morton's heroic League Cup win at Celtic Park two months previous. (Photo-SNS)
    In an eventful week for Allan Moore, he was to tragically lose his brother the following day, before Morton fell to the foot of the table with a 1-3 loss at Dens Park. Things got really desperate the following week as Alloa came to Cappielow and left with a 2-0 victory. But with a few quid pocketed from the Celtic tie, Rae sanctioned the signing of former Rangers striker Nacho Novo, who debuted in a 1-1 draw with Hamilton. Two trips to Fife would follow, with Morton suffering what would, in any normal season be by far their most ignominious result, crashing 1-5 to Cowdenbeath at Central Park, and then 1-2 at Stark’s Park.
    A spirited performance against St. Johnstone in the League Cup quarter final ended in despair, as Novo was penalised for charging down a free kick that should never have been awarded in the first place, before Caraux spilled the re-take, allowing Gary McDonald to score an injury time winner to send the Perth side through on a night that referee John McKendrick didn’t cover himself in glory.
    Morton’s 2-0 weekend victory over Dumbarton was to prove a false dawn, as they would go on a losing run of eight games that would see Moore finally relieved of his duties after a 1-5 home defeat by Livingston, Morton exit the Scottish Cup with a 0-4 mauling at Premiership Inverness and go into the new year firmly rooted to the bottom of the pile.
    But Rae had to go back to the drawing board and appoint a new manager. On paper, the man he plumped for looked a reasonably sound appointment. Kenny Shiels had won the League Cup two years previous during a relatively successful spell at Kilmarnock, and was seen as one of Scottish football’s more colourful characters at the time. He was certainly colourful!
    After a horrible new year defeat at Dumbarton, which saw disputes breaking out amongst different factions of the support in the stand and fans and players’ relatives exchanging “frank” views, things started to look up.
    Shiels had dipped into the transfer market in order to rebuild Morton’s failing squad, with the likes of Cham, Novo, McLaughlin, Stephen Stirling and short-term signings Craig Reid and Jake Nicholson moving on.
    There were a number of arrivals, some with higher profiles than others. Full backs Ben Sampayo and Jamie McCormack came in along with Rangers loanee Barrie McKay, Stuart Findlay on loan from Celtic, the notorious David Robertson, freed Rangers centre back Darren Cole, and the two celebrated, or rather costly arrivals- former Scotland striker Garry O’Connor and Hibernian loanee Rowan Vine.
    O’Connor and McKay combined for the latter to score the only goal as Morton registered their first away win of the season at Almondvale, before tragedy struck the following week. Only a few minutes into the home game with Queen of the South, Morton fan Andy Kemp collapsed on the Sinclair Street terrace and sadly couldn’t be resuscitated.
    When the game was replayed the following midweek, the club opened the gates for free, asking for donations as a thank you to St. Andrew’s Ambulance services, and attracted their biggest crowd of the season. The eventual 1-1 draw summed up Morton’s frailties as they failed to capitalise on Queens being reduced to nine men, only scraping a draw thanks to Archie Campbell’s late equaliser.
    Though Morton were in the middle of a five-match unbeaten run, four draws and a win did little to convince their watching public that they had the minerals to get out of the mess they were in.
    Consecutive home games against fellow strugglers Cowdenbeath and Alloa in February yielded a solitary point and by this stage, there was an inevitability about Morton’s fate. The 0-1 home defeat by the Wasps, which saw Dougie Imrie ordered of for a professional foul as he tried to pick up the pieces from his hapless teammates’ failings, kicked off a run of six consecutive defeats, which included 0-3 doings at Central Park and Palmerston, with Vine seeing red for reacting to the Cowdenbeath locals’ jibes on a chastening evening for the ‘Ton. Morton looked to have plumbed to their deepest low when Rae bemoaned the signing of the clearly unfit O’Connor in the national press. Things were really, really grim.

    The signing of former Scotland striker Garry O'Connor proved an unmitigated disaster (Photo- source unkonwn)
    Morton hardly proved to be April fools though, and consecutive home wins over Dumbarton and Livingston at least raised a smile before relegation was confirmed by a 0-2 defeat to Alloa at Recreation Park. We all knew it was coming, and it was perhaps comforting to get it out the way so that we could look for some green shoots of optimism.
    Joy of joys, Morton had the top three to play in their remaining games. Putting a spanner in Dundee’s title charge, thanks to Imrie’s late winner was great fun, possibly made better by the against-all-odds nature of the victory against a club with which there is very rarely much love lost when they meet Morton. A Rowan Vine equaliser the following week ended Falkirk’s remote title hopes, before a trip to Hamilton on the final day.
    There was no hiding from it- this had been a dreadful season. But things had began to improve, and we could look forward to the new season with optimism. The club held a Question-and-Answer session in the Supporters’ Club the night before the game, and Douglas Rae confirmed that Shiels would lead Morton in their charge for promotion back to the Championship.
    Those plans were all in tatters 24 hours later, as Hamilton, two points and eight goals behind Dundee in the title race, had to go for broke. With Accies two up in only eight minutes, it didn’t bode well for Morton. Imrie reduced the arrears before Tony Andreu completed a first half hat-trick to send Hamilton in 5-1 up at the break.
    Morton had a chance to restore some respectability early in the second half as Imrie was felled in the box by ex-Morton keeper Kevin Cuthbert, but the custodian redeemed himself by stopping Vine’s pathetic spot kick.
    By the time Imrie added his second, he merely made the score 7-2, before three goals in the final twelve minutes, with Mikael Antoine-Curier helping himself to four on the day and Stuart Findlay, one of the few successes of the season, the unfortunate scorer of Hamilton’s ninth.
    Elsewhere, Dundee held on to seal the title and Accies eventually joined them in the Premiership, thanks to a dramatic play-off final win over Hibs, but it didn’t prevent any accusations of corruption and resentment coming from Tayside, which still lingers ten years on.
    It’s easy to see why, with Morton so impressively denting their title charge just a fortnight earlier, but it was hardly inconceivable that a team who could lose 1-5 and 0-3 at ninth-placed Cowdenbeath and collect a grand total of zero points from their six away games against the three part-time teams in the division, were capable of a capitulation to a team who really had to rack up the goals. There was no hiding from it- the reason this Morton team were so heavily beaten wasn’t because they were fixing anything, it was because they were appalling.
    Shiels was of course to resign after the defeat- the best thing that could have happened to Morton with Jim Duffy rebuilding the squad and eventually returning Morton to the Championship at the first time of asking, while the big names, the loanees and the journeymen all moved on with few tears shed. Only Imrie and Findlay’s departures were mourned, though Bachirou’s departure was greeted with mixed reactions as he was rumoured to have gone on strike to engineer his move.
    While that one game was a permanent stain on Morton’s history, the whole, bizarre season was a catalogue of errors that had to be seen to be believed. Whenever someone tells you that the Morton team they are watching is the worst they’ve ever seen, those of us unfortunate enough to have seen that Morton side will always have an answer. Surely- surely, we will never see their likes again.
  9. Admin
    Inverness Caledonian Thistle v Morton – Match Preview 
    by Russell Gordon 
    The curtain comes down on the cinch Championship for another season as Morton take the long road up the A9 to visit Inverness Caledonian Thistle for a game which could confirm a second successive fifth placed finish for Dougie Imrie’s side after an up-and-down season in which they fell short of the promotion play-offs with a bit more to spare this time around. 
    However, the hosts have a lot more at stake than pride and prize money, as they fight to avoid a place in the play-offs at the wrong end of the table and will have one eye on events at Hampden as they seek a favour from Airdrie against eighth-placed Queen’s Park, who sit a point above Thistle. 

    Photo - GBR Photographs.
    Squad News 
    There will likely be a few playing their last game for Morton as the annual turnover of the playing squad begins. With Lewis Strapp out, we can only hope that we haven’t seen the last of him, though it was nice to see Iain Wilson, presumed absent for the remainder of the campaign, get a place on the bench against big-spending Raith Rovers last Saturday. 
    After a difficult afternoon for Jai Quitongo, this observer would like to see Jack Bearne get a run out from the start, given he’s contracted for next season and has impressed on his fleeting appearances from the bench. 
    Grant Gillespie, another whose future is in doubt, could continue in midfield after another good performance last weekend, though I suspect Jack Baird may return to the fold in place of Kirk Broadfoot. After Broadfoot’s yellow card against the Fifers on Saturday took him to eleven in the league, a further booking could see him miss the start of next season, wherever that may be. 
    There could be final appearances for the likes of Robbie Muirhead, Robbie Crawford, George Oakley, Darragh O’Connor, Alan Power, Calum Waters and Lewis McGrattan, while I suspect guys like Broadfoot, Quitongo, Jamie MacDonald and Tyler French will certainly not be returning in July. 
    Current Connections  
    The only Inverness player to have had the honour of pulling on the famous blue and white hoops is their loanee Ross County striker Alex Samuel, who enjoyed a season-long loan at Cappielow from Swansea City in 2015-16, notably scoring a double in an extra time League Cup third round victory over Motherwell and a late equaliser in a 1-1 Renfrewshire derby draw at St. Mirren Park in November 2015. 
    Wallace Duffy was signed by hapless ex-Morton boss David Hopkin on loan from St. Johnstone as Morton prepared for the COVID-hit 2020-21 season, but left without playing a game as Inverness offered the centre back a more permanent deal that suited the player and his parent club more favourably than a short-term deal in Greenock. 
    Kirk Broadfoot spent the 2021-22 season in the Highlands, helping Inverness to a third-placed finish in the Championship, and progress to the Premiership play-off final after beating Championship shock-troops Arbroath in a semi-final penalty shoot-out. They were however, dispatched 2-6 on aggregate by St. Johnstone in the final, before Broadfoot took the step down to Lowland League circus-act Open Goal Broomhill, then returning to the Championship with Morton. 
    George Oakley had two spells with Inverness- the first an eighteen month spell from July 2017 to January 2019 under John Robertson in which he contributed to their 2018 Challenge Cup success, and a second more brief spell in the first half off last season when he was rumoured to have had a falling out with the notoriously difficult Billy Dodds, before moving onto Morton in a move that looks to have benefitted all parties other than his former employers. 
    Morton boss Dougie Imrie also spent two seasons in the Highlands between 2008 and 2010. 
    Tale of the Tape  
    There’s not been much between the teams this season. The first meeting at Cappielow in October was postponed because it was a wee bit windy, so Inverness couldn’t possibly have been asked to travel to Greenock, despite Morton being forced two weeks previously to play Queen’s Park at Hampden when flooding in Greenock prevented the majority of the Morton support and even midfielder Jack Bearne even getting out of Greenock. Nothing to do with Inverness suffering an injury crisis, no. 
    When the match was eventually played, Morton came out on top thanks to an early George Oakley goal, as the former Inverness hitman latched onto a mistake from Nikola Udjur to dink the ball into the net and give Morton a first half lead. That was doubled in the second by Jack Baird, who got on the end of a long Lewis Strapp throw in to lash Morton into a two-goal lead ten minutes from time. A late Adam Brooks header wasn’t enough to rescue a point for Duncan Ferguson’s side. 
    As 2023 drew to a close, Morton weren’t extended the same courtesy of a postponement despite the treacherous conditions on the A9, but returned with a 0-0 draw from a pretty turgid game, very much a point gained. 
    Things weren’t as good on Inverness’s next visit to Cappielow as Morton’s sixteen-match unbeaten run stuttered to an end with an insipid 0-2 defeat. Billy McKay’s early strike set the tone for a game that Morton just didn’t look themselves, and Sean McAllister’s free kick deceived a clearly unfit Jamie MacDonald in the Morton goal to double the Highlanders’ lead. 
    Morton huffed and puffed with little success and were victims of a display of timewasting and game management that would have had Jose Mourinho purring from their visitors. 

    Photo - GBR Photographs.
    Opposition Analysis  
    After years of racking up debt with scant regard for actually paying the bills, this may be the season that the chickens come home to roost for Inverness. Losses in the region of £1 million year on year were never going to be sustainable, and it could be argued that last season’s fortunate cup run, after being given a second chance by Queen’s Park’s administrative folly only kept the wolves from the Inverness door. 
    A poor start to this season saw Dodds emptied after having been given a two-year deal in the summer, to be replaced by former Scotland striker Duncan Ferguson. The high-profile appointment paid off immediately, with a 3-2 success at Arbroath which took Thistle off the foot of the table at the expense of Morton. 
    Ferguson brought in striker Cillian Sheridan and midfielder David Wotherspoon and embarked on a six-match unbeaten league run, though the Irishman was to be quickly released to sign for relegation rivals Queen’s Park and Wotherspoon signed up at title-chasing Dundee United. 
    The signing of Samuel has been a relative success, with the Welshman notching a hat-trick at big-spending Raith Rovers to give Inverness a shock win, but after that new-manager bounce in the autumn, Inverness haven’t really got going, with their only league victories since January other than that Cappielow success being consecutive wins over Arbroath and Queen’s Park last month. 
    Since those two victories, which took Inverness up to eighth, Ferguson decided he was going to take a leaf out of his namesake Sir Alex’s book and play some mind games, making disparaging remarks about the professionalism of already relegated Arbroath, in the hope it would rile the Red Lichties players up for the visits of Morton and Queen’s Park. 
    Ferguson indicated that Arbroath had chucked it, making numerous references to this in his pre-match press conference ahead of their televised defeat to big-spending Raith Rovers, failing to note that Arbroath had lost the previous six prior to relegation being confirmed and were in fact, out of their depth, rather than not interested in getting results. 
    With Morton comfortably confirming their survival a fortnight ago, and Queen’s Park smashing five past poor Arbroath, while Inverness were losing to the big-spending Kirkcaldy side and failing to pick up maximum points at their cousins from Dunfermline, leaving Inverness a point behind the Spiders going into the final day. 

    Photo - GBR Photographs.
    What’s Happening Elsewhere? 
    With this being the final weekend of the regular season, most issues are resolved. Champions Dundee United will collect the trophy in front of the BBC Scotland cameras as they host play-off bound Partick, who will probably have more than one eye on Tuesday’s quarter-final against Airdrie. 
    The Diamonds meanwhile, travel to Hampden for a match the Queen’s Park will be looking to win, or at least match Inverness’s result against Morton to confirm their Championship place for next season. 
    Big-spending Raith Rovers will have a week off ahead of their play-off semi-final and close with the visit of Arbroath, who we bid a fond farewell to after five years in the Championship. 
    A match that will be of interest to Morton will be the meeting of Ayr United and Dunfermline at Somerset Park. While a draw would see Morton guarantee a fifth placed finish, provided they don’t lose by any more than four goals, a Morton win would be the preferable outcome, with Dunfermline currently sitting a point behind Morton and Ayr two behind. The worst-case scenario is a sixth placed finish. 
    In the Premiership, Livingston’s relegation could be confirmed if they fail to match Ross County’s result. The Lions travel to Fir Park, while County host Hibernian. Celtic host Hearts on Saturday while Kilmarnock travel to Govan on Sunday in the race for the title. In the race for the final Europa Conference League place, Dundee host St. Mirren, needing a win to reach that coveted fifth place. Good luck to them. 
    League One minnows Falkirk (I might as well say it one last time) will collect the trophy at the 5th (fifth) time of asking as they host Alloa, and there’s a mammoth tie at the bottom, as Stirling host Annan, with both teams level on 38 points. With Annan’s superior goal difference, a draw will be enough for the Galabankies, while Stirling need a win to avoid a relegation play-off place. 
    Perhaps the biggest focus however, will be on the battle to avoid meeting East Kilbride in next week’s play-off final. With three teams in the mix, Stranraer look to be the ones heading for the dreaded date with destiny. 
    Stranraer host champions Stenhousemuir, who have bizarrely drawn their last eight games in a row, while Clyde, two points ahead, visit Elgin. Should Clyde draw, a three goal Stranraer win will send the Bully Wee into a derby day showdown with the Oystercatchers. 
    Bonnyrigg, who host Forfar, can technically go down, but such is their goal difference advantage, it’s hard to find a scenario where that will happen. 
    Betting Guide  
    All odds are supplied by McBookie. All odds correct as of 7pm on 2nd May 2024 and are subject to change. Please only bet within your means and visit BeGambleAware if you are struggling.  
    Given the jeopardy for them, it’s perhaps unsurprising to see that Inverness are favourites at 11/10, with Morton priced at 21/10 and the draw at 12/5. 
    Morton to win to nil is 4/1, with George Oakley priced at 8/1 to score two or more goals. 
    Match Officials  
    Referee- Craig Napier takes charge of his fourth Morton match of the season, having officiated our first 0-0 draw at Hampden, our 4-0 Scottish cup win over Bo’ness United and the 1-1 draw with Partick. The under-fire official drew criticism in the week over his conduct when refereeing Motherwell’s 0-1 defeat at Pittodrie, with ‘Well boss Stuart Kettlewell and captain Laim Kelly particularly scathing about his behaviour. 
    AR 1- Gordon Crawford 
    AR 2- Kevin Buchanan 
     
  11. Admin
    Morton v Raith Rovers – Match Preview 
    by Russell Gordon 
    With Morton’s place in the Championship secured for another season, and their big-spending visitors Raith Rovers’ place in second all but confirmed at the time of writing, but most probably set in stone by the time the match kicks off, Cappielow Park supported by Dalrada Technology hosts the deadest of dead-rubbers on the penultimate weekend of the season. 
    All that is at stake for Dougie Imrie’s side is the incentive to finish fifth in the league and coin in a few more quid in prize money as they build towards next season, while their profligate visitors will have one eye on a play-off semi-final in May against Airdrie or Partick. 
    Match tickets are available at the below link: 
    Fanbase | Select Ticket (fanbaseclub.com) 

    Photo - GBR Photographs.
    Squad News 
    With Lewis Strapp and Iain Wilson missing the remaining games, I wouldn’t expect too much by way of changes to the starting XI. It was of course, a delight to see George Oakley back in the team, and to see he and Robbie Crawford back on the score sheet. 
    We could, as is often the case, see Grant Gillespie rotated with fellow veteran Alan Power, but after the club captain’s fine performance at Gayfield, he could possibly feel a bit hard done to if he doesn’t retain his starting berth. 
    Darragh O’Connor could come in for Jack Baird having replaced the vice-captain on Saturday at Gayfield. 
    Calum Waters will likely retain his starting berth in the absence of Strapp and a few soon-to-be-out-of-contract players could be making their last Cappielow appearances as Morton players, with the likes of Alan Power, Kirk Broadfoot, Darragh O’Connor, Robbies Muirhead and Crawford and (whisper it) George Oakley amongst others not yet tied down for next season as yet. 
    Current Connections  
    There aren’t too many connections in the two playing squads, with only Morton captain Grant Gillespie and reserve keeper Jamie MacDonald having represented the Kirkcaldy side. 
    Gillespie spent one season in deepest, darkest Fife in season 2018-19 as they finished second in League One behind Arbroath before falling to Queen of the South in the play-off final, while MacDonald enjoyed three seasons in the Kingdom before moving onto Morton after his release this summer when the moneymen rode into town. 
    Andy Millen can of course count Raith among his many former employers, while there are only a couple of family connections in the Raith squad, with Ross County loanee Kyle Turner, the son of ex-Morton midfielder Tommy, and Millen’s son Ross also on the books in Kirkcaldy. 
    The full back however, hasn’t featured since their 0-1 SPFL Trust trophy semi-final defeat by Airdrie in early February after an alleged falling out with manager Ian Murray. It would appear that the big-spending Fifers’ #youbelong tagline doesn’t extend to players who have the temerity to disagree with their manager. 
    Tale of the Tape  
    It doesn’t make for good reading thus far. Morton visited Stark’s Park on the second day of the league season, and a performance of the ages from hapless referee David Munro set the standard for the official’s season. Having fallen behind to an early Jack Hamilton goal, Morton were two behind after fourteen minutes as the referee awarded a penalty for a Lewis Vaughan dive in the not-so-close vicinity of Darragh O’Connor, but in the clear line of Munro’s vision. Vaughan of course, doubled the big-spending Fifers’ lead from the spot and enjoyed his moment in front of the furious visiting support. 
    It didn’t take long for Morton to make a game of it however, as Robbie Muirhead bulleted home a fantastic header from Lewis McGrattan’s pinpoint cross to reduce the arrears three minutes later. 
    Munro then failed to send off Jack Hamilton half an hour in for a second booking on an afternoon he threw yellow cards at yellow jerseys as if it was going out of fashion. Ross Millen was also fortunate, but probably unsurprised, not to see red for an elbow on 57 minutes before Robbie Crawford stabbed home a thoroughly deserved equaliser twenty minutes from time. 
    Alas, this was a game Morton were doomed to get nothing from, and despite Munro’s awful officiating throughout, it was Kirk Broadfoot who took the blame for big-spending Raith’s winner, as he was caught in possession on the halfway line by Callum Smith who went onto notch the winner. With Morton stretched late on, they were to concede an injury-time penalty, but MacDonald denied Josh Mullen from the spot and Morton were left with nothing from a game they deserved so much more from. Me? Still bitter seven months on? Absolutely. 
    There could be no complaints when the moneybags Fifers came to Greenock at the end of October for a real Halloween horror show, though. Two headers from Aidan Connolly, the smallest man on the park, gave Raith a commanding lead against bottom-of-the-table Morton before Iain Wilson pulled Morton back into it early in the second half. 
    Wilson was withdrawn on 62 minutes and Morton lost any impetus to get back into the game after that- a decision that surprised many watching given the influence he had on the game, but with Wilson still trying to get up to full fitness and with a Friday night game against Dunfermline coming up, Imrie was perhaps trying to manage the midfielder’s minutes. 
    Morton collected their only point from Raith in their next visit to Kirkcaldy. A Morton side missing goalkeeper Ryan Mullen and star striker George Oakley looked a shadow of the team who had been unbeaten in the previous fifteen as they ground out a 0-0 draw from a pretty turgid match. In isolation, this was a decent point, but with injuries catching up with Morton, and the wheels soon to fall off, it ultimately didn’t help either side. 

    Photo - GBR Photographs.
    Opposition Analysis  
    Our good friends from the Kingdom have enjoyed an excellent season after their takeover last summer and subsequent spending spree. The acquisitions of the likes of Josh Mullin, Jack Hamilton and Kevin Dabrowski doubtless came at a price, while they were helped by a good relationship with Dundee when they explored the loan market. 
    As the early season pacesetters, the big-spending Fifers went on a sixteen-match unbeaten run of their own between defeats at Airdrie in September and January. The highlight of that run was of course a December victory at Tannadice against Dundee United, and that was followed up with a late win against the Terrors at Stark’s Park in February, while they’ve enjoyed five wins in their six derbies against Dunfermline across various competitions this season. With those victories against their nearest rivals competitively and geographically, Raith have taken to rubbing their opponents’ noses in it across their social media channels, which hasn’t gone down well in some quarters, and has had the consequence of blowing up in their face later in the season, especially as United have slid into the Premiership at their expense. 
    With the title gone, they do of course have the chance of promotion through the play-offs, but their haphazard form in recent weeks will need to be addressed if they are to get the better of Partick or bogey-team Airdrie, never mind potential top flight opponents Ross County or St. Johnstone. 
    I suppose I should say something nice about them- their backs-to-the-wall victory at Inverness last weekend took the pressure off Morton somewhat going into last weekend’s game. Just don’t expect me to be expressing much gratitude to Lewis Vaughan for his winning goal, though! 
    What’s Happening Elsewhere? 
    There’s a party in Airdrie on Friday night as Dundee United roll into town with the title effectively secured. Six points and thirty-six goals better off than big-spending Raith Rovers, it’s in the bag, but a point against an Airdrie team that will be bruised from last weekend’s Firhill shellacking will finish the job in front of the BBC Scotland cameras. 
    Dunfermline and Ayr aren’t quite safe yet, but it’ll take a lot for them to end up in the play-offs. The Pars host Inverness and only a large goal difference swing can send them down. Inverness’s plight however, is a more serious concern. With their well-publicised financial problems growing arms and legs, avoiding the drop is essential for them. While getting a result in Fife will be a tall enough order, they’ll have an eye on ninth placed Queen’s Park’s trip to Arbroath. 
    Thistle Manager Duncan Ferguson’s disparaging remarks prior to the Red Lichties’ defeat to Morton didn’t show him or his club in the best of lights, and like our opponents this weekend, he may be advised to keep his counsel for fear of it coming back to bite him when things don’t go his way. 
    Elsewhere in Scotland, Livingston’s inevitable relegation to the Championship could be confirmed this weekend if they lose to Ross County, while on Sunday the title contenders take on the two teams chasing the final Europa Conference League place. All I’ll say is good luck Dundee, and even that is through gritted teeth. 
    Down in League One, with Hamilton and Alloa already having secured their play-off places, Montrose can join them if they better Cove’s result. The Gable Endies visit Kelty, while Cove travel to a Queen of the South team who aren’t quite out of the woods at the bottom of the table yet. With Annan hosting Falkirk and Stirling, two points behind visiting relegated Edinburgh City, the Binos will look at the weekend as their big opportunity to get out of the play-off place. 
    Stenhousemuir will collect their first ever league trophy at home to Bonnyrigg, who will be looking to keep clear of bottom place, sitting two points clear of Stranraer and three ahead of Clyde. 
    If Bonnyrigg and Stranraer, who visit Forfar, both win, Clyde will be playing for snookers on the final day to avoid going into the end of season play-off with Lowland League champions East Kilbride. 
    After last weekend’s dramatic end to the Highland League season, eventual champions Buckie were on Thursday denied a place in the pyramid play-offs for failing to meet licensing criteria, leaving the Oystercatchers to wait for a fortnight while their opponents play out to avoid the head-to-head. An unsavoury end to the season that shows neither Buckie, the SFA, nor the SPFL in a good light in my own humble opinion. 

    Photo - GBR Photographs.
    Betting Guide  
    All odds are supplied by McBookie. All odds correct as of 7pm on 25th April 2024 and are subject to change. Please only bet within your means and visit BeGambleAware if you are struggling.  
    Home advantage makes Morton the slightest of favourites at 29/20, with the big spending Fifers priced at 13/8. The draw comes in at 9/4. 
    Grant Gillespie is priced at 11/1 to score the first goal, and a draw at half time and Morton win at full time is 19/4. 
    Match Officials  
    Referee- Colin Steven takes charge of his second Morton game of the season, having taken the 0-0 draw in Inverness just before the new year. 
    AR 1- Paul McAvinue 
    AR 2- Colin McAlpine 
  13. Admin
    (Photo-Russell Gordon)
    Greenock Morton FC AGM- 18th April 2024
    By Russell Gordon
     
    This year’s AGM of Greenock Morton FC took place in the Douglas Rae Lounge at Cappielow Park supported by Dalrada Technology last night, 18th April 2024, held by Directors Graham Barr, Michael Harkins, and Sam Robinson, with Club Secretary Alistair Joyce.
    There were four apologies from the board, and a further one from the assembled shareholders, but one notable absentee was Chairman John Laird.
    The meeting started with one point of order, raised by former Director Gordon Ritchie, who voiced his concerns about the legality of the meeting, given that it was being held over ten months since the date of the audited accounts. Graham Barr quipped in retaliation to Mr. Ritchie’s concerns that this was an oversight, putting it down to the lack of legal expertise on the club board since Mr. Ritchie’s recent departure. Mr. Ritchie responded by pointing out that this is the responsibility of the current board of directors, not former ones, and that he wasn’t comfortable with the legality of the meeting. Mr. Barr accepted this wasn’t ideal, but that the meeting would carry on regardless.
    Graham Barr opened with the Director’s Report, addressing the club’s second surplus in a couple of years, which was owed in no small part to cup draws against Celtic at Celtic Park and Rangers at Ibrox in consecutive seasons, while also thanking Dalrada for their annual six-figure contribution to the club.

    Graham Barr (Photo- Greenock Telegraph)
    On the park, it was noted that Morton narrowly missed out on another six-figure sum in prize money, such was the tight finish at the top of the Championship last season, with only a couple of points separating Morton in fifth from second placed Ayr United.
    It was accepted that the team’s form has fluctuated this season, with a terrific mid-season run sandwiched between two poorer runs at the beginning and end of the campaign- this was put down to the club’s small squad proving problematic for the manager when injuries and individual loss of form hit.
    On a more positive note, the club have bought a flat in the local area which will be used for players arriving from further afield and will rely on MCT for the preparation of the flat. Talks are ongoing with members of the current squad about contract renewals as the manager prepares for next season.
    Off the park, the club’s backroom operations were discussed, with Sam Robinson regaling a discussion with Alloa Chairman and SFA President Mike Mulraney, who previously described Morton as the mirror image of his club, in that Morton are a full-time football team with a part-time operation in the background, while The Wasps were a full-time operation supporting a part-time football team. It was revealed on releasing the club’s strategy for the future in February that addressing this is a priority, and that Morton will be focussing on commercial revenue and the launch of the Business Club, with the club having the intention of being open and transparent in how they operate.
    It was accepted that while there has been great progress in recent years, there is still a long way to go.
    Moving on, Michael Harkins went into more details on the club’s finances with the Financial Report. For the financial year ended 31st May 2023, the club posted a profit in the region of £70,000, with Morton making around £200,000 from their visit to Celtic Park in January of that year. Income for the year was around £1.5 million, with outgoings of just over £1.4 million.
    Morton made slightly more from their visit to Ibrox than they did from the Celtic match, and expect to make a profit close to £200,000 in the current financial year, which ends on 31st May 2024.  The club have received roughly £750,000 from MCT contributions, and turning over such modest profits under community ownership is a positive compared to annual losses of c. £300,000 under the previous regime.
    We moved onto one proposed amendment to the Articles of Association- given that MCT had worked closely with Motherwell’s Well Society, and a lot of the wording was copy and pasted from Motherwell’s articles, a reference to “The Well Society” slipped through the net and appeared on Morton’s Articles. The proposal to correct and change this to “Morton Club Together” was passed unanimously.
    Next on the agenda was the re-election of Graham Barr to the board of directors, which was passed without any contest. There was no further business raised so the meeting was formally closed before a less formal discussion on matters relating to the club.
    I’ll not name check anyone asking questions as it wouldn’t be right to do so should they not be happy.
    First up was a question about contract renewals, which was met with a predictable answer that discussions are ongoing with some of the squad, but many are understandably biding their time to see if other offers come along and it would be inappropriate to comment on private negotiations.
    Another question was raised about the accounts relating to a period of almost a year ago, which isn’t so relevant to the club’s current position. Michael Harkins answered this by confirming it is a legacy issue with the club’s accountants, and going forward he’s hoping for accounts to be audited in August.

    Michael Harkins (Photo- Greenock Morton)
    Regarding the flat the club had purchased, while the imminent arrival of Jordan Davies from Connah’s Quay was alluded to, the question was put about more “exotic” signings, which were brushed off as unlikely but not out of the question.
    We then moved onto my own favourite subject of stewarding, as I queried the treatment of a friend of mine who supports Dundee United last month by the head steward, and Morton’s approach to the complaint. Happily, with the General Manager in attendance, this was addressed this morning after the meeting.
    Another shareholder cited his own problems with the head steward, and the treatment of his grandson by her. The GM preferred to concentrate on the stewarding team rather than one individual, perhaps understandably, but with the individual driving the team, it was pointed out that privately looking at her actions could prove a solution to the problems.
    Reserved seating in the stand was also brought up, and perhaps most alarmingly, problems with disabled provisions for the Hearts cup tie last month, with part of the section required for the away club’s staff.
    Moving on, the question was raised about the club’s youth academy. With the academy costing in the region of £100,000 a year, a third review in four years is taking place after the SFA deemed it to be one of the poorest in the country. Michael Harkins was adamant that changes will certainly be made on the basis of the findings of the latest review.
    With Morton’s fortunate cup draws in recent times, it was asked what contingency plans are in place for an early exit from cup competitions that doesn’t involve a trip to one of Glasgow’s big two. Sam Robinson stated that the club budget to be knocked out of the cups at the earliest possible stage and finish eighth in the Championship, and emphasised that this is why Morton are making improving commercial revenue a priority, as well as building MCT membership, and using the value of community ownership to push the Morton brand. He also confirmed a new sleeve sponsor will be announced in the near future.
    The club’s player of the year event was also brought up, and in particular the pricing. While the board said that sales are going well and they expect the event to sell out, they did say it would be reviewed going forward. I could be wrong, but I took that as an acceptance that they scored a bit of an own goal with their pricing policy and will learn their lesson next year.
    My next query was on a similar subject to my first, this time about the away fan experience at Cappielow, and more pertinently to Morton fans, how that impacts us on our travels, given that away grounds haven’t been terribly welcoming this season and Morton are regarded in most circles as having the worst facilities in the division.
    This was put down to cost more than anything, but it was accepted that away fans do get a raw deal. There were no promises for improvements going forward, and the TV studio makes things difficult for TV games, but the availability of the west side of the Cowshed was noted.
    To wrap things up, there were questions relating to the proposed community hub, and whether the club could seek UEFA funding- an unlikely source in my personal opinion, and about whether the club look at similar sized clubs, especially given Dale Pryde-MacDonald’s links to Ross County. Graham Barr said that the club are now spreading their wings a bit wider, having previously relied on a small pool of sponsors.
    He also said that the club want to improve their regular crowds rather than depending on positive results bringing out bigger crowds, and are working on that.
    I’d normally like to finish with a conclusion, but will leave it to the reader to make their own decisions off the back of this account, as I had no real positive or negative feelings on the evening’s discussions. Over to you.
  14. Admin
    Arbroath v Morton – Match Preview  
    by Russell Gordon 
    With only a small concern over the possibility of Morton ending up in the relegation play-offs, and the play-offs at the right end of the table now arithmetically out of reach after a dismal seven weeks or so since Morton’s sixteen match unbeaten run came to an end, the irresistible force meets the immoveable object as our favourites make what could be their last trip to Gayfield for a while to visit already relegated Arbroath. 
    While there aren’t many fixtures in this division that either team will relish, such is the turgid form of both, this is perhaps a game that Dougie Imrie and Jim McIntyre will look towards to provide some cheer at a time that points have been at a premium for both. 

    Photo - GBR Photographs.
    Squad News 
    There’s no secret that injuries have played their part in Morton’s late season decline, with talismanic striker George Oakley joining Lewis Strapp on the sidelines for the visit of Dundee United last Friday. 
    There’s no indication of a return for either, but I suspect the withdrawal of Iain Wilson at half time last week was merely a case of Imrie managing the midfielder’s game time in order to aid his recovery. 
    Imrie’s has also had his defensive woes of late, but he can consider himself lucky that Jack Baird hasn’t received a call from the Compliance Officer, after Morton’s vice-captain appeared quite conclusively to stamp on United striker Louis Moult in the first half of Friday’s defeat to the league leaders. There must have been fears that Baird would be facing at least a two match ban, but those appear unfounded. 
    The manager could rotate again, with the likes of Michael Garrity and Jack Bearne pushing for Jai Quitongo’s place in the side, and the possibility of Robbie Muirhead dropping back should Oakley make a return to the starting XI. 
    Current Connections  
    Since the departure of Bobby Linn from Arbroath last summer, the only remaining player connecting the two clubs is between the Arbroath sticks. 
    Derek Gaston was a popular figure in his seven years at Cappielow between 2012 and 2019, after arriving from Albion Rovers. making a significant contribution and bagging a League One winners’ medal in 2015 as Morton returned to Scotland’s second tier. 
    After leaving Morton in 2019, Gaston moved onto newly promoted Arbroath, who allowed him to go part time to let him concentrate on furthering a career in coaching. Gaston’s contribution at Gayfield has been equally significant, playing a pivotal role in the Red Lichties’ incredible 2021-22 season in which they were pipped to the post for the Championship title by Kilmarnock. 
    Though he hasn’t seen as much first team action this term, this may well be the last time the Arbroath custodian comes face-to-face with his former employers. 
    Tale of the Tape  
    It’s quite inconsiderate of Arbroath to go and get relegated, just as Morton finally manage to break their hoodoo against our friends from Angus. 
    Their final win of their incredible run of thirteen games without defeat in the fixture came in August at Cappielow, as Arbroath registered a 3-0 victory over Morton as the visitors recorded their first league success of the campaign on a day the Morton’s early season optimism evaporated in alarming fashion. 
    Kirk Broadfoot was penalised for handball in the box in the twentieth minute, allowing Michael McKenna to convert from the spot to give the visitors a surprise lead. That lead was doubled with fourteen minutes remaining when Iain Wilson, debuting on his return to the club from Queen of the South, turned the ball into his own net, before Joao Balde put the lid on a miserable afternoon for the ‘Ton by adding a fourth right on the final whistle. 
    The hoodoo though, was finally broken in early December when Morton travelled to Gayfield and included the returning Lewis Strapp in the matchday squad. With their early-season injury woes beginning to clear, Lewis McGrattan got on the end of a beautiful through ball from Jack Bearne to give Morton a first half lead before Arbroath stalwart David Gold levelled the affair on the hour. 
    However, with eleven minutes to go, Morton utilised a weapon that they had been deprived of all season, as Strapp’s long throw was nodded on by Robbie Muirhead and landed at the feet on George Oakley, who turned and rifled the ball into the net to give Morton a long overdue victory. 
    Arbroath’s visit in January was a more straight-forward affair, though Morton did make heavy work of their 3-0 victory against ten-man Arbroath who lost the experienced Keghan Jacobs to two quickfire bookings in the 25th and 26th minutes. 
    It took two penalties, from Robbie Muirhead on 63 minutes and Grant Gillespie in the 82nd, sandwiching a fine 75th minute George Oakley goal to give Morton the points against an Arbroath side for whom relegation was beginning to loom large by that stage of the season. 

    Photo - GBR Photographs.
    Opposition Analysis  
    There’s no hiding from it, Arbroath have endured a miserable campaign, with their relegation rubber stamped last weekend by a 0-5 Somerset Park drubbing. They’ve failed to pick up a single point since their remarkable, and not-at-all-funny 3-2 comeback victory over big-spending Raith Rovers. Seven consecutive defeats have followed, and over the course of the season there have been a number of heavy drubbings, with a 0-17 aggregate to champions-elect Dundee United the most damning statistic. 
    The departure of long-serving manager Dick Campbell after their shock Scottish Cup exit to League Two Spartans ended up quite a messy affair, and the appointment of his successor, man-of-many-club Jim McIntyre, just hasn’t proven to be a success on any measurable scale. 
    I spoke to our friend from the east coast, Ewan Smith (@ewansmithpr) about Arbroath’s dismal campaign and his hopes for the match and going forward in League One: 
    “With relegation confirmed after a 0-5 defeat by Ayr last week, it’s all about pride for Arbroath. 
    In truth, it’s been an incredibly difficult season for all at Gayfield. The horrendous injury situation, that at one point saw twelve players sidelined, had a hugely detrimental impact on the club and forced its hand into making emergency signings. 
    But the simple fact is that the team hasn’t been good enough over the course of the season to survive. They deserve to finish bottom. 
    There have been a lot of poor performances and too many uncharacteristic hammerings. The club’s success was built on a solid backline, but injuries and loss of form have driven a wedge through that. 
    Where does the club go now? Financially, it’s on a solid footing. The club has made a lot of sound commercial decisions and has strong links to local businesses and the wider community. 
    But on the park there needs to be, and will be, a big rebuild job. 
    It’s not going to be easy, but the re-signing of key player Scott Stewart on a new two-year deal is a welcome boost and he’ll be a crucial player going forward. There is such a strong affinity between players such as Stewart, David Gold, Tam O’Brien, Michael McKenna and Derek Gaston., and if Arbroath can hold onto their core players and add quality then they can make a fist of it next term. 
    Until then though, they need to make an impact in their final three Championship games. 
    Morton used to be a game Arbroath fans relished, on the back of an unbeaten record that evaporated this season. 
    But on the back of a public meeting between manager Jim McIntyre, long-serving David Gold and the fans, it will be interesting to see how the team and the home support react.” 
    What’s Happening Elsewhere? 
    After United’s resounding victory at Cappielow last Friday, the winning post is in sight for Jim Goodwin’s side, who sit six points clear at the top of the pile with only three games remaining. 
    The Arabs will have their eyes glued to their TVs on Friday night, as big-spending Raith Rovers’ visit to an Inverness side who dragged themselves out of the relegation play-off place with a vital win at Hampden that saw them overtake their hosts Queen’s Park, last weekend. Should the lavish-spending lino cutters fail to win, a victory for United at home to Ayr will see the champagne corks popping at Tannadice, although in truth, such is their massive goal difference advantage, any result in Inverness coupled with a Dundee United victory will effectively guarantee the title. 
    More pertinently for Morton- should Raith win on Friday, a Morton victory would mean that the Highlanders could only finish level on points with Morton at the season’s conclusion, and that would rely on them beating the ‘Ton at the Caledonian Stadium on the final day. 
    The other match directly affecting Morton is Queen’s Park’s visit to Dunfermline. With the Spiders sitting five points behind Morton, the ‘Ton could be guaranteed to finish above the Glasgow side should results go as hoped. Heaven forbid, Morton lose and both Inverness and Queen’s Park win, but we’ll worry about that at 5pm on Saturday! 
    In the final match, Partick host Airdrie in a dress rehearsal for the play-off quarter final. Yuck. 
    Elsewhere in Scotland, the Scottish Cup semi-finals take centre stage, as Celtic face Aberdeen at Hampden on Saturday and Morton’s quarter-final conquerors, Hearts, travel to the National Stadium to face Rangers. 
    With the League One, League Two and Lowland League titles all done and dusted, there’s a box office finish to the Highland League season, with Buckie Thistle sitting in the box seat, on 78 points with a goal difference of 63 goals, while nearest challengers Brechin City are also on 78 points, but with a goal difference of 61 goals. 
    Buckie have scored nine more goals and host Keith in their final game, while Brechin travel to Brora Rangers. Fraserburgh can technically still win the title, but sit three points behind the two favourites with a goal difference of 54. They do host league whipping boys Strathspey Thistle, but the likelihood of both losing while they make up the considerable goal difference is remote. 
    The eventual champions travel to K-Park to play Lowland champions East Kilbride next Saturday for the play-off semi-final first leg, before hosting the Oystercatchers in a fortnight’s time for a crack at whoever finishes bottom of League Two, with Clyde currently occupying the dreaded Club 42 spot. 

    Photo - GBR Photographs.
    Betting Guide  
    All odds are supplied by McBookie. All odds correct as of 7pm on 18th April 2024 and are subject to change. Please only bet within your means and visit BeGambleAware if you are struggling.  
    Morton are clear favourites going into the match, despite their woes of recent weeks. The visitors are priced at 8/15, with Arbroath at 4/1 and the draw at 3/1. 
     
    Grant Gillespie to score anytime is 15/8 and Morton to be leading at half time and to win at full time is 6/4.
    Match Officials  
    Referee- Callum Scott officiates his second Morton game of the season, having stood in the middle of their 4-1 League Cup Group Stage victory over Edinburgh City. 
    AR 1- Daniel McFarlane 
    AR 2- Elliot Husband Powton
  16. Admin

    Match Preview - Morton vs Dundee United

    By Admin,


    Match Previews
    Morton v Dundee United – Match Preview 
    by Russell Gordon
    Well, that’s it. Done and dusted. We can forget about promotion, and don’t have any realistic concerns of relegation either. And so, begins the first of four dead-rubbers from a Morton perspective. 
    Their visitors Dundee United however, have far more pressing issues after Airdrie’s victory over big-spending Raith Rovers left the Terrors in pole position in the race for the Championship title, with their trip to Cappielow Park supported by Dalrada Technology attracting the BBC Scotland cameras for a game that unfortunately won’t mean as much to those of a Morton persuasion. 
    Match tickets are available at the below link:
    Fanbase | Select Ticket (fanbaseclub.com) 

    Photo - GBR Photographs.
    Squad News 
    With this evening’s match being Morton’s third in six days, Dougie Imrie could again shuffle his pack, and with the welcome return of midfielder Iain Wilson at Somerset Park on Tuesday night from the bench, we could see him take his place in the starting XI after a relatively encouraging return on an otherwise dour evening’s “entertainment”. 
    While I’d expect Cammy Blues to start, that probably leaves one spot to be fought for between Wilson, Grant Gillespie and Alan Power. 
    For the time being at least, it looks as though Kirk Broadfoot is the preferred defensive option to Darragh O’Connor, and after notching a goal against Ayr, will likely continue in the starting XI. 
    Imrie did intimate before the Somerset draw that only Jamie MacDonald and Lewis Strapp are injured, although the nature of the injury Strapp picked up against Dunfermline, and the length of his absence remain unclear. He has pointed out that there were a few niggles and knocks since that draw, and he could be waiting until late on for a couple to prove their fitness. 
    While Michael Garrity started on Tuesday, Jai Quitongo, Lewis McGrattan and Jack Bearne will also be pushing for a start. 
    Current Connections  
    There are two former United players in the Morton squad. Grant Gillespie enjoyed only a short spell at Tannadice, in the second half of the 2017-18 season, making only six appearances as United were denied promotion by title winners St. Mirren and eventual play-off winners Livingston at the semi-final stage. 
    Robbie Muirhead joined Dundee United for a £150,000 fee from his boyhood heroes Kilmarnock in January 2015, a move that saw then-Killie boss Allan Johnston handing in his resignation as a result. He was to make only fifteen appearances, scoring twice: in a 1-2 defeat by Inverness and more notably, the only goal in a 1-0 victory over rivals Aberdeen. 
    In the visitors ranks, only Liam Grimshaw has represented Morton. The affable right back/midfielder joined up under freedom of contract in the early weeks of last season, enjoying a brief but successful spell in Greenock, in which he won the club’s Player of the Year award before moving onto Tayside as Morton were unable to compete with United’s more attractive financial package. 
    Another familiar face to the Cappielow was former kitman Andy Bryan, who served Morton for over forty years in various capacities before he was removed from his position by Dave MacKinnon in the bad old days of he and David Hopkin’s reign of terror. 
    Tale of the Tape  
    It’s very much honours even between the sides this season. On Morton’s first trip to Tannadice in September, the struggling visitors fell behind to an early Louis Moult header, but battled back in the second half, as Robbie Muirhead latched onto a howling mix-up between United’s Luton loanee goalkeeper Jack Walton and former Scotland defender Declan Gallagher to snatch an unlikely equaliser. 
    The game was ruined by the appalling performance of referee David Munro, however, and not for the first or last time this season, although he did make one correct decision in ordering off United’s Matthew Cudjoe, for an elbow on Callum Waters. 
    If the first visit was all about the hapless Munro though, Morton’s George Oakley stole the show second time around with a fantastic hat-trick to shock the title favourites and deliver three points to Dougie Imrie’s side. 
    Oakley nodded home Michael Garrity’s pinpoint cross on 25 minutes and poked in a second 11 minutes later to double the ‘Ton’s lead, but United hit back immediately through a Kai Fotheringham header, and Moult equalised on the stroke of half time. 
    While United dominated the second half, things turned late on when they were again reduced to ten men as Craig Sibbald was ordered off for a second bookable offence. A minute later, Oakley got on the end of a long Ryan Mullen clearance and outmuscled Kevin Holt before his terrific strike kissed the inside of the post on the way in, much to the delight of the Morton bench and the travelling support. 
    In the most recent meeting at Cappielow, re-arranged from December, United won 1-0 thanks to a first half goal from Moult, a real thorn in Morton’s side all season. I won’t go into it in the same length I did our victory at Tannadice. 

    Photo - GBR Photographs.
    Opposition Analysis  
    Quite how they’ve managed it I don’t know, but United are now clear favourites to seal the title. Many may argue that it’s despite Jim Goodwin rather than because of his good work, but it can’t be denied that when questions have been asked at the business end of the season, they’ve delivered the goods, rather than drawing cartoons and chasing likes on social media, while their big-spending title challengers Raith Rovers have stuttered. 
    United’s victory over the far-from-frugal Fifers last weekend was pivotal, and in following it up with a 5-0 victory over Queen’s Park, they look to have hit form at the right time, coinciding with Raith failing to make the most of their significant financial clout against Airdrie in midweek, a result that did our own promotion ambitions no favours at all. 
    I spoke to our regular United port of call, Gary Manson of the Shed 57 (@Shed_57) supporters’ club, who is feeling a bit better about life on Tayside these days: 
    “Things are looking much rosier on Tannadice Street since United last visited Cappielow. 
    Airdrie’s win at Stark’s Park on Tuesday night has given United valuable breathing space in the title race and they can take a huge step towards the Premiership with a win on Friday night. There have been a few ropey moments in the last few weeks- not least relying on Louis Moult scoring from the halfway line to salvage a 1-1 draw with struggling Inverness, but a 2-0 win over Raith at Tannadice a fortnight ago put United in the driving seat and last weekend’s 5-0 demolition of Queen’s Park at Hampden further underlined the Tangerines’ title credentials. 
    Jack Walton has overall been a reliable pair of hands in the goal and has been an enormous improvement on the catastrophic and calamitous goalkeeping from last season which contributed so heavily to United losing their Premiership status. 
    Young Miller Thomson has slotted into the right back position and is growing in confidence with every passing week. Earlier this season, United had experienced centre halves in Declan Gallagher and Kevin Holt, but injury has meant that Ross Graham and Northern Irishman Sam McClellan have stepped up to the first team with two consecutive clean sheets to their credit. Scott McMann, who’s featured heavily this season makes up the regular back four. 
    United are a different side with Ross Docherty in the midfield. Docherty brings a definite confidence and composure to the middle of the park and helps the United midfield to dictate the pace of the game. Craig Sibbald, the leading contender for United’s Player of the Year award, has had a solid season and has staked a claim for a midfield berth should United return to the top division. 
    Tony Watt remains something of an enigma. He had a great game against Raith at Tannadice, scoring United’s opener and proving a constant thorn in the Raith defence, but too often he’s appeared disinterested, and the game passed him by. Morton fans will hope that Watt has a quiet night at Cappielow as he can on occasion prove United’s most threatening attacking player. 
    Young Kai Fotheringham has enjoyed a good season, and since breaking into the first team he has chipped into United’s title push with eleven goals. His brace at Hampden last week will breed confidence for Friday night and his return to goalscoring form enhances United’s attacking threat in a forward line which is completed by Louis Moult, who will be looking to score in a fourth consecutive game. 
    Much of the United support have been far from happy with their team’s efforts this season. Seldom can a team at the top of the league have generated so much negativity and there is an element of the support that is far from convinced by Goodwin. That all has the potential to change in the event of getting over the line, lifting some silverware and returning to the topflight, though. 
    Eight points from four games is enough, irrespective of Raith’s results- the travelling support will hope three of those are added this evening.” 

    Photo - GBR Photographs.
    What’s Happening Elsewhere? 
    With finishing as high up the table as possible the only realistic aim, there’s not much to get excited about, I’m afraid. 
    Fifth placed Dunfermline travel to Airdrie, and a Diamonds victory at this stage would probably be the best-case scenario at this stage in terms of picking up prize money, but if we’re being honest, there’s nothing that will suit Morton. 
    Big-spending Raith Rovers face Partick at Stark’s Park in a game that could be a dress rehearsal for a play-off semi-final that picking a preferred winner from would be akin to choosing your favourite serial killer. 
    At the bottom of the table, Arbroath’s inevitable relegation will be rubber-stamped should they fail to beat Ayr or Inverness collect anything at Hampden. 
    That fixture at the National Stadium is probably the biggest match-up of the weekend, with the Highlanders sitting a point behind their hosts as both battles to avoid ninth place and a likely semi-final against Montrose in early May. 
    Betting Guide  
    All odds are supplied by McBookie. All odds correct as of 7pm on 11th April 2024 and are subject to change. Please only bet within your means and visit BeGambleAware if you are struggling.  
    Unsurprisingly, the visitors are clear favourites at 4/5, whilst Morton are priced at a very large 3/1 and the draw at 5/2. 
    Morton to win 1-0 is 10/1 and George Oakley to score the first goal is priced at 13/2. 
    Match Officials  
    Referee- Graham Grainger takes charge of his fourth match at Cappielow this season, and the omens aren’t good, with the official having presided over defeats by Partick, Dunfermline and Inverness. 
    AR 1- Chris Rae 
    AR 2- Iain Hart 
    Fourth Official- Lloyd Wilson 
  18. Admin
    Ayr United v Morton - Match Preview
    by Russell Gordon
    There’s no hiding from it, after Saturday’s terribly disappointing result from a miserable afternoon in Airdrie, Morton are playing for snookers if they are to have any ambitions of claiming a play-off place, with the Diamonds now five points clear of them and looking like clear favourites to book a quarter final meeting with Partick in early May. 
    The visit to Ayr United- another side on the periphery of the play-off race, will now take on an extra significance after the weekend’s result, as Morton find themselves in a similar position to last term, when they were in the position that there was no margin of error if they were to have any chance of making the top four. 

    Photo - GBR Photographs.
    Squad News 
    After Saturday’s debacle, there must be a few who are concerned for their starting berths. I’d expect to see Darragh O’Connor return to the starting XI, whether for Tyler French or Kirk Broadfoot, neither of whom enjoyed distinguished afternoons, is up for debate. 
    Lewis Strapp has been a terrible miss- the loss of the attacking outlet from his long throws has been an obvious miss, but the downgrade in Calum Waters is also telling. While it’s difficult to feel anything but sympathy for the former Kilmarnock left back, the return of Strapp can’t come soon enough. 
    Though Alan Power has enjoyed great plaudits as Morton have suffered a difficult time in recent weeks, the time may well have come for the Irishman to sit out after a disappointing afternoon in which he lost possession in the lead up to Airdrie’s first two goals. Grant Gillespie would be the most likely replacement, but like Strapp, we’re counting down the minutes until the return of Iain Wilson. 
    I’d expect to see Jai Quitongo get a start after the wide man added a bit of energy to Morton’s attack, providing a fine run and cross for Michael Garrity’s fortuitous consolation goal. Jack Bearne would probably be the most likely to return to the bench. 
    Current Connections 
    There are often a number of former players at each club, given their similar statures and proximity, with of course the legacy of both clubs’ times managed by David Hopkin. Apologies to fans of either who may get PTSD from the reminder of his reigns of terror at each. 
    However, only Sean McGinty remains at Ayr from Hopkin’s band of brothers- the Ayr captain arrived from Cappielow in the summer of 2021 after an unhappy time at Morton (not only for McGinty, some of us had to watch him in blue and white hoops). 
    Since then, McGinty has enjoyed his ups and downs against Morton, missing the decisive penalty in a SPFL Trust Trophy shoot out win for Morton last term and taking great pleasure in scoring Ayr’s second in a 3-1 win in Greenock later that season. 
    Before Hopkin’s time at Morton, Raymond McKinnon foolishly allowed Andy Murdoch to leave without tying him up on a new deal on his arrival in 2019. Not the most foolish decision he made that summer admittedly, but since then Murdoch has been a mainstay at Ayr until the injury inflicted on himself on the season’s opening day after a shocking challenge on Jai Quitongo, that has seen him sit out the full campaign. 
    Jack Baird made the move in the opposite direction in 2022, after having previously spent a season on loan at Morton from St. Mirren and a couple of years at Somerset Park. 
    Grant Gillespie joined up at Somerset in the January transfer window of 2020, but with the season curtailed by the COVID pandemic, managed to make only five appearances for the Honest Men before moving onto Queen’s Park. 
    Robbie Crawford started his career with Ayr, staying seven years before moving onto Livingston and subsequently Motherwell and Partick, before joining Morton early last season under freedom of contract. 
    Morton assistant Andy Millen can of course, count Ayr amongst his litany of former employers. 

    Photo - GBR Photographs.
    Tale of the Tape 
    Now for the good bit. 
    Morton have picked up nine points from nine against Ayr, a side that generally have the better of the head-to-heads even when Morton are enjoying a better season. 
    The opening day of the season saw Morton record an excellent 3-1 victory having fallen behind to a 51st minute strike from Murdoch’s replacement Oliver Pendlebury, following the ex-Morton man’s withdrawal after his aforementioned howler of a tackle on Quitongo. 
    Robbie Crawford curled in a fine equaliser on 62 minutes before a Robbie Muirhead penalty fifteen minutes from time gave Morton the lead. Steven Boyd’s late goal from close range, following terrific work from Jack Bearne on the right, sealed a fine three points as Morton started the season in fine style. 
    It’s fair to say that was to prove a false dawn however, as it wasn’t until late October that Morton recorded their next league win of the season- again against the Honest Men. In a tousy affair that looked to be fizzling out to a goalless draw, George Oakley nodded home an Alan Power free kick three minutes from time to give Morton the points, and create bedlam amongst the Morton players and fans. 
    As we entered the new year, with Morton’s fortunes taking a turn for the better, they were first footed by an Ayr United side who would have been as well not turning up for the Robbie Muirhead show. Muirhead was to enjoy perhaps his finest day in a Morton jersey, nodding in a 35th minute opener from a cross beautifully put up by Cammy Blues, before adding two more in the second half- the pick being his second from a fine run and right foot shot beyond Robbie Mutch on 57 minutes. His third a couple of minutes later saw him collect a Kirk Broadfoot pass at the edge of the box before reversing the ball across the goalkeeper with his left and complete a perfect hat-trick to pick up a well-deserved man of the match award and match ball for a fine afternoon’s work. 
    Though Morton collected maximum points from their meetings with Cove Rangers last season, a win this evening would see them return the maximum from another side in this division for only the second time since completing a clean sweep against Airdrie in 2012-13. 
    Opposition Analysis  
    While Morton have had the better of Ayr over the course of the season, only league leaders Dundee United have enjoyed such a fine run of results against the Honest Men, who have been a model of inconsistency. In fact, their last ten league games have seen a run of a victory followed by a defeat, then followed by a victory. That of course included fine wins over Partick and Airdrie that really should have done Morton a favour, though we’ve failed to take advantage. Joy of joys, defeat by big-spending Raith Rovers on Saturday means that if they’re to continue that run, we can expect defeat this evening. 
    Of course, since that last meeting at Cappielow, Ayr boss Lee Bullen has been relieved of his duties and replaced by former Hibernian, Aberdeen and Scotland midfielder Scott Brown. Despite their inconsistencies, Brown has steered Ayr clear of any major relegation concerns and will look to put a stamp on the side over the summer. 
    I asked our regular font of knowledge for all things Ayr United, Marc Dunlop (@Marco_Ayr) for his thoughts going into the match: 
    “The Honest Men host Greenock Morton on Tuesday evening in what the majority of Ayr supporters are calling a must win game. 
    In what has been a hugely inconsistent campaign for Scott Brown’s men, nobody connected to Ayr can relax just yet, with the relegation play-off place still within touching distance, while Ayr’s poor record against Morton this season can’t be ignored. 
    Ayr will be without Paddy Reading and ex-Morton man Andy Murdoch, and will give late fitness tests to Nathan McGinley and Frankie Musonda, who both missed the weekend defeat in Kirkcaldy. 
    Kurt Willoughby should come into the manager’s thoughts for a starting place, as should academy graduate Scott Tomlinson, who has impressed since his debut earlier this year. 
    All in all a pivotal game for Ayr as we continue to look over our shoulders, stuttering towards the finishing line. C’mon Ayr!” 

    Photo - GBR Photographs.
    What’s Happening Elsewhere? 
    After the weekend’s disappointment, there may be some with their eyes on events at Kirkcaldy and looking for a favour from big-spending Raith Rovers as the moneybags Fifers host Airdrie in a match re-arranged from the weekend of the Diamond’s SPFL Trust Trophy Final success. 
    With Airdrie now sitting five points clear of Morton, the ideal scenario is of course victories for Morton and Murray’s Moneymen. Fans of Ayr, Airdrie, Dundee United and Dunfermline of course, may disagree! 
    Elsewhere in Scotland- in the Premiership, Rangers can go top with a win over Dundee on the Dens Park bog with a win, while the Dark Blues will be looking for the points to confirm their top six berth on their return to the Premiership. 
    In the fifth tier, East Kilbride can secure the Lowland League title if they avoid defeat at Civil Service Strollers, and the Highland League title race is really hotting up between four clubs, but the two most likely to contest the crown are Brechin and Buckie Thistle. Brechin, who are six points clear of Thistle go to Keith, but Buckie with two games in hand face a somewhat stiffer test at home to Brora Rangers. 
    Betting Guide  
    All odds are supplied by McBookie. All odds correct as of 7pm on 8th April 2024 and are subject to change. Please only bet within your means and visit BeGambleAware if you are struggling. 
    Morton again go in as favourites at 13/10, with Ayr priced a 9/5 and the draw at 23/10. 
    Morton to score in both halves is 12/5 and Robbie Muirhead to repeat his feat of Ayr’s visit to Cappielow by bagging another treble is 50-1, for the more optimistic among us. 
    Match Officials  
    Referee- Iain Snedden takes charge of his third Morton game of the season, having officiated the 0-3 early season defeat by Arbroath and the memorable 3-2 win over Dundee United at Tannadice in January. 
    AR 1- Dougie Potter 
    AR 2- Scott Bunting 
  19. Admin
    Airdrieonians v Morton – Match Preview 
    by Russell Gordon 
    Having gotten back on the saddle last weekend with a comfortable victory over their little pets Queen’s Park at Cappielow Park supported by Dalrada Technology, Morton kick off a run of three games in six days with what to date is their biggest game of the league campaign, as they head to North Lanarkshire to face Airdrieonians, the club currently occupying the coveted fourth place in the table that Morton will aspire to reach at the season’s conclusion to guarantee a play-off place. 
    With any relegation fears now realistically put to bed following the weekend’s results, Saturday’s match will likely determine whether or not Morton are playing for anything more than pride and prize money as the campaign hurtles towards its conclusion. 

    Photo - GBR Photographs.
    Squad News 
    Things are beginning to look up again after a difficult time with injuries. George Oakley of course has had another week back in the team, and Jai Quitongo looked a lot more like himself in Saturday’s second half cameo. 
    There is of course a concern over Lewis Strapp, who missed the victory over the Spiders having limped off against Dunfermline a fortnight ago, but hopefully we’ll see him return to the squad ahead of the match. Iain Wilson is likely still a bit away from a return. 
    One player who’ll hope for a starting berth will be Jack Bearne, who was excellent in a rare start last weekend and should be looking to build on his fine performance if given the opportunity against Airdrie. 
    I’d expect Kirk Broadfoot to continue in defence over Darragh O’Connor, but it is nice to have some options again. 
    Current Connections 
    There are no former Airdrie players in the Morton squad, but three in the Diamonds’ camp. 
    Lewis McGregor joined then-League One Airdrie in last year’s January transfer window from Morton, helping them to promotion via the play-offs and netting a winner at Cappielow earlier in the season. 
    Charlie Telfer is another former ‘Ton man who found his way to New Broomfield, having endured the 2018-19 campaign under Raymond McKinnon and Jonatan Johansson. He would only spend one season at Cappielow before re-joining McKinnon, now managing League One minnows Falkirk, who he had helped relegate with his strike in Morton’s 2-0 win late in that season, leaving Falkirk in League One for 5 (five) seasons before winning The World’s Tallest Dwarf competition this season, so congratulations to them. 
    Telfer joined up at Airdrie at the start of last season, and like McGregor helped the Diamonds to promotion via the play-offs, helping them destroy former club Falkirk 7-2 on aggregate in the play-off semi-final, en route to the Championship, and leaving League One so weak that even Falkirk couldn’t make a mess of it fifth time around. 
    Airdrie’s veteran reserve keeper David Hutton spent the 2012-13 season as Derek Gaston’s understudy at Cappielow, making only three appearances. 
    Tale of the Tape 
    This is the fifth meeting of the teams, and it’s fair to say there’s not been much between them in any of the previous four. 
    Airdrie took the spoils from their first two trips to Cappielow this season, with Lewis McGregor enjoying his return to Greenock by notching the winner against a depleted Morton in the season’s first league meeting that left Dougie Imrie’s side rooted to the foot of the table.  
    Seven weeks later, the Diamonds would return to Cappielow on SPFL Trust Trophy duty, and were to weather quite a storm as a Morton side whose injury worries were gradually beginning to clear put in a fine performance, particularly in the second half, but did everything but find the net before bowing out of the competition after Josh Rae stopped Lewis McGrattan’s spot kick to send Airdrie through in a shoot-out. 
    Morton’s visit to Monklands just before Christmas was a dull affair as Morton, again depleted thanks to the suspension of George Oakley following his red card against Queen’s Park the previous week, held out for a goalless draw. While it wasn’t pretty, there were few in the Morton support who were terribly upset on an afternoon that the visitors very much gained a point rather than dropped two. 
    The most recent meeting of the sides six weeks ago was a much more eventful afternoon. A bad-tempered affair burst into life after only four minutes as Airdrie defender Aaron Taylor-Sinclair clattered into Robbie Crawford after only four minutes, leaving the Morton midfielder requiring treatment, with the Airdrie defender receiving only a yellow card from hapless referee Euan Anderson. 
    When the actual football took centre stage, Morton took the lead thanks to a fine breakaway goal, as Oakley nodded home at the far post from a fine Jai Quitongo cross, and Michael Garrity added a second with a fantastic volley from what looked a suspiciously offside position on first viewing. 
    With Morton comfortably in front, their season took a turn for the worse, as Taylor-Sinclair, lucky to be on the park in the view of this completely unbiased observer, landed a dull one on Oakley, ruling Morton’s talisman out for around a month, which coincided with a disappointing dip in form. 
    A late goal from Airdrie assistant boss Callum Fordyce reduced the arrears, but Morton held on for the win, albeit at a cost. 

    Photo - GBR Photographs.
    Opposition Analysis  
    Since that defeat at Cappielow, things have looked up for Airdrie, although it would be fair to say that like most of us, they’ve lacked consistency. 
    They bounced back immediately from that defeat by inflicting a shock, but convincing defeat on Dundee United, and a less surprising one on a still toiling Dunfermline at East End Park. There have however been dropped points against Inverness and most recently Ayr in last weekend’s televised defeat at Somerset Park, with Airdrie surrendering a first half lead to fall to the Honest Men. They have of course enjoyed two recent victories over League One-bound Arbroath, and a fine SPFL Trust Trophy success over Welsh Champions The New Saints, delivering Rhys McCabe’s first trophy of his impressive Airdrie reign. 
    With Airdrie going into the match two points clear of Morton following Tuesday’s Gayfield success, and both teams playing their games in hand on the rest in midweek, Saturday’s match will likely have a big impact on where each team finishes in the table. 
    I asked Airdrie fan Emma Quigley (@emmaq1983) her thoughts going into the match: 
    “We’ve had a great run of form since Airdrie and Morton last met at Cappielow in what was another competitive game, despite our bad start. 
    I don’t expect this game to be any different, and like most Championship matches, it’s extremely difficult to call. We don’t have the same defensive woes we had last time around, so I don’t expect a repeat of the first 5-10 minutes at Cappielow, which secured the points for Morton. 
    We’ve had a heavy run of away fixtures in March with games in hand being played and one still outstanding, but we’ve picked up wins on the road at Dundee United, Dunfermline and Arbroath and drawn with Inverness and Queen’s Park- not forgetting lifting the SPFL Trust Trophy against The New Saints. The only real bump on the road was another loss to Ayr, this season’s bogey team. 
    Injury wise, we still have midfielders Murray Aiken and Luke McStravick, and first choice keeper Josh Rae out long-term, but we saw the return of Lewis McGregor and Gabby McGill at Gayfield in midweek. We also rested a couple of key players, with the younger loanees doing well in tricky conditions. 
    As for the result? As I said, I expect another tight affair with only a goal or two in it- our home from has been good, so I’m going for a 1-0 or 2-1 Diamonds victory.” 
    What’s Happening Elsewhere? 
    With no televised Friday night game, there’s a full Saturday afternoon card, with two of the other games having a particular impact on Morton. I’m afraid we’ll have to swallow a bit of pride and hope for Partick to collect three points against fifth placed Dunfermline, allowing Morton to climb into the play-offs with a win. 
    Likewise, we’ll have to wish big-spending Raith Rovers against Ayr United in order that the Honest Men are kept at arm’s length. 
    Dundee United, who came out of last weekend’s encounter with the moneybags Fifers in last week’s top-of-the-table clash unscathed despite the efforts of a thuggish element of Raith’s support, visit Hampden to face a Queen’s Park side who will still have lingering worries about facing a relegation play-off after their defeat at Cappielow last weekend. 
    Queens’ concerns about the drop will be exacerbated if Inverness manage to register three points against bottom-of-the-pile Arbroath. A victory for the Highlanders would effectively relegate the Red Lichties, leaving a twelve-point gap with only four games remaining and a goal difference of at least 36 goals in Inverness’s favour. 

    Photo - GBR Photographs.
    Betting Guide  
    All odds are supplied by McBookie. All odds correct as of 7pm on 4th April 2024 and are subject to change. Please only bet within your means and visit BeGambleAware if you are struggling. 
    Morton are surprisingly favourites going into the match at 11/8, with Airdrie priced at 7/4 and the draw at 9/4. 
    Morton to score in both halves is 13/5, and Jai Quitongo to score anytime against his favourite other club is 9/4. 
    Match Officials  
    Referee- Don Robertson is in the middle of his second Morton match of the season, having ran the rule over the 1-2 League Cup Group Stage defeat by Ross County at Victoria Park back in July. 
    AR 1- Steven Traynor 
    AR 2- Ian Hart 
  21. Admin
    Morton v Queen’s Park – Match Preview 
    by Russell Gordon 
    Morton draw the curtain on a month of misery by welcoming Queen’s Park to Cappielow Park supported by Dalrada Technology in the hope of finally ending a run of five defeats in a row against Callum Davidson’s resurgent Spiders. 
    With the Glasgow side only a point behind Morton, albeit having played a game more, Dougie Imrie will see this as the perfect time to get back to winning ways against a team who have seen an upturn in their fortunes while Morton’s have declined. 
    Match tickets are available at the below link: 
    Fanbase | Select Ticket (fanbaseclub.com) 

    Photo - GBR Photographs.
    Squad News 
    The return of George Oakley to the starting XI last weekend was a welcome one for all of us, but it appeared to those watching on the Morton’s talismanic hitman wasn’t fully fit, impinging on his performance in the 0-1 defeat by the Fifers. 
    Jai Quitongo also returned to the bench and got minutes late on as Morton chased down an equaliser, winning the penalty that Robbie Muirhead failed to convert, and barring any further setbacks, should be included in the squad. 
    Imrie did point out that Iain Wilson, who has been greatly missed over the last month, has returned to training, but I suspect his return is still a good bit off. What will be of great concern to the Morton boss though will be the injuries to Lewis Strapp and Tyler French, with Strapp hobbling off early in the second half and French forced off late on. 
    Should the full backs fail to make it, Imrie’s defensive options will be limited to the absolute bare bones, with only Darragh O’Connor, Jack Baird, Kirk Broadfoot and Calum Waters available. 
    Imrie has intimated that he’s not been happy with the contributions of some however- stating that after knocking his door down to state their case for inclusion, but with options at a premium, what changes are made in forward positions will likely be made by necessity, rather than choice. 
    Current Connections 
    Grant Gillespie and Jai Quitongo both spent a couple of successful seasons at Queen’s Park, winning the League Two title in the locked down 2020-21 season, before playing their parts in a second consecutive promotion as the Spiders finished fourth and sneaked up through the play-offs, relegating Dunfermline in the semi-final, before winning a dramatic final against Airdrie to take the Spiders into Scotland’s second tier for the first time since league reconstruction in 1975 saw the leagues extended from only two tiers. 
    Ryan Mullen made only one appearance for Queens in that title winning season, on loan from Celtic. 
    There are no former Morton players in the Queen’s Park squad, although two former Morton managers have been involved in the club this term. David Hopkin was working in an advisory role around the time of erstwhile boss Robin Veldman’s departure and prior to Callum Davidson’s appointment. Fans of their Championship rivals may feel a tinge of disappointment that the Spiders opted for the far more accomplished Davidson rather than the former Morton boss, however. 
    Hopkin’s temporary replacement, all round good guy Anton McElhone, is now in charge of the Academy at Hampden. 
    Tale of the Tape  
    Morton have had the better of this season’s encounters, but there’s no hiding from it, it’s made for difficult viewing. 
    The first meeting took place at a rain-sodden Hampden in October when the flooding was so bad that the vast majority of the Morton support, and even Jack Bearne, couldn’t even get out of Greenock to make the short journey to the National Stadium, but despite other clubs having matches called off later in the season because of travel difficulties, bottom-of-the-table Morton were forced to play the match and emerged with a credible 0-0 draw from a turgid affair. Very much a point gained in the circumstances. 
    With Morton’s form turning, the ‘Ton recorded their third consecutive league win as Queens, who had recently disposed of the services of Head Coach Veldman amidst a horrid run of results, were put to the sword thanks to an early Robbie Muirhead goal. 
    Morton were made to fight for their victory though, with George Oakley sent off for a tackle on the halfway line that merited no more than a booking on 40 minutes, before referee Grant Irvine awarded the visitors a ridiculously soft penalty in first half injury time. Thankfully, Ryan Mullen was down quickly enough to smother Ruari Paton’s tame spot-kick. 
    The Spiders huffed and puffed in the second half without creating anything of substance as Morton’s rearguard effort secured three vital points in difficult circumstances. 
    Last month’s visit to Hampden was a similar damp squib to the previous visit, as the teams played out an insipid goalless draw, thanks in no small part to an uncharacteristically fine performance from Queens’ custodian Callum Ferrie, his late save from George Oakley’s point-blank effort being the most impressive of his stops on the day. 
    Queen’s Park’s last victory over Morton was a 2-0 Challenge Cup success at Hampden in September 2016, and they’ve not beaten Morton in the league since April 1962. 

    Photo - GBR Photographs.
    Opposition Analysis  
    There’s a clear correlation between Queens’ improved form in recent months and the arrival of new manager Callum Davidson. 
    After a start to the league campaign that proved to be very much a false dawn, those in charge at Hampden (or Lesser Hampden/The City Stadium, delete as appropriate) were forced into decisive action as the appointment of Robin Veldman, a Dutch youth coach with no knowledge of lower league Scottish football, and the introduction of a model that relied on kids to compete against experienced pros in a division notorious for its rough-and-tumble nature looked to be sending Queens heading back to League One with a whimper. 
    The first half of the season only saw victories over fellow strugglers Arbroath and Inverness, but since Davidson’s arrival, things have seen an improvement, with the Spiders currently enjoying a five-match unbeaten run, and one defeat in nine. 
    While the signing of former Scotland centre-back Danny Wilson attracted the headlines, the arrivals of midfielder Sean Welsh and striker Cillian Sheridan from Inverness have also been successful acquisitions. While the departure of Welsh was bemoaned up north, there were plenty Inverness fans who would have driven the Irish striker down the A9, but three goals since his arrival have helped the Spiders climb the table to a position that now sees them targeting the promotion play-offs, rather than worrying about what’s behind them. 
    What’s Happening Elsewhere? 
    The BBC Scotland cameras take a trip to the seaside for the live Friday night action as Ayr United host newly crowned SPFL Trust Trophy winners Airdrie at Somerset Park. While a home win would see Morton going into their match in seventh place, an Airdrie win certainly isn’t a favourable outcome either. Draw please. 
    We’ll be looking for a favour from bottom-of-the-pile Arbroath against Dunfermline, who I suspect will collect maximum points, making a Morton win all the more important. Partick host Inverness, and with their victory over Morton a few weeks ago cementing their play-off place, a home win to keep Morton further from the bottom end of the table would suit all of a Morton persuasion. 
    The division’s match of the day, and indeed match of the season, sees league leaders Dundee United host a big-spending Raith Rovers side who must be smelling blood as Jim Goodwin’s stuttering Terrors limps from one poor result to another, a run of form not befitting potential champions. While a home win would see United keep the title in their own hands, I suspect a victory for the moneybags-Fifers may see the axe fall on the beleaguered Tannadice chief- too late in the eyes of many of the United faithful. 
    After Hamilton spoiled the party last weekend, we’re likely to see a new and not-very-welcome addition to the Championship this weekend as Falkirk need only a draw at Montrose to win the title and promotion from League One at the fifth, yes fifth, attempt. While poking hot needles in the eyes is a more appealing pastime for the learned observer, the match is a 5.30 kick off on BBC ALBA on Saturday night. Not for me. 

    Photo - GBR Photographs.
    Betting Guide  
    All odds are supplied by McBookie. All odds correct as of 7pm on 28th March 2024 and are subject to change. Please only bet within your means and visit BeGambleAware if you are struggling.  
    Morton are odds on favourites at 10/11, with Queen’s Park priced at 5/2 and the draw at 5/2. 
    George Oakley to score the first goal is 43/10 and Morton to win to nil is 9/4. 
    Match Officials  
    Referee- Chris Graham takes charge of his first Morton match of the season. He last officiated Morton on the occasion of our devastating 3-3 draw at Dens Park last season that saw the eventual champions salvage a late draw that proved a mortal blow to the ‘Ton’s play-off hopes. 
    AR 1- Paul O’Neill 
    AR 2- Calum Doyle 
  22. Admin
    Morton v Dunfermline Athletic – Match Preview 
    by Russell Gordon 
    Morton welcome Dunfermline Athletic to Cappielow Park supported by Dalrada Technology hoping to arrest a run of form that has now stretched to four defeats on the bounce after last Saturday’s defeat to Partick at Firhill. 
    With the Pars’ form having improved since their East End Park mauling by Morton last month, Dougie Imrie’s side will be well aware of the threat James McPake’s side pose as the push for the promotion play-offs gathers pace, while both will also have a look over their shoulders for what’s going on further down the table. 
    Match tickets are available at the below link: 
    Fanbase | Select Ticket (fanbaseclub.com) 

    Photo - GBR Photographs.
    Squad News 
    How Imrie will choose to line up is anyone’s guess. Having named an unchanged side in terms of personnel for the visit to Firhill, the decision to operate Tyler French in a holding midfield role, allowing Darragh O’Connor to go out to right back didn’t really work, and I’d expect to see French returned to his more natural right back position, or at least operating as a wing back in a back five. 
    While all Morton fans are crossing their fingers for the return of George Oakley from injury, the loss of Iain Wilson has been just as critical, and the schedule for his return is also unknown, but expected to be later than that of the frontman. 
    Jai Quitongo may also sit out, but it’s more of a surprise when he makes a squad these days, such is his misfortune. 
    Imrie could look to drop one of Alan Power or Grant Gillespie, more likely the latter, to the bench, such was the more encouraging displays of Michael Garrity and Jack Bearne in particular on their introductions last weekend. 
    One would expect Robbie Muirhead to again plough a lone furrow up front in Oakley’s absence, hopefully with Robbie Crawford, whose impact was somewhat stifled last weekend, getting up to support. 
    Current Connections  
    There are no former Morton players in the Dunfermline squad, with only manager James McPake having tasted the honour of pulling on the famous blue-and-white hoops, during a largely forgettable loan-spell from Livingston back in 2006. 
    In the home camp, Robbie Muirhead endured a difficult time in Fife, having spent the majority of the 2018-19 season at East End Park and failing to find the net in twelve appearances. His relative success in his time at Cappielow must have proved frustrating to the Pars support who saw their side relegated while Muirhead prospered on Dougie Imrie’s arrival at Morton in 2022. 
    Iain Wilson spent a year and a half at Dunfermline before being lured to Cappielow for his first spell at Morton shortly after the arrival of Imrie, finding the net for Morton as they visited the Fifers in a 1-1 East End Park draw that proved damaging in their attempts to avoid a play-off place at the bottom of the league and ultimately relegation to the third tier. 
    Tale of the Tape  
    Morton suffered two defeats in the season’s first two meetings, falling behind early on both occasions. 
    In the first meeting in Fife, An 8th minute Craig Wighton goal gave the Pars the lead before Lewis McCann doubled their advantage after 27 minutes. On a day that anything that could go wrong for Morton did, new loan signing Tyler French was taken off injured before his replacement, Darragh O’Connor lasted only seven minutes before suffering the same fate. 
    Robbie Crawford reduced the arrears late on but with Morton pushing for an equaliser, former St. Johnstone winger Michael O’Halloran added a third to seal the win for Dunfermline at the death. 
    It was the Owen Moffat show in the opening minutes of Dunfermline’s last visit to Cappielow, with the Celtic loanee netting only 17 seconds into the game, before adding a second on seven minutes. 
    On a night that frustrations really came to the fore in front of the BBC Scotland cameras, Wilson was seen to express his ire at the boss on his first half substitution, while Kirk Broadfoot exchanged angry words with sections of the support with Morton trailing. 
    A more spirited second half performance saw Steven Boyd convert a late penalty, but Morton ran out of time to source what in truth would have been a scarcely deserved equaliser. 
    But it was a much happier story last time around, with Morton recording their most convincing victory of the season, smashing five past an injury-ravaged Dunfermline side who simply couldn’t cope with Morton’s high press. This was big-bad-physical-Morton operating at their best. 
    Doubles for centre backs Darragh O’Connor and Jack Baird put Morton in easy street before Michael Garrity added a fifth against a Dunfermline side who were admittedly appalling on the day, having been totally overran in midfield and having failed to deal with Lewis Strapp’s long throws all afternoon. 

    Photo - GBR Photographs.
    Opposition Analysis  
    Things have improved for Dunfermline since that East End Park horror show, although they also suffered another chastening defeat to Queen’s Park the following week, while a home draw with League One-bound Arbroath was definitely seen as two points dropped, rather than a point gained. 
    Perhaps the turning point for them though, was their visit to Firhill to face Partick. The Pars recorded a 3-1 win, but few, even this observer, would suggest they weren’t the beneficiaries of favourable refereeing decisions, with Brian Graham having two goals ruled out for offside. It was Brian Graham though, so we’ll overlook it. 
    The Pars followed that up with four points from games against Inverness and Ayr, but then suffered defeat to Airdrie in a rearranged fixture before losing for the fifth time this season to their big-spending Fife rivals, Raith Rovers. 
    They did however, assist their moneybags neighbours last week by beating Dundee United 3-1 at East End Park, thanks in no small part to two goals and an assist from Kane Ritchie-Hosler. 
    It’s noticeable from that 5-0 victory that of Dunfermline’s newly signed central defensive pairing who played that day, Cardiff loanee Malachi Fagan-Walcott seems to have settled into the Pars team, even bagging goals against Arbroath and Partick, while his compatriot from the Welsh capital, Xavier Benjamin, has barely seen any action in recent weeks. 
    What’s Happening Elsewhere? 
    There are only four Championship matches this weekend, with Partick hoping to follow up their victory over Morton by putting another nail into Arbroath’s coffin. 
    Ayr host Queen’s Park at Somerset Park in a game that anything other than a home victory would be acceptable, but a draw preferable. 
    Inverness, still smarting from Highland Council’s decision to reject their planning permission application for a battery farm, visit Tannadice to face league leaders Dundee United, charged with the task of dragging themselves from the relegation play-off place, with the hosts hoping to be energized by big-spending Raith Rovers’ failure to capitalise on their aberration last weekend. 
    The far-from-frugal-Fifers sit out this weekend, with scheduled opponents Airdrie taking part in this season’s SPFL Trust Trophy Final against Welsh champions The New Saints in Grangemouth. Choosing between Airdrie winning the cup or Declan McManus winning it is quite a dilemma! 
    We could see a new addition to the Championship this weekend. With League One minnows Falkirk currently sitting 17 points clear of second placed Hamilton, a win for them over already relegated Edinburgh City, coupled with second-placed Hamilton failing to defeat Cove Rangers in Aberdeen, will see them crowned as League One champions at the fifth attempt. I’m sure we will delight in congratulating them, look forward to them visiting Cappielow and enjoy journeys to Grangemouth next term. It’s been a while, after all. 

    Photo - GBR Photographs.
    Betting Guide  
    All odds are supplied by McBookie. All odds correct as of 7pm on 21st March 2024 and are subject to change. Please only bet within your means and visit BeGambleAware if you are struggling.  
    Morton are listed as favourites at 11/10, with an away win priced at 11/5 and the draw at 23/10. 
    Robbie Muirhead to net at least twice against his former employers is 5/1 and Morton to win without conceding is 13/5. 
    Match Officials  
    Referee- Steven McLean takes charge of his third Morton game of the season, having been in the middle of our 3-0 League Cup Group stage win over Stranraer and our 0-0 draw with Queen’s Park at Hampden last month. 
    AR 1- David Dunne 
    AR 2- Cameron Telfer 
  24. Admin
    Partick Thistle v Morton – Match Preview 
    by Russell Gordon  
    With Morton’s adventures in the Scottish Cup over for another year after Monday night’s gallant performance against Premiership heavyweights Hearts proved to be in vain, it’s back to the league for Dougie Imrie’s men, and an important match against our good friends Partick at Firhill. 
    With our hosts on a poor run of form, having now gone eight matches without a victory after Tuesday night’s defeat to big-spending Raith Rovers, Imrie’s side will themselves look to get back on the saddle by recording their first win of the season against our friends from Glasgow. 

    Photo - GBR Photographs.
    Squad News 
    Monday’s change in formation against Hearts worked relatively well under the circumstances, but it could be argued that a less ambitious approach was required against more formidable opposition than Morton are usually exposed to. 
    Imrie could again revert to his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation, with two of Michael Garrity, Lewis McGrattan or Jack Bearne coming into the team, assuming Jai Quitongo will again be out, as his nightmare season again saw him forced out of the cup quarter final. 
    While long-term casualty Iain Wilson will certainly miss out, the match will also likely come too soon for George Oakley, and such is the English striker’s importance to Morton, Imrie will be wary of rushing him back for fear of risking a further set-back. 
    Ryan Mullen, although still sporting heavy strapping on Monday night, certainly looked more like himself against the Jambos, having visibly struggled, particularly with his kicking against Dundee United. 
    Should he revert back to his preferred formation, I’d expect Kirk Broadfoot to take his place on the bench, possibly alongside Grant Gillespie. 
    Current Connections  
    The only former Morton player in the Partick squad is club captain Brian Graham, who started his career at Cappielow, struggling to establish himself in the first team as a young player before leaving in 2011 to embark on a somewhat nomadic career, and finally making himself at home at Firhill. 
    Young striker Ricco Diack’s dad Iain, had a somewhat uneventful spell at Morton in 2004-05, failing to find the net in one start and three substitute appearances. 
    In the Morton squad, Robbie Muirhead is about as popular with the Partick fans as Graham is with the Morton support. Muirhead had a brief loan spell at Firhill in the second half of the 2015-16 season, scoring twice in eight appearances. 
    Robbie Crawford spent the 2021-22 season in Glasgow before making the move to Morton following his surprise release at the end of that season, while Jai Quitongo also had a short spell at Firhill, leaving Morton after his contract expired in 2018, but moving onto Iranians Machine Sazi after only a few months. 
    Tale of the Tape  
    It doesn’t make for good reading. Morton’s early season frailties were exposed in a Cappielow horror show in early September. Having taken an early lead through a terrific Robbie Muirhead free kick, the loss of Robbie Crawford after 20 minutes proved the turning point in a game that most of us would rather forget. 
    Steven Lawless restored parity before half time, and things fell to pieces for Morton with 20 minutes remaining as Brian Graham took great delight in netting twice in a minute against his favourite club. There was still time for Harry Milne to receive his marching orders, but even with only ten men, Tomi Adeloye put the icing on Partick’s cake by adding a fourth to make for a thoroughly miserable afternoon for the hosts. 
    It wasn’t much fun at Firhill in November, either. With Morton enduring a horrible run at the time, they fell behind to an early Kerr McInroy strike. Though things looked bleak at that point, Morton grew into the game and Grant Gillespie equalised from the spot after 32 minutes. 
    Things were to again fall apart for Morton as the game reached its latter stages, though. Only Morton could see an opposing player red-carded but not see the benefit of them being reduced to ten men, as Brian Graham was given his marching orders for a despicable gesture towards the Morton support, who had merely shown concern for his wellbeing following an uncharacteristically quiet performance, for which he had been substituted. 
    Of course, as was Morton’s luck at the time, Blair Alston notched a fortuitous winner for the Glasgow side, as Graham stormed out the tunnel to carry on his completely unprovoked tirade at the innocent Morton fans. Fortunately, nobody was harmed. 
    With things looking up in January, Morton were forced to settle for a draw. After Robbie Crawford’s early goal was ruled offside, the hosts took the lead after half an hour thanks to an own goal from Jack McMillan. 
    Again though, it was a late show from Partick, with Ricco Diack coming off the bench to score an admittedly fine equaliser for Partick to ensure a share of the spoils. 

    Photo - GBR Photographs.
    Opposition Analysis  
    As I noted earlier, Partick aren’t enjoying their finest run of the season- though unfortunately, neither are Morton. They would have been disappointed not to at least collect a point from big-spending Raith Rovers on Tuesday night after dominating much of the game, but a first half Euan Murray header sent the points back to deepest, darkest Kirkcaldy with the moneybags Fifers. 
    While goals haven’t been too difficult to come by in recent weeks, despite Tuesday’s blank, they’ve been leaking goals at an alarming rate. Having failed to win since their excellent Scottish Cup win in Dingwall, they’ve been knocked out the cup by Premiership strugglers Livingston, shipping a 2-0 lead to lose 2-3 after extra time, and conceded four goals to Ayr, three goals to Inverness and Dunfermline, a couple to Queen’s Park and one to Airdrie, Dundee United and big-spending Raith Rovers, only managing to collect draws against Airdrie, Inverness, Dundee United and Queens. 
    The goalkeeper position has proved problematic, with Jamie Sneddon out for at least the medium term. Veteran former Stranraer custodian David Mitchell has the jersey just now, after Ross Stewart had a horrid couple of games, conceding seven in two games against Dunfermline and Ayr before losing his spot. 
    However, with a three-pronged attack of Graham, Lawless and Aidan Fitzpatrick, it’s perhaps a relief that Morton’s recent injury woes haven’t really extended to the back line. 
    With Partick having scored more goals, but not much between the clubs in terms of goal difference, a victory by two or more goals would take Morton above Partick in the table into third. 
    What’s Happening Elsewhere? 
    The weekend’s action kicks off with leaders Dundee United’s Friday night visit to Dunfermline for the BBC Scotland match. With United over the hill and far away from Morton at this point, there would be no complaints her if they were to keep the Pars at arm’s length from the ‘Ton. 
    Morton’s nearest challengers for the final play-off place, Airdrie host bottom-of-the-table Arbroath, who even after their fantastic comeback win over big-spending Raith Rovers didn’t find themselves any better off following Inverness’s victory at Cappielow. By all accounts, the Red Lichties’ display at Tannadice last weekend was absolutely appalling, so don’t hold your breath for any favours, there. 
    Inverness will be looking to climb out of the relegation play-off place by beating Ayr United in the Highlands, which would leave Scott Brown’s men staring down the barrel, while big-spending Raith Rovers have their second trip of the week to Glasgow to face Queen’s Park at Hampden. A draw between Thistle and Ayr and a win for the profligate Kirkcaldy side would do just nicely. 

    Photo - GBR Photographs.
    Betting Guide  
    All odds are supplied by McBookie. All odds correct as of 7pm on 14th March 2024 and are subject to change. Please only bet within your means and visit BeGambleAware if you are struggling.  
    Partick are clear favourites to end their barren run of results at 23/20, while Morton are priced at a generous 19/10, with the draw at 5/2. 
    Robbie Muirhead is 7/1 to score the opening goal of the game, while the draw at half time and Morton at full time is 6/1. 
    Match Officials  
    Referee- Dan McFarlane takes charge of his first Morton game since we beat big-spending Raith Rovers 1-0 at Cappielow in the third last game of last season. 
    AR 1- Frank Connor 
    AR 2- Robin Taylor 
     
  25. Admin
    Morton v Heart of Midlothian – Match Preview 
    by Russell Gordon 
    Cappielow Park supported by Dalrada Technology hosts perhaps it’s highest profile match in a quarter of a century with the visit of one of Morton’s most unfamiliar foes in Premiership Heart of Midlothian, in the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup quarter-final in front of the BBC Scotland cameras. 
    Having already claimed one Premiership scalp in Motherwell, the competition’s only remaining non-Premiership club will be looking to claim a second and secure a semi-final berth for the first time since 1981. 
    With the match not available on the season ticket, a limited number of individual match tickets for the Sinclair Street End are available at the below link, with the Main Stand and Cowshed sold out: 
    Fanbase | Select Ticket (fanbaseclub.com) 

    Photo - GBR Photographs.
    Squad News 
    It comes as no coincidence that having lost their two most influential players in George Oakley and Iain Wilson, Morton’s unbeaten run has come to a halt with consecutive home defeats to Inverness and Dundee United. 
    One can only hope that Imrie has wrapped goalkeeper Ryan Mullen in cotton wool since Tuesday night’s Cappielow reverse to the Terrors, a game in which Mullen visibly struggled, requiring Darragh O’Connor to take goal kicks on his behalf. 
    While Wilson will certainly miss out, Glen’s Vodka SPFL Championship Manager of the Month Dougie Imrie will be desperate to see the return of the talismanic Oakley, with Morton having failed to find the net in his absence. 
    Should Oakley fail to make it, Jai Quitongo will likely deputise through the middle, with the probability of Robbie Muirhead taking on the role later in the game in the event of Quitongo being replaced. 
    Kirk Broadfoot missed out against United through injury, but Imrie has indicated that he will return, most probably to the bench. I’d expect Michael Garrity to get the nod behind the main striker, with Grant Gillespie starting on the bench in anticipation of the amount of work that will be asked of Alan Power’s aging limbs.
    Having been booked twice already in the competition this season, Lewis Strapp would  miss a potential semi-final should he collect another booking and Morton progress.
    Current Connections  
    Scotland’s most gifted striker has represented both clubs- Robbie Muirhead spent the 2016-17 season at Tynecastle, scoring twice in eighteen games, with both goals coming in a 2-0 home win over Rangers. 
    Morton’s now second choice goalkeeper, Jamie MacDonald started his career in the capital, making 116 appearances over a tumultuous period for the Gorgie club, which saw the glorious anarchy of the Romanov era, the trauma and uncertainty of administration and relegation to the Championship and the obvious highlight of keeping goal for their 5-1 2012 Scottish Cup final victory over local rivals Hibernian. 
    There are two former Morton loanees in the visiting squad with winger Barrie McKay having spent the second half of Morton’s miserable 2013-14 season at Cappielow from former club Rangers, scoring five goals in eighteen games, including Morton’s only winning goal away from Cappielow in the league, notching the only goal in a victory at Livingston. 
    Hearts star man Lawrence Shankland had a similarly unspectacular spell at Cappielow in the second half of the 2016-17. Having concluded a loan deal at St. Mirren from Aberdeen, he took the step up to Morton when his deal concluded, scoring four goals in sixteen games. 
    Morton did reach the play-offs, but a late season dip in form helped contribute to a lame exit at the hands of Dundee United. The ‘Ton were also hindered by Shankland’s earlier involvement in the Scottish Cup with St. Mirren, cup-tying him for a trip to Ibrox, which the ‘Ton lost 1-2, without any viable striking options. He would move onto Ayr United, get his head screwed on and see his career go from strength to strength with it potentially peaking this summer if, as has been called for in many quarters, he leads the line for Scotland in this summer’s European Championships. 
    Jai Quitongo’s dad Jose made thirty appearances for Hearts, mostly from the bench, between 1997 and 1999, scoring a memorable last-minute equaliser against Celtic at Tynecastle in 1998 as the Jam Tarts went head-to-head with Glasgow’s big two for the title, only falling away in the final few weeks of the season, but winning the Scottish Cup, although Quitongo didn’t make the squad for the showpiece occasion. 

    Photo - GBR Photographs,
    Tale of the Tape  
    It’s common knowledge that meetings between the two sides are few and far between, with Morton and Hearts continually avoiding each other in cup competitions for a generation or so before now, and the only meetings between the clubs since Morton’s relegation from the Premier Division in 1988 being three behind-closed-doors Championship encounters in the horrible COVID-affected 2020-21 season. 
    Eventual champions Hearts took the spoils with a 2-0 win on their first visit to Cappielow in December thanks to two Jamie Walker goals, in a game in which Morton keeper Aidan McAdams’ performance kept the scoreline respectable. 
    Morton’s visit to Tynecastle was a much more even affair, with Craig McGuffie shocking the Edinburgh side by firing Morton into a surprise lead, before Walker again netted for the Jambos to save them a point. It was again honours-even in the final meeting as a Morton side desperate for points to avoid the relegation play-offs couldn’t find a breakthrough against a Hearts side who had already been crowned champions, eventually settling for a goalless draw and surviving the hard way. 
    Looking further back- the last Scottish Cup meeting was coincidentally also in 1988, which was won 2-0 by the Jambos in Edinburgh. The clubs have been drawn together eight times in the Scottish Cup, with Hearts progressing on seven of those occasions, including the 1968 semi-final, one of Hearts’ three replay successes. 
    Morton’s only moment of joy also came after a replay, a 3-1 win at Tynecastle in 1981 courtesy of goals from Jim Rooney, Jim Tolmie and Bobby Thomson saw them through to face Aberdeen for what proved to be an especially memorable afternoon. 

    Photo - GBR Photographs.
    Opposition Analysis  
    There’s no escaping it- Hearts are on fire just now and have been for a considerable period. After a difficult start to his time in the Tynecastle hotseat, which was marred with controversy due to his lack of qualifications making him ineligible to lead his team in European competition, Steven Naismith’s side have settled and made the supposed battle for third place a procession, putting them in pole position for European group stage football so long as nobody other than they or the two big Glasgow clubs claim the Scottish Cup. 
    This is of course in no small part helped by the scoring prowess of Shankland, but it would be foolish to label Hearts a one-man team. Other than Shankland, perhaps their standout performer has been Australian midfielder Calem Nieuwenhof, outstanding in last weekend’s victory over champions Celtic. 
    We’ll likely see a rare appearance from Scotland keeper Craig Gordon, who has taken his place between the sticks in Hearts’ previous cup ties this season as he battles back from injury. Not wishing to harm his chances for a call up for the Euros, but if Naismith wishes to continue that policy, hopefully Monday’s game will be his last before the summer! 
    I spoke to Adam Kennedy (@adamtkendo) of the Perth to Paisley podcast (@perthtopaisley) who wasn’t treating Morton lightly as he and many of his fellow Jambos make their first ever trip to Cappielow. 
    “It’s been a wonderful time to be a Jambo recently, given the ridiculous run that Hearts went on from mid-December until we were thumped at Ibrox by a ruthless Rangers in our last away outing. 
    Two matches at Tynecastle followed, just the small matter of an Edinburgh derby against Hibs and hosting the reigning Scottish champions- Celtic- at our place. What could possibly go wrong? 
    I thought Sunday’s success against the team in green and white hoops had all the makings of a Celtic smashing beforehand… 
    Brendan Rodgers’ side looked back to their best as they demolished Dundee 7-1 in midweek, and with the chance to go top of the tree and leapfrog Rangers, coupled with a disappointing derby display from a Hearts perspective- it seemed something of a certainty. 
    However, as hasn’t been the case too often, the men in maroon were at it from the get-go. The ‘Second Half Hearts’ that we had become all too accustomed to seeing recently, had turned up from the very first minute. 
    It would be naïve to suggest that VAR and controversy wasn’t at the heart of our victory last weekend. However, we needed a solid performance to stand a chance against Celtic and hopefully we see something similar against Morton on Monday night. 
    Having come up against a potential banana skin in the last round, away to a decent Airdrieonians team, the Jambos produced a professional performance and swept the Diamonds aside with a 4-1 success in the last sixteen. 
    With the possibility of a trip to Hampden of a Scottish Cup semi-final at stake, we cannot afford to take the ‘Ton lightly. Yes, we’re considered favourites in the eyes of many, but as Celtic proved at Tynecastle, that ultimately means nothing. 
    From a personal perspective, I can’t wait to get to Cappielow and cheer the boys on. My dad reminisces about trips to Greenock. In particular, 20th October 1984, which he thinks was Sandy Clark’s first match for the Jambos, a game in which he popped up with the winner in a 3-2 victory. 
    He was 18, but I’m 25 and only just managing to watch Hearts at Cappielow for the first time. The ‘Ton were also on a magnificent run until a wee stumble recently, I’m sorry that I hope the Jambos add to that. but I wish them well for the rest of the season. 
    Here’s hoping that trips to Tynecastle for Morton fans, likewise excursions to Cappielow for Hearts fans, can become more frequent.” 
    What’s Happening Elsewhere? 
    By the time you get round to reading this, most of the action affecting Morton may well have taken place, given the BBC’s decision to save the best ‘til last this weekend. 
    Starting with the Scottish Cup, quarter final weekend kicks off at Pittodrie with the meeting of two managers with Morton connections, as Neil Warnock’s toiling Aberdeen will be hoping the cup can provide welcome relief from their trials and tribulations in the league against Derek McInnes’s buoyant Kilmarnock, for a fixture that those with a morbid sense of curiosity may want to pay close attention too, with the ex-Aberdeen boss’s visiting side having more than a fighter’s chance of adding to the Dons’ woes. 
    On Sunday, relegation threatened Livingston’s reward for their comeback victory over Partick in the last one is a big pay cheque and the probability of a heavy defeat at Celtic Park to show for their efforts. 
    Later that day Rangers, fresh from their Europa League draw in Lisbon, visit Hibernian for the first Scottish Cup meeting of the clubs since the memorable 2016 final which saw Hibs end their 114-year wait for the famous old trophy. 
    The semi-final draw takes place on BBC Scotland after Morton v Hearts. 
    There are of course, four Championship fixtures on Saturday too, with only one club in the division retaining an interest in the competition at this late stage in the season. 
    Leaders Dundee United will be looking to build on their midweek victory at Cappielow with a home win over bottom dogs Arbroath, who will also be looking to build on a positive result, having registered a fine comeback victory over big-spending Raith Rovers. 
    The free-spending Fifers host local rivals Dunfermline for the sixth derby between the two this season, and with United likely to pick up three points in their own derby, will require a victory to avoid the Terrors stretching their lead at the top.  
    Inverness host an Airdrie side that are suddenly breathing down Morton’s neck for a play-off place, having taken care of the East End Park club in midweek. There would be few complaints from Greenock if Duncan Ferguson’s side could replicate their result and performance from Cappielow this time around. 
    In the final game, Queen’s Park host Partick in the Glasgow derby at Hampden, hoping for a win to propel them into play-off contention at the right end of the table, while Ayr United sit out with Morton otherwise occupied. 

    Photo - GBR Photographs.
    Betting Guide  
    All odds are supplied by McBookie. All odds correct as of 7pm on 8th February 2024 and are subject to change. Please only bet within your means and visit BeGambleAware if you are struggling.  
    It’s no surprise that Hearts are favourites at 4/5, with Morton priced at 14/5 and the draw at 13/5. 
    A Morton win in extra time comes in at 14/1 and Morton to win to nil is 6/1. 
    Match Officials  
    Referee- David Dickenson takes charge of his third Morton game of the season, having been in the middle for our 1-2 defeats by Rangers and big-spending Raith Rovers in the League Cup and the Championship respectively, even awarding Morton a penalty at Ibrox! 
    AR 1- Dougie Potter 
    AR 2- Gordon Crawford 
    Fourth Official- Kevin Clancy 
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