Hal Stewart Tried To Sign Jim Leighton

I'm currently reading the autobiography of former Manchester United, Hibs, Aberdeen and Scotland goalkeeper Jim Leighton.

To be honest it's not the best but Morton have already have a few mentions I thought I'd post about.

The first was that Leighton's father was a Morton fan who went to all the games in the 60's but Leighton preferred Rangers and persuaded his Dad to take him to Ibrox on a Saturday instead.

The second was that former Morton goalkeeper Erik Sorenson was the man who 'discovered' Leighton taking him from amateurs Glasgow United to Dalry Thistle in the Juniors at 17 years old. On Sorenson Leighton says: "Be that as it may [Leighton was previously talking about Sorenson's 'fearsome' training sessions'], there is no doubt I am indebted to this man. He set standards for me, as well as preparing me for the rigours of Junior football. His dilligence and patience were commendable."

Finally Leighton reveals that in 1976 Hal Stewart made an attempt to sign Leighton from under Aberdeen's noses:

"I had played a trial for Dumbarton, who did not fancy me, long before I signed a provoisonal form for Aberdeen in 1976. Celtic, who turned up on my doorstep a week later, were disappointed when they heard they were too late. There was, however, renewed speculation about my future when Morton supremo Hal Stewart was tipped off that the form I signed had not been registered. Hal, a magnificent showman and ever the opportunist whose passing robbed the Scottish football scence of one of its most colourful characters, turned up at my Kinning Park office to see what was what. He also did his best to impress me by arriving in a huge pink car. It got him nowhere, but I have to admit I liked his style."