McParland and McCluskey On Trial

Former Celtic, Livingston and Queen of the South wideman Tony McParland has been named as one of the many trialists who are currently training with the Morton squad.

The 27-year-old had a spell on trial with the club in May 2008 but failed to win a deal from the then management team of Davie Irons and Derek Collins. The decision appeared to be a poor one as the former Scotland under-21 internationalist subsequently signed for Livingston and put in a few very impressive performances against us in the 2008/09 season.

I thought McParland (pictured, above) was outstanding in Livi's 2-1 win at Cappielow in August 2008; I named him my man of the match as he terrorised Jim McAlister, who was playing left wing-back that day, in front of the Cowshed.

McParland is joined on trial by another right-winger in former Hibs starlet Jamie McCluskey. In January 2004, McCluskey became the youngest player in SPL history when John Collins gave him his first team debut at 16-years and 79 days old. However, things didn't go to plan as a fall out with Collins saw him leave Easter Road.

McCluskey was tipped by those in the know as a player with the potential to be the best young player to come out of a youth system that produced players like Derek Riordan, Scott Brown, Kevin Thomson, Steven Whittaker and Steven Fletcher.

In fact, my brother once told me about how two of his friends, who both played against McCluskey when they were playing with Inverness Caley Thistle youths/reserves, used to rave about McCluskey saying that he was the best player they'd ever played against, even though they'd faced the likes of Shaun Maloney, Nacho Novo and Steven Fletcher.

After Hibs, McCluskey joined St. Johnstone but suffered terrible injury problems and was released after one season. He had unsuccessful trial spells with Partizan Belgrade and Serie A side Catania before signing for Wrexham, where he spent a year and a half before his release this summer.

Other trialists have been confirmed by the Greenock Telegraph as: former Aberdeen pair Jonathan Crawford (right-back) and Nicky Clark (central midfield), ex-Clyde defender Alan Lithgow (central defender), Grant Smith who had a spell playing in Australia with North Queensland Fury but who had also played with Livingston, Clydebank, Dundee United and most recently Ross County (left back/ central midfield/ left midfield), ex-Hibs, Motherwell, Partick Thistle and Stranraer player John Kane (right-back, central defender) and ex-Bolton youngster Chris Stokes (left-back).

Allan Moore also has two unnamed French trialists training with the club.

Greenock Telegraph - Boss: Prove You Are Worth A Deal (02.07.2010)

Greenock Telegraph - Ton To See Trialists In Action (06.07.2010)

Dumbarton Tie Moved To Sunday

Dumbarton have announced that their Alba Challenge Cup first round tie versus Morton has been switched from Saturday to Sunday - again.

The match will now be played on Sunday, July 25 after the Sons accepted a booking for a wedding at the Strathclyde Homes Stadium - just like last year.

dumbartonfootballclub.co.uk - Change To Alba Cup Fixture (30.06.2010)

Greenock Telegraph - Ton Face Cup Tie Date Switch (01.07.2010)

Moore Kean On Stewart

Allan Moore has today signed former St. Mirren striker Stewart Kean.

The 27-year-old, who also played with Ayr United and, most recently, Queen of the South, has signed for Morton, according to today's Greenock Telegraph.

Kean started his career in the junior ranks with Craigmark Burtonians. He then moved to Ayr United, where he caught the eye and secured a £20,000 transfer to St. Mirren. In his time at Love Street, Kean scored 26 goals, including 12 in the Buddies' 2005/06 promotion season.

He was released by the Saints in the summer of 2008 and subsequently signed for Queen of he South, where he spent two seasons - he actually scored against Morton last season (pictured, below) - before he was released this summer.


Kean is Moore's fifth summer signing after he completed deals for Marc Smyth and Graeme Holmes yesterday.

Greenock Telegraph - New Boy Kean To Get Started (29.06.2010)

Evening Times - Ton Hit By Pete Injury Hold Up (29.06.2010)

Weatherson Not Over Injury

Peter Weatherson has missed the first week of pre-season training after the pelvic injury he was carrying towards the end of last season failed to clear up over the summer.

The 30-year-old suffered from an inflamed pubic bone - osteitis pubis - and a related abductor strain for much of last season but put off an operation to try and play his part in the team's relegation battle. However, towards the end of the season it was obvious that he could no longer continue and he sat out the last two games against Ross County and Ayr United.

Originally, the plan was for Peter to have an operation to correct the problem, but he was then told that rest was the cure. But this has not worked as hoped and Weatherson has missed the first week of pre-season training, according to the Greenock Telegraph's Chris Tait.

"The rest I was told to do hasn't really worked as well as we all thought it would," Weatherson told Tait. "I've been going to see the physio Paul Kelly every day and we're going to see the specialist again to see if he can determine if there is anything else wrong.

"The initial problem hasn't really deteriorated, so I'll maybe miss the first week of pre-season training."

Greenock Telegraph - Pete Sits Out Pre-Season Start (24.05.2010)

McMillan Was Ton Target

At the end of last season, Largs Thistle's star man, Ross McMillan, was rumoured to be a Morton signing target. This has now been confirmed - but on the day that he signed for Clyde.

Ross had a tremendous season with Largs as they got to the Emirates Scottish Junior Cup Final, thanks, largely, to Ross's goals in the quarter-final replay versus Irvine Meadow XI and the 1st leg of the semi-final against Clydebank.

And his outstanding performances had grabbed the attention of James Grady who appeared on BBC radio show Beyond the SPL and mentioned that he would never turn his nose up at junior players and was looking to sign two junior players for Morton for next season if he was still in charge.

It has now emerged that 27-year-old McMillan (pictured: in the violet strip) was one of these players. "Stuart Millar contacted Largs to say that Clyde were interested and the manager passed on the news," McMillan told Clyde's official website. "I then met with him to discuss the move. Morton also wanted me to come up and do a pre-season but at the time it wasn’t right for me so I knocked it back and came up to Clyde. I liked what I saw when Stuart showed me around the club and the stadium."

However, I have heard suggestions that Morton were in contact with the big defender but failed to get back in touch after their initial approach - possibly due to the fact Grady was no longer in charge.

McMillan also had a trial with Morton a few seasons back when Jim McInally was manager after being recommended by Craig Black. Apparently he played in a reserve game (against Alloa, I think) and didn't really stand out after he was given a bit of a tough time by their striker - possibly Graeme Brown.

Having seen McMillan play on a few occasions over the last couple of years, for both Greenock Juniors and Largs Thistle, I have no doubt he should be playing at a higher level and that Clyde is probably the best move for him. It's not too far to travel; he will not have to leave his day job to play with the Bully Wee, who are part-time; they are a decent sized club for the third division and it's not as big a jump in terms of standard of play as it would've been if he'd went straight from Largs to Morton.

clydefc.co.uk - McMillan and Dingwall Sign (26.06.2010)

Information Request

Highland League historian and Buckie Thistle fan Easton Thain has been in touch with me recently and has asked for help to find some information on Morton matches for his personal records.

Easton is looking for the following info:




Scottish Cup Games

29th Jan 1912 vs. Clachnacuddin - both teams required
22nd Jan 1938 vs. Peterhead - both teams
28th Jan 1950 at Ross County - both teams
22nd Oct 1955 vs. Clachnacuddin - both teams

Friendlies

15th Apr 1966 vs. Ross County - Morton team
20th May 1967 away to Inverness Select - Both teams and all the scorers
19th May 1968 at Elgin City - both teams
3rd May 1971 at Elgin City - Morton team and their scorers
3rd Aug 1985 vs. Forfar at the Keith FC tournament - teams
25th July 1992 vs. St Mirren at the Deveronvale FC tournament - teams
26th July 1992 vs. Deveronvale at the Deveronvale FC tournament - teams and scorers

Texaco/ Anglo-Scottish Cup

14th Sep 1970 vs. West Brom - Teams and West Brom scorer
30th Sep 1970 at West Brom - Teams
21st Oct 1970 vs. Wolves - Teams and scorers
3rd Nov 1970 at Wolves - Teams and scorers
14th Sep 1971 at Huddersfield Town - Teams and scorers
29th Sep 1971 vs. Huddersfield Town - Teams and scorers
19th Sep 1973 vs. Newcastle United - Teams and scorers
1st oct 1973 at Newcastle United - Teams and scorers
6th Nov 1979 at Bristol City - Teams and scorers
5th Aug 1980 vs. Falkirk - Teams and scorers
16th Sep 1980 at Notts County - Teams and scorers
30th Sep 1980 vs. Notts County - Teams and scorers

Drybrough Cup

July 1980 - all details versus Albion Rovers and Aberdeen

If anyone can help, please get in touch by emailing me at jonathan_mitchell_1982@hotmail.com

Kelbie Couldn't Turn Down Ton Move

New Morton signing Kevin Kelbie has revealed that he rejected offers to stay in Northern Ireland because Morton was too big an opportunity to turn down.

"It is a full-time club aiming for the SPL, so it is a chance for me to show what I can do at that level," Kelbie told the Irish Mirror's Darren Fullerton in a candid interview in which he slams Roy Walker - the manager of his previous team, Ballymena United.

"I did speak with Marty Quinn [Glenavon's manager] and there was interest from Portadown, but Morton was too big an opportunity to turn down," he added.




Irish Mirror - Kevin And Hell For Kel

Ton Open Season At Home To Stirling

The SFL have today released the fixture list for season 2010/11 - and Morton start with a home fixture against Allan Moore's former club, Stirling Albion.

And the Forthbank side are our opposition for three of the dates that most fans look at on their first inspection of the fixture list. As well as the opening day, we also travel to face the Binos on Boxing Day and the final day of the season.

The only scheduled midweek match sees us visit newly promoted Cowdenbeath on Tuesday, March 22.

gmfc.net - Fixtures and Results 2010/11