Cheyne Only Training With Morton

In today's Greenock Telegraph Chris Fitzgerald reveals that Morton wont be signing Australian goalkeeper Ben Cheyne.

In the article Jim McInally confirms that Cheyne had been training with the club but that it was only to help the player out as he was based in Giffnock and the training facilities were handy for him.

Cheyne's agent also emailed me again today and pretty much said the same thing as Jim McInally.

The Tele' article also says that Lee Robinson will be out for two to three weeks which means that Dean Keenan should have at least one more outing as substitute goalkeeper.

http://www.greenocktelegraph.co.uk/article.php?sec=2&id=15946

*Updated* Aussie Keeper Training With Morton

*Update* Earlier today I received an email from Cheyne's agent who sent me a copy of the player's CV. I've updated the profile details below with some of information on the CV.

Yesterday's Scotland On Sunday (and today's Daily Record according to a couple of posts on http://www.greenockmortonfc.net/) carried a small football snippet that revealed that Morton have Ben Cheyne, an Australian goalkeeper, training with the club.

The article also reveals that Clyde and Motherwell are in the hunt for the player who is a free agent.

Name: Ben Cheyne
Age: 19 (D.O.B - 27.05.1988)
Position: Goalkeeper
Nationality: Australian (with a British passport)
Internationalist: Former Australian u-17, u-19 (captain)
Former clubs: Belconnen Blue Devils (ACT Premier League, Australia)
Other Information: Cheyne attended the Australian Institute of Sport in 2006 and had a trial with A-League side Central Coast Mariners.

Scotland On Sunday (Scroll down the stories): http://sport.scotsman.com/football.cfm?id=1601902007

A match report taken from the Canberra Times newspaper in which Cheyne is praised as a star after a performance against A-league side Central Coast Mariners: http://canberra.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=sport&subclass=soccer&story_id=1014633&category=soccer

McInally Tips Weatherson For Golden Boot

In today's Scottish Sun pull-out Supergoals Paul Hughes has a small article towards the back in which Jim McInally tips Peter Weatherson to win the Supergoals Golden Boot now he is back up front. The article points out that he scored the majority of his 18 goals from defence last season.

McInally is quoted a few times but for me the most important thing he said was "From now on he'll be judged as a striker and I think he'll get us plenty of goals." It will be good to see Peter get an extended run as a striker as I think he is the best striker at the club and that it is his natural position.

Also enouraging are the rumours I've heard that Peter has been spotted out running regularly in an attempt to improve his fitness.

You can read the article by clicking on the picture to enlarge.

Morton 4 - 2 Partick Thistle

Morton 4 - Weatherson (8, 11, 49), McAnespie (47)
Partick Thistle 2 - Storey (74), Twaddle (89)

Att - 3,338

Martin Clark was the inspiration for this victory after Jim McInally revealed that it was his assistant manager who suggested moving Peter Weatherson back up front from where he grabbed a superb hat-trick.

In my opinion Saturday was the first time this season I've looked at our line up and thought it appeared to be well balanced and just about the team I would have played given the opportunity to manage the team. The only change I would have made would have been to swap Jim McAister in the centre with Jamie Stevenson on the left. The changes from Wednesday were: McGurn in goal for the injured Lee Robinson, Harding back in in the centre of defence, McAnespie in at left back for Scott McLaughlin who was in his preferred holding role in midfield. Jay Shields replaced Peter Weatherson at right-back and as aforementioned Weatherson was up front, Iain Russell returned after missing out by being cup-tied. As a pal said, we actually looked like a team for a change.

We took the lead in the 8th minute when Peter Weatherson glanced in a header from a wicked Jamie Stevenson free-kick for the first of his hat-trick. Doubt has been cast over this goal with some sources suggesting this goal was an own goal but in the News Of The World match report Peter is quoted as saying "There's a bit of doubt about the first one from the lads in the dressing room but it touched me before the defender so it's definitely mine!"

The second arrived three minutes later. This time the source was Kevin Finlayson on the right hand side. Finners turned his opponent inside out and wriggled past him to float a cross to Weatherson who was lurking around the penalty spot, the former right-back adjusted his body expertly to lean back and connect with a stunning volley that flew past Hinchcliffe in the Thistle goal. Peter is pictured celebrating this goal.

Morton were well on top in this period but returning keeper Davie McGurn did pull off a few vital stops from Thistle left back Marc Twaddle first a header than a back post volley he somehow saved with his feet. From a personal point of view I thought Lee Robinson was a great signing in the summer but after some of his recent performances and McGurn's showing on Saturday I think David should now be number one for the forseeable future.

Our start to the second half was as equally blistering as the first with goals on 47 and 49 minutes. Apparently Kieran McAnespie floated in a stunning free-kick to make it 3-0. I say apparently because I annoyingly missed this goal and looked up in time to see the ball hit the back of the net. Peter Weatherson arrived at the back post with real strikers timing to slam home a left footed effort that had been missed by at least two Morton players on it's way across the six yard box.

After we went 4-0 up we took our foot off the accelerator and allowed Thistle to score twice. Storey cut on from the right to curl a magnificent left footed effort past McGurn's despairing dive and Twaddle rifled home from close range after some particularly poor Morton defending. This concerning end to the match aside we were well worth the 3 points. It was very encouraging to see the team look so balanced. Players were playing in what appeared to be their natural positions and the return of Scott McLaughlin added a much needed presence in the centre of midfield. Hopefully the team that took the field today is the same one that takes on Clyde in a fortnights time.


Morton (4-4-2):

1. McGurn - 8
2. Weatherson - 9 (14. Graham - 84 mins)
3. McAnespie - 7
4. Harding - 6
5. Greacen - 6
6. Shields - 6
7. Finlayson - 8
8. Stevenson - 7
9. Russell - 6 (12. Templeman - 74 mins)
10. McLaughlin - 7
11. McAlister - 7

Subs Not Used:

15. Gardyne
16. Millar

17. Keenan

Partick Thistle: Partick: Hinchcliffe, Robertson, Harkins, Archibald, Twaddle, Storey, Rowson, Gibson, Murray (McStay 46), Buchanan (Keegan 46), Roberts (Di Giacomo 72). Subs Not Used: McKinlay, Tuffey.

My man of the match: Peter Weatherson

Sponsors man of the match: Peter Weatherson

Matchday Programme (Click to enlarge)

View the goals here: http://ptfc.co.uk/pressbox/video_highlights.asp

Greenock Telegraph match report: http://www.greenocktelegraph.co.uk/article.php?sec=2&id=15938

Linn Joins East Fife On Loan

Bobby Linn has signed for East Fife on loan for the rest of this season according to http://www.eastfife.org/. East Fife currently sit top of Irn Bru League 3.

The official Morton site adds that Linn requested the chance to go out on loan to get more first team football and to allow him to be closer to his family.

This is a strange decision from Morton's perspective. We paid around £10,000 for Linn yet the manager has never really given him a proper run in the first team. Also, with our current injury crisis letting players go out on loan is the last thing we should be doing.

***UPDATE*** - It has emerged that the loan deal is only until January 2008 not the end of the season as was originally stated.

http://www.gmfc.net/club-news/news-view.asp?id=233

http://www.eastfife.org/newsdetails.asp?id=194

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."

Morton 1 - 3 St. Johnstone

Morton 1 - Graham (12)
St. Johnstone 3 - Jackson (10), MacDonald (65), Quinn (87)

Att - 1,831

Sorry to anyone who wanted to read a match report for this cup tie but it annoyed me so much I couldn't bring myself to write a report and thanks to my terrible memory by now I've forgotten most of the incidents.

The only things I would like to point out were that young striker Brian Graham scored a magnificent goal by cooly clipping the ball over Cuthbert in the St. Johnstone goal when more experienced player might have bottled it and hammered it at goal. Graham's start to the season has been very encouraging. Secondly, our performance was shocking and the team selection was farcical with Scott McLaughlin at left-back and Alex Walker at centre-half. Ryan Harding who was supposedly injured managed to come off the bench.

For a good match report read Chris Fitzgerald's report that appeared in the Greenock Telegraph: http://www.greenocktelegraph.co.uk/article.php?sec=2&id=15784



Morton (4-4-2):

1. Robinson - 4
2. Weatherson - 5
3. Walker - 6
4. McLaughlin - 5 (15. McAnespie - 62 mins)
5. Greacen - 4
6. Shields - 6
7. Finlayson - 6
8. Stevenson - 6
9. Templeman - 6 (12. Linn - 62 mins)
10. Graham - 7 (14. Harding - 80 mins)
11. McAlister - 6

Subs Not Used:

16. McKellar
20. McGurn

Booked: Stevenson, Graham.

St Johnstone: Cuthbert, Irvine, McManus, Anderson, Stanic, Quinn, McInnes, Sheerin, McLaren (Moon 89), Deuchar (Stewart 82), Jackson (MacDonald 31). Subs Not Used: Lawrie, Main.

My man of the match: Brian Graham

Matchday Programme (Click to enlarge)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_cups/7022326.stm

Time To Go Jim?

I've held off and held off joining in with the calls for Jim McInally to be sacked but after the joke that was tonight's Challenge Cup Semi-Final I think it might be time to go Jim.

As more and more fans are starting to think the same way as those who have been critical of McInally for a good while a defeat at home to Partick Thistle on Saturday could see the voices calling for the managers head grow ever louder.