New Morton Videos

A couple of posts on the Morton unofficial messageboard linked to two new Morton videos posted on Youtube and Google video.

Both videos have been added to this page: http://greenockmortonfc.blogspot.com/2007/12/morton-on-youtube.html

The first link is a a two minute film of Cappielow taken from the Wee Dublin End in 1980.



The second link is to a Scottish Cup tie against Aberdeen at Pittodrie on the 24th February 1990. Aberdeen won 2-1.

McGuffie To Play In Defence

Morton manager Jim McInally has decided to move Ryan McGuffie from midfield to central defence for Clyde's visit to Cappielow tomorrow.

The news appeared in a story by Roger Graham in today's Greenock Telegraph. Of the decision Jim McInally said: We are putting him back, especially for this game. He’s played there a lot for Gretna.”

The only problem could be that McGuffie made it explicit that he decided to drop down a division because we could give him the chance to play in his preferred position in the centre of midfield. McInally is aware of this and makes clear that the move wont be permanent: “It’s a stop-gap measure, and the player is professional enough to accept it.”

It's safe to say that McGuffie has been a disappointment since he signed at the turn of the year. He has failed to make the expected impact and seems to let games pass him by. My brother and I were talking about McGuffie and we both agreed we could see why Gretna thought his abilities were more suited to defence. I'd imagine he will fill Harding's place in the defence after a woeful performance last week. I expect McGuffie to come in and do a decent job in his absence which may well throw an interesting dilemma McInally's way in the coming weeks.

In other team news Allan Jenkins will make his debut and Barry Smith is expected to play in spite of his recent knee injury.

http://www.greenocktelegraph.co.uk/article.php?sec=2&id=19651

Keenan Signs For Celtic...

... "One Day Hopefully" according to Dean on his Bebo page.

Keenan started this season well but has spent the last month or so on loan at Ayr United where he'll be until the end of the season.

Morton 0 - 2 Queen Of The South

Morton 0 -
Queen Of The South 2 - O'Connor (46), Stewart (87)

Att - 3,506









Road To Nowhere - an appropriate choice of song by the guy on the tannoy.

Jim Thomson jumps highest - again.

Morton (3-5-2):

1. McGurn - 6
2. Smith - 7 (12. Russell - 67 mins)
3. McLaughlin - 7
4. Harding - 4
5. Greacen - 6
6. Millar - 6
7. Finlayson - 5
8. McGuffie - 5
9. Weatherson - 6
10. Wake - 7
11. McAlister - 6

Subs Not Used:
14. MacGregor
15. Graham
16. McGeough
20. Robinson

McGurn
Harding Smith Greacen
Finlayson Millar McGuffie McLaughlin McAlister
Wake Weatherson

Queen Of The South: MacDonald, McCann, Harris, MacFarlane, Aitken, Thomson, McQuilken, Tosh, O'Connor (O'Neill 68), Dobbie (Stewart 75), Burns.Subs Not Used: Grindlay, Paton, Gilmour.


My man of the match: Jim Thomson (Queen Of The South)

Sponsor's man of the match:

Matchday Programme (Click to enlarge)














BBC Match report: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_cups/7221795.stm

Tele' match report:

Tele' match reaction:

Game On!

Excellent news - today's Scottish cup tie is on after the pitch passed a 9.45am pitch inspection.

http://www.gmfc.net/club-news/news-view.asp?id=288

Morton Reject £10,000 Bid For Millar

Morton have rejected a £10,000 bid from St. Johnstone for Chris Millar it emerged yesterday.

At the bottom of a Greenock Telegraph article on Allan Jenkins Roger Graham reveals that Jim McInally rejected the bid because he felt it was too late - the offer was made at 2.30pm on Wednesday - for him to bring in an adequate replacement.

Judging by the following quotes McInally felt that Derek McInnes had messed us about by leaving it until the last minute to meet Morton's asking price for the midfielder.

The Morton gaffer said: "I phoned the player’s agent last week to ask if Saints would pay the £10,000 by Saturday and he said ‘no’. I then had to make my signing plans with Chris still in my squad. Then, at 2.30pm on Wednesday, Derek McInnes phoned to offer the £10,000. After debating with Martin [Clark] we agreed that we were not in a position to replace him before the transfer deadline. It was too short notice. St Johnstone have only themselves to blame. They have had since Christmas [to come up with the offer]. We have our own club to run.”

The former Celtic player will now have to wait until the summer to make his move to McDiarmid Park.

http://www.greenocktelegraph.co.uk/article.php?sec=2&id=19357

9.45am Pitch Inspection

According to the SFA website there will be a 9.45am pitch inspection at Cappielow to determine whether or not the Scottish cup tie against Queen Of The South will go ahead.

http://www.gmfc.net/ also carries this news but also states that "the pitch is playable at present, this [pitch inspection] has been arranged in in view of the overnight weather forecast."

http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/news.cfm?newsid=3595

http://www.gmfc.net/club-news/news-view.asp?id=286

Harper Congratulates Morton

Former Morton and Aberdeen striker Joe Harper (pictured, celebrating a hat-trick against Partick Thistle in 1968) has congratulated the club on our Scottish cup victory over Gretna.

His congratulations appeared in his article for the http://www.thisisaberdeen.co.uk/ website on Wednesday.

Harper said: "Congratulations to my old club Morton who secured a superb 3-0 Scottish Cup win over SPL club Gretna. I began my professional career at Cappielow so it was great to see them humble a top flight club.Morton now face Queen of the South and have a great chance of making it to the quarter-finals."

According to Graeme Ross' Morton Greats book Harper (who has a chapter dedicated to him) scored 74 goals in 117 appearances between 1964 and 1969. He played 4 times for Scotland scoring 2 goals.

Morton sold him twice - firstly to Huddersfield in February 1967 for £35,000 (he returned within 18 months for half that fee) then to Aberdeen for £40,000 in September 1969. He also played for Everton and Hibs.

On page 90 of Ross' book Harper is quoted as saying: "When I look back on my time at Morton I think it was possibly the happiest time of my career."

http://www.thisisaberdeen.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=148309&command=displayContent&sourceNode=148302&contentPK=19714321&folderPk=85371&pNodeId=201727