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What is actually going on at Morton?
Following up my @PureFitbaw article, here’s a wee insight for any neutrals into why everything is on fire at Cappielow right now.
Following up my @PureFitbaw article, here’s a wee insight for any neutrals into why everything is on fire at Cappielow right now.
Not being able to afford an actual football manager may be the first time other fans became aware of the financial situation at Cappielow, but there’d been rumblings long before then.
MCT (the fans group set to complete a takeover of the club in the summer) have been contributing £10k a month to supplement the playing budget - extra money Morton have never normally had.
As early as September, Hopkin was pleading with fans via club media for more.
As early as September, Hopkin was pleading with fans via club media for more.
He was bodied for this, especially as the squad still looked incredibly bare at this stage.
It perhaps begins to make a bit more sense after his old assistant Anton McElhone (now in temporary charge) talked to the papers this weekend.
It perhaps begins to make a bit more sense after his old assistant Anton McElhone (now in temporary charge) talked to the papers this weekend.
A complete riddy, but how the hell did that happen? Despite the manager paying player’s wages, despite constant talk about how badly the pandemic had crippled Morton, they assembled one of the biggest squads in the country.
They just kept adding, and adding players.
They just kept adding, and adding players.
Not a normal squad though. One that included 10 attacking midfielders, and (still) only 1 goalkeeper.
One highlight was Wallace Duffy joining on loan from St Johnstone, before just leaving to sign for Inverness 2 weeks later.
One highlight was Wallace Duffy joining on loan from St Johnstone, before just leaving to sign for Inverness 2 weeks later.
A couple of things appear to have happened. Firstly, Morton’s owners (Golden Casket) are no longer putting in any money.
Instead of taking the MCT cash as an additional income source, they have used it as an excuse to stop investing themselves. Leaving us on life support.
Instead of taking the MCT cash as an additional income source, they have used it as an excuse to stop investing themselves. Leaving us on life support.
As well as that, they appear to have banked on the return of supporters + hospitality revenue much, much earlier then we have any chance of getting them back.
The budget (if there even is one) has been assembled with no actual idea of how it’d be paid for.
That is insane.
The budget (if there even is one) has been assembled with no actual idea of how it’d be paid for.
That is insane.
It would go some way to explaining why Morton did NOTHING commercially over the summer. Whilst other clubs squeezed every last penny they could out of supporters, Morton did hee haw.
Buried their head in the sand and just hoped things returned to normal.
Buried their head in the sand and just hoped things returned to normal.
Morton’s owners will have been hit by the pandemic like every other business, but they have more than enough money to keep the club afloat, to afford a manager etc. It isn’t coming.
They have made a colossal mess of the summer, the budget - and have now downed tools.
They have made a colossal mess of the summer, the budget - and have now downed tools.
That leads us on to the stadium. GC were originally supposed to rent Cappielow back to MCT after the sale, retaining ownership of it (which causes all sorts of potential issues, but seemed a decent compromise for getting them out the club)
This now cannot be allowed to happen.
This now cannot be allowed to happen.
The fans are now the ones keeping Morton alive. GC are happy to see the club circle the drain, so long as they don’t have to invest.
They can’t be allowed out the door with the stadium, they can’t be trusted with it.
If you have a min, please sign this https://www.change.org/p/greenock-morton-keep-cappielow-park-in-the-hands-of-greenock-morton?redirect=false
They can’t be allowed out the door with the stadium, they can’t be trusted with it.
If you have a min, please sign this https://www.change.org/p/greenock-morton-keep-cappielow-park-in-the-hands-of-greenock-morton?redirect=false
At least 6 or 7 players will now leave in January (which isn’t actually that bad given the squad size) but it could very well be more, plunging us towards relegation.
That would probably kil us off, if we’ve made it that long.
That would probably kil us off, if we’ve made it that long.
Just how bad the financial situation is isn’t actually clear to anyone on the outside. If it’s as grim as believed, Scottish Government grants will barely make a dent.
This should never have been allowed to happen, and I honestly don’t really know what happens next.
This should never have been allowed to happen, and I honestly don’t really know what happens next.
Morton now desperately need money, but fans would essentially be bailing out the millionaire owners they despise, and are boycotting.
MCT needs new members, but that money goes directly to the club, who have squandered thousands of it in just a few months.
MCT needs new members, but that money goes directly to the club, who have squandered thousands of it in just a few months.
Only solution I can actually see at the minute would be GC allowing the MCT takeover now (giving back Cappielow) and leaving.
The fans would inherit a bin fire, but could at least rally the fanbase to help out.
Something needs to happen fast though, as it isn’t looking good.
The fans would inherit a bin fire, but could at least rally the fanbase to help out.
Something needs to happen fast though, as it isn’t looking good.
