Ferguson

As said above, we're in the top 16 as of this minute but we're only 10 days away from potentially being below that. Still plenty work to do before we are a consolidated top 16 club as stated in the strategy. I'd also say it's fairly reasonable that 20 clubs in Scotland have higher immediate ambitions, as there are more than 20 clubs in Scotland with a bigger playing budget than us. Would be absolutely batshit to expect more than our current ambitions as such and I'd be far more worried if we planned for any higher ambitions as a newly fan-owned club as Partick did. The strategy shows a pathway to go from the current lowest budget in the second tier, as the club have confirmed we currently have, to a club competing for at least top flight promotion every season.

I'd say Imrie's more than justified for having a chip on his shoulder for the way him and his team have been talked about this season, Raith being one of the main culprits. I'd maybe have preferred the comments to wait until after we've beaten Raith, but Imrie feeds off the hatred and if this is his way of firing everyone up then fair enough. Lineup is anyone's guess after Saturday's bloodbath but the more I think about it the more I don't mind the idea of Quitongo through the middle. Seen Raith being undone a few times this season by a willing runner in behind, Lewis McGregor of Airdrie etc. Edit: Just noticed Imrie's comments in the tele, Muirhead and Wilson should be back tonight, Oakley is a maybe. Big boost for us.

Fear for us if Oakley and Muirhead both miss out but I doubt that will be the case. Doesn't really leave us with any hammer throwers to boot lumps out the centre backs. Playing Quitongo through the middle and getting the defence turned might not be a disaster but it's more the domino effect that has throughout the team that worries me. I'll happily travel through to watch the dullest, most soul-wrenchingly boring 90 minutes of football if it means coming home with a point.

Expecting a couple of changes tomorrow with the run of games coming up, most likely Quitongo/McGrattan/Garritty and Gillespie in. Against Airdrie this season we've matched them but missed someone who can take players on and make things happen, either of they 3 and possibly even Bearne could be the difference. Got to be Garritty for me.

Completely agree, after many non-starters in the role we've finally landed with someone who encapsulates all that Greenock Morton should be. As he said, he'll be judged on the results of his strategy rather than his words on a PowerPoint, but I've heard enough to throw my full backing behind him. So important that we hold onto him for at least the 3 years.

https://gmfc.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/GMFC-Club-Strategy-2024-2027.pdf A 3 year strategy published by the club. Hard not to get excited over this. A clear ambitious intent backed up by a plan to achieve it which we're already seeing results from both on and off the park. Morton truly are unrecognisable from just a couple of years ago when we had to listen to Gus McPherson tell us the club couldn't afford a team bus to challenge cup games, I'm enjoying every minute of it. Let's hope Dougie, Dale and the rest of the team get the right backing from above throughout.

Can't be any duller than the previous 3 games between us. This games quietly become a 6 pointer for us, a win has us hot on the heels of Partick in 3rd, anything else has us still in the driving seat in a battle for 4th.

An absolute hero and a top gentleman. I wasn't fortunate enough to see him play, but I was fortunate enough to be blessed with his presence on a few occasions. Will be sorely missed around the building but a well-earned rest for the big man.

We've only got ourselves to blame for not winning that, better in every area especially second half but just couldn't get past Ferrie. Fair play to Queens for grinding out the result. A point will do and onto Saturday. Shame that another game has become the referee show, desperate to make it all about himself. I can't see how either of the free kicks given against Oakley when played through on goal were anything but him being stronger than the centre half. We need more referees who've actually played the game, this is getting beyond brutal.

Absolute nonsense. The people in charge need to stop accepting this, cup quarter final on a Monday night is mental. Mon the ton nonetheless.

I don't doubt Queens are twice the team that Arbroath and Montrose are and I agree that Arbroath are as well as chucking it just now, but in both games we were terrible until the 45/60 minute mark where we took control and comfortably won the game. I'm not claiming we can afford the same on Saturday, we probably can't, but I can't see us taking our foot off the gas and handing the game to Queens Park. Imrie won't allow it.

Really not worried about us taking our foot off the gas after a big result. Already happened in the Montrose and Arbroath games and both Dougie and the players showed they can deal with it. If we get outplayed we get outplayed, can't see it however.

I think you've partly answered your own question with the last line. There's nothing wrong with having it in our game and it's led us to a 13 game unbeaten run so far, but very few of our goals actually come from it. We play a lot of good stuff but in the Championship you need to be able to win the physical battles when games get scrappy, we're just better than the rest of the league at that which for some reason has translated to it being our main style of play to everyone else. Doesn't bother me as long as we keep winning. It's just a weird argument, we're not going to stop playing to our strengths because certain people think it's not pretty and it's more the "you're wrong for playing the way you do because it's not the way I would set up my team" that annoys Morton fans. See last nights radio comments from tactical expert and mastermind director of football 'Aiden McGeady' below as example. "they have beaten us 3 times albeit by playing unattractive football" "they are on a good run of form but aren't very exciting to watch" I'm sure whoever his team are play lovely, free-flowing football and are doing really well in the league.

Taking absolutely nothing from either of our previous meetings, Queens Park clearly equipped with a much better squad and manager. The big pitch possibly suits Queens a bit more, but as much as I try ground myself I just can't see anyone stopping this Morton team. The run will end at some point, but I'd be fully confident of a result against anyone just now. 2-0 to the Greenock hammer throwers.

In 1 less league game than McDonald, Mullen has conceded 17 less goals this season. Since 2006, as far back as I can see, his league clean sheet record of 65% is by far our best, with 2nd best only 35%ish. Wow.

Not to get too ahead of myself, but looking at individual battles on Friday night it was very interesting to see how Ryan Mullen fared on the same pitch as Liam Kelly. Morton's defensive record with Mullen in goal is excellent and looking at the list of Scottish goalkeepers, what is there to stop Mullen reaching the Scotland squad in the coming years? He's the most comfortable and commanding young goalkeeper I've seen in a long time and I'm only disappointed he only got a 1 year extension. Sky's the limit for him if he keeps improving.

Very happy with the draw. We were obviously going to be underdogs regardless of who we got, so a home tie against a non-old firm team with a big away support is definitely something to look forward to. Shame that the cameras will be getting in the way again but no doubt we'll sell it out anyway. Full trust in Dale and the club to improve on Friday night, even though they done a fairly good job in the end. Hearts are a significant step up from Motherwell, closer to the quality of Celtic and Rangers than they are to Motherwell in my opinion but I'm confident we can give anyone a game at Cappielow. Fingers, toes, arms and legs crossed that Shankland gets injured or sent off in 2 weeks time.

Aye, I'm not buying into this 'Motherwell are off-form' stuff, Premiership teams have been struggling against Motherwell for a couple months now so we've got no right to be expecting a result. That said, how many Premiership teams would go to East End Park and win 5-0? Very much a 50/50, anything can happen kind of night more than anything. Wouldn't be mega surprised if Motherwell give us a doing, won't be surprised if we give Motherwell a doing, won't be surprised if it's 0-0.

This would make some sense if it was a last minute decision due to a forecast for heavy rain to stop overcrowding under the roof but the Met Office claim it's to be dry. Sounds like it's a decision from the club which is quite disappointing. Not that we'd smash through the supposed 2,500 capacity but there's still going to be people missing out as a result. Just brings a slight air of negativity that we don't need, bit of a shame after the excellent build up. Still very much looking forward to it regardless.

Aye, I very much doubt they'll sell out, I was more getting at the poor form of closing the ticket office on the day coming as a surprise. Probably a decent amount of people that will miss out as a result. Kick off can't come quick enough.

Very surprised at there being 'very limited' home tickets remaining. Surely there's been a big boom of sales since last nights tweet, there's no way our capacity is around 5k even if the BBC equipment reduces it. I'd like to think this is just Dale playing the game to drive sales up again early doors, which is fine. But aye, get your tickets bought just in case.

Some very complimentary words from Kettlewell about the 'false narrative of Morton relying on big physical players' and how we're actually a good footballing side. Sounds like the first manager to actually watch us play before facing us. Really looking forward to this.

I'd imagine Goodwin's involved in that too for his latest snotfest at Tannadice. Couldn't love Imrie more right now. Handing out pasting after pasting, winning manager of the month then going to the papers to say 'get it up you' to everyone else and rightly so. Still baffles me how rattled the rest of the league are over our style of play, we actually play some decent stuff at times and even when we don't we've still been scoring more goals than the team we're playing against, which is the whole point of football.

One of my closest pals supports Motherwell and it's sounded like they've been due to hand out a pumping for a few weeks so lasts nights result doesn't come as a surprise but also isn't a huge cause for concern to me (pleasing if anything, get it right up Derek Adams). As before last nights game, it's still a case of us going in as underdogs but being in the best possible position to approach a game like this which is all we can ask.

The team picks itself with the only maybe being French. I don't see why he wouldn't be allowed to play, but he missed out on the last round even though Dundee had already confirmed he was staying here by that point. If not, Blues in at right back with McGrattan coming in out wide as the best defensive option for the front 3. Will be interesting to see how Motherwell cope with the 3 games in 6 days, they don't seem to have much depth to their squad with the exception of the 3 million full backs they have on their books. Nice to see our old pal Andy Halliday again also, I'm sure he'll get a nice welcome after his previous performance down here and subsequent comments on the matter on his extremely funny 'podcast' years later.