Board Update: 04/09/26

Firstly, we would like to thank every supporter, sponsor, volunteer and member of Morton Club Together who has backed the club over the last couple of weeks.

The response from the Morton support has been extraordinary and demonstrates once again how much this football club means to our community.

Through the Morton Fighting Fund, season ticket sales, player sponsorships and commercial sponsorship, supporters and businesses have contributed almost £50,000 in additional income to the club in a matter of days. In addition, Morton Club Together has received £2,400 in one-off donations and has seen an increase in membership and subscription levels, which equates to approximately £1,400 per month in recurring income.

We want to be transparent about where things stand.

The money raised through the Morton Fighting Fund has been placed into a separate account and will remain there until it is required. We believe this is the right approach and ensures those funds are protected and available when they are needed most.

However, while the fundraising response has been hugely encouraging, it is important to understand the scale of the challenge facing the club.

The reality is that Greenock Morton is currently seeking to replace £335,000 owed by Dalrada. While we continue to seek payment of the sums owed, the club cannot plan on that basis alone and must prepare for all scenarios.  August unfortunately saw no payments made by Dalrada.

Based on our current projections, and assuming no significant change in circumstances, we believe the club has sufficient resources through to the new year with liquidity and no debt thanks to the Fighting Fund and other avenues being explored.  The Fighting Fund remains a critical avenue for us while we explore all options.

Alongside these measures, the club continues to focus on generating every possible pound of additional income while identifying opportunities to reduce costs wherever sensible and practical to do so.

It is also clear that Greenock Morton requires external investment if we are to create long-term financial security.  We recognise that this is not a challenge that can be solved through fundraising alone and that a sustainable long-term solution is required.

Any investment or sponsorship opportunity must ultimately strengthen the long-term future of the football club. We have been encouraged by the level of interest shown over the last week and are actively progressing discussions with parties who have the potential to make a meaningful contribution to the club’s short and long-term future.

The Board would highlight that while discussions continue between the MCT Board and Estrella, we are not involved in these directly and are very much focused on the business operation of the club. 

We are also aware that supporters may question the addition of new players to the squad over the last two weeks given the financial circumstances outlined above.

While we cannot discuss the specific contractual arrangements of individual players, we can assure supporters that these opportunities have been assessed carefully and are considered to make complete sense for the football club in its current position. They provide the manager with additional quality and options while remaining consistent with the financial discipline that is being applied across all areas of the club.  We would like to thank the various parent clubs for their support. This work has been a huge testament to the efforts of our management team, who have worked incredibly hard all summer to source these opportunities and get them over the line.

The reality is that over the last fortnight we have strengthened the squad significantly, while also reducing the overall playing budget. 

Saturday’s performance at Ayr demonstrated that this squad and management team possess both the quality and character required for the challenges ahead.

We would also like to take a moment to thank our dedicated office team, led by General Manager Mark Kelly, for all their ongoing efforts. 

The situation facing Greenock Morton is serious, but it is not hopeless. The support shown over the last couple of weeks has already made a meaningful difference and has bought valuable time. There remains a significant amount of work ahead, but everyone involved is fully committed to protecting the future of this football club.

Greenock Morton has consistently sought to operate within its means, maintain a debt-free model and align football ambition with income available. The challenge we face today is not the result of underlying financial weakness, but rather the loss of a significant income stream that had formed part of the club’s expected budget. While that presents a serious challenge, the underlying business remains stable if we can navigate this cashflow issue. We are also ensuring that we take the necessary independent professional advice to ensure we are fully informed for all important decisions that are being made and will be made. 

We will continue to provide updates whenever possible and thank supporters once again for the backing they have shown during a challenging period.