From The Other Side

Throughout the season, Craig Anderson will be bringing you a viewpoint on Clyde’s next match from the opposing side. This week he has a look at First Division newcomers, Greenock Morton…

Morton v Clyde (4/8/2007)

They finally got there at the third time of asking and Morton fans could have more reason than most to look ahead to the new season you could argue. After storming to the Second Division title last season, manager Jim McInally has finally taken the Greenock club to the next level, after some heart-breaking near misses.

It’s difficult to predict who exactly will go up from Division One and it may come down to the last minute of the season again, like last year. But Morton showed they are more than capable of competing against clubs with a higher calibre, as fans who saw them sweep Kilmarnock aside in the Scottish Cup can testify. However any one of the ten teams in the league this season are capable of stepping up and some feel Morton would have as good a chance as any.

But Clyde, and everyone else, will have something to say about that now that the real action begins. The Bully Wee go to Cappielow on Saturday as the first guests of the newly-promoted side and boss Colin Hendry will finally get to see what his team are all about.

Morton, though, will be ready and have worked hard in the pre-season to prepare themselves for life in, arguably, Scotland’s toughest league. Their pre-season programme has seen play five games in preparation, including a short tour to the North of England, where they faced Morecambe and Chester City. Their last pre-season game was only last Saturday when they faced local rivals St Mirren in the annual Renfrewshire Cup. Mark Corcoran’s goal separated the sides, but manager Jim McInally was happy at the display his team produced, but disappointed at the goal they lost.

However that defeat won’t make them lose focus on the season ahead and given the standard of the teams this league has to offer, a win would be a superb start for Clyde. The previous two meetings between the clubs have ended in 3-1 wins for Clyde in the Challenge Cup and it’s the first time both sides have faced in the league since 2001.

But this league season could really test them and both sides will really have to be on top of their game if they want to achieve something. With that in mind perhaps, Morton have added four new faces this summer with Rangers keeper Lee Robinson, Alloa’s Kieran McAnespie and Celtic youngster Darren McGeough all arriving. The ranks were strengthened even further this week by the signing of Hibs defender Jay Shields and that will give Jim McInally more options in his squad.