Founded in 1874 the first committee consisted of five men – Alex Ramsay, James Farrell, M. Park, R. Aitken and J. Barrie.
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People paid a subscription fee to become members of the club and such was the popularity of the venture by 1886 the club became a limited company, officially known as Greenock Morton Football and Athletic Club Limited.
The club had been founder members of Scottish Division Two in 1893-94.
The 1896-97 season saw the club enjoy a run to the Semi-final of the Scottish Cup where they met Rangers, unfortunately losing 2-7 in front of 12,000 fans at Cappielow.
The club won promotion to Division One in the 1899-1900 season when they finished as runners up to Partick Thistle. An extension to the Division meant that despite finishing in last place in 1904-05 the club maintained their position in the top Division.
After World War One Morton enjoyed one of the major achievements of their history when they won their way through to the Scottish cup Final in 1922 where their opponents were to be Rangers. Despite being underdogs Morton prevailed winning the match with a goal from George French.
The following year saw the club lose the backbone of its team when a dispute over wages saw several players leave for new pastures. In 1926-27 the club were relegated after 27 seasons in Division One.
The club regained its Division One spot after the 1928-29 season when they finished the season runners-up to Dundee United.
Post World War Two the club has enjoyed an up and down existence alternating between the top two divisions, gaining promotion and Champions in 1949-50, 1963-64, 1966-67, 1977-78 and 1983-84.
In 1930 Cappielow Park was closed for two games following a stone-throwing incident during a match against Cowdenbeath.
In 1924 an athletics meeting was held at Cappielow Park, which featured athletes who had participated in that years Olympic games, more especially Scotland’s gold medal hero Eric Liddell. It drew a crowd in excess of 4,000 people.
In 1923 ex-Morton player Joe Hendry began a service to provide commentaries for blind fans – possibly the first such service in the country.
During the 1910-11 season the Morton players took part in an unusual incentive scheme when a local butcher offered a lamb to every player who scored a goal.
Rumour has it that the pitch was home to a small flock of lambs for part of the season.
On August 10th 1906 a fire that took hold after a training session had finished destroyed the clubhouse, which was only six years old. The replacement clubhouse cost a total of £195-8s-8d.
Morton were so named because the founders of the club lived in Morton Terrace. |
