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Transfer Window Closed - Are Morton's Fingers Jammed?

Last updated : 01 February 2005 By Nach0king
As the transfer window closes, Morton, as usual, have splashed the cash, and even sent a few stalwarts and journeymen on their way. But, it's been a long month. Hogmanay has been and gone. "Neighbours" has returned to our TV screens. It snowed. How is the go-getter of today supposed to remember the transfers amidst all the hubbub?

That's where Morton-Mad comes in. Here are, for your viewing pleasure the various comings and goings at Cappielow over the last month. Alan Mahood is excluded from the analysis as he was a "joker" signing shortly before the window opened, so don't come whining to me about missing him out.

Format: Name - Club Involved In Transfer - Fee (Contract information)

In

Sean Dillon - Kilmarnock - Undisclosed Fee (Loan deal until end of season)

Chris Templeman - Brechin City - £100,000 approx. (3 year full-time deal)

Scott McLaughlin - Livingston - Undisclosed Fee (Loan deal until end of season)

Darren O'Dea* - Celtic - Undisclosed Fee (Loan deal until end of season; *will sign on February 2nd and count as one of the two joker signings allowed between February and May)

Out

Marco Maisano - no club - mutual contract termination (will seek club in Australia)

Marc McCulloch - no club - mutual contract termination (seeking club; took part in Arbroath Reserves' 4-1 win over Montrose Reserves - report; UPDATE 1/2/05 6:05pm - McCulloch signs for Arbroath until end of season)

Iain Diack - Arbroath - released before signing for former club (Arbroath player until end of season)

Derek Collins - Gretna - Undisclosed Fee; rumoured to be free (player-coach; undisclosed contract length)

Alex Williams - Queen of the South - Undisclosed Fee (loan deal until end of season, with a view to a permanent move)


Clearly, then, Morton have swapped experience and inconsistency for... well, a big name signing in Chris "Sanny" Templeman, two youngsters with pedigree, and an impressive left-back. What little we've seen of McLaughlin is encouraging, and if O'Dea turns out to be as good as our last Celtic youth signing - Chris Millar - then we could be back on the up. Sadly, though, the departure of Derek Collins once again reinforces the youth of this team, which cannot make up for in exuberance and grit what it lacks in canny know-how. Jim McInally is on record as having acknowledged the experience deficit at Cappielow; one can only hope he uses a joker signing to redress the balance and provide an old head beside his talented young guns before it's too late.