Press Release
7th June 2000
Victory! Fan Power Delivers Morton Debate
Morton fans are celebrating a victory of a different kind today.
The Scottish Parliamentary Authorities have agreed that a motion regarding recent events at the club is to be debated next week.
MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Duncan McNeil, who tabled the motion, paid tribute to the work of the Morton fans in securing the debate, saying:
"This is a victory, not just for Morton fans, but for supporters of community based clubs throughout the country." Mr McNeil said.
"I would like to pay tribute to all the Morton supporters who have worked tirelessly to secure this debate. They have conducted an extremely professional and effective lobbying campaign.
"It is thanks to them that we now have the opportunity to discuss the issues facing Morton and plan the way forward.
"I was concerned that the wrecking motion, tabled on Monday by Tory MSP Brian Montieth, would prevent the original motion having full cross-party support and block the debate. However, I am pleased that, as 4 Tory MSPs decided to sign the original motion, this did not happen. I thank those MSPs for putting the interests of Morton fans over short term political gain."
ENDS
Notes:
4 Conservative MSPs, Murray Tosh, Lord James Douglas-Hamilton, David Mundell and Bill Aitken, supported the motion in Duncan McNeil’s name.
The Full text of the motion reads:
S1M-894# Mr Duncan McNeil: Greenock Morton Football Club—That the Parliament recognises that football plays an important part in our social culture and sporting life; recognises the important contribution made by local football clubs to the communities in which they are based; expresses concern over recent reports of developments at Greenock Morton Football Club; acknowledges that to lose a community asset such as Greenock Morton would be detrimental, not only to its supporters, but also to the community as a whole, and recognises that proposals such as community ownership and increased rights for supporters in the running of their teams offer the best opportunity for securing the long-term future of local clubs and promoting links between them and the communities they serve.
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