RAE AIMS TO ATTAIN TOP-TIER DREAM

NEW Morton chairman Crawford Rae has set his sights on delivering Premiership football to Inverclyde for his ill father Douglas Rae. Rae senior reluctantly stepped down as chairman in April for health reasons and handed the reins to his son. The confectionery magnate’s great regret over his 17-year tenure at the club was failing to see Morton reach the top flight. After sacking Jim Duffy within 24 hours of taking the post, Rae junior now wants to achieve that goal over the next three years. ‘My father is not keeping in the best of health and one thing he regretted is not bringing top-flight football to Inverclyde during his tenure,’ said Rae junior. ‘That’s an ambition of mine — that we can do that for him during his lifetime. ‘Jim Duffy did a great job as manager over the last four years. We were down in League One and Jim got us out of there, stabilised things and did a great job in the Championship. ‘But there’s a time to freshen things up and this is a new regime under Ray McKinnon. ‘It’s a three-year plan because the Championship is a tough league and it’s going to be a building process.’ Rae junior says McKinnon was the standout amid a flood of applications following Duffy’s departure. ‘There were about 150 applicants,’ he said. ‘Ray was an absolute standout at interview and we’re delighted to get a manager of his calibre. He’s top quality and we’re just delighted that he’s come to Morton.’