Falkirk’s shock swoop for McKinnon

RAY McKINNON was last night set to replace the sacked Paul Hartley at Falkirk as the Bairns’ hunt for a new manager took an unexpected twist. McKinnon, 48, was only appointed as Morton boss three months ago, but is now preparing to quit Cappielow for Westfield after Ian McCall and Jim McIntyre turned down the vacancy. The former Dundee United, Raith Rovers and Brechin City manager led the Greenock side to joint top of the Championship following last weekend’s victory over title favourites Ross County, but is now ready to take the reins at a Falkirk side who are bottom of the table with no points after three games. The move seems to have unfolded at great speed after McKinnon, who is on a one-year rolling contract at Cappielow, posed with the Morton first-team squad for their annual picture on Thursday. He then took part in a video interview with the club’s media officer before taking calls yesterday morning to discuss Morton’s game at Partick Thistle this afternoon. Just after lunchtime yesterday, however, McKinnon is understood to have left Cappielow to begin negotiations with Bairns representatives last night. Current assistant manager Gordon Young is expected to take charge of Falkirk for today’s league trip to Ross County, who sit fourth after two wins and a defeat. Falkirk had also spoken earlier in the week to their former manager McCall, now in charge at Ayr United, but he decided to stay put at Somerset Park, while ex-County manager McIntyre also rejected the Bairns.