MORTON WANT FIXTURE REVIEW

MORTON have called for a review into fixture scheduling after three of their Championship matches were moved to Friday nights for live television coverage on the new BBC Scotland channel. The Greenock club’s home game against Partick Thistle, which was originally scheduled for Saturday, August 24, will be played 24 hours earlier. The following week’s trip to face Inverness has also been brought forward by a day. And Morton’s match against Dundee at Dens Park on Saturday, November 2, will now be played on November 1. In a statement posted on the club website yesterday, Morton’s board hit out at the changes that will inconvenience their fans. The statement read: ‘The club would like to express concerns on the rescheduling of games to suit TV purposes. Whilst we respect the contractual obligations and the great work the SPFL do in securing TV deals, we feel that currently TV game rescheduling doesn’t take into consideration the logistical problems our fans face in making a non-Saturday, eighthour and 400-mile round trip to Inverness. ‘These decisions appear to show little understanding or cognisance of the logistical issues facing travelling fans. ‘We also have another non-Saturday trip to make to Inverness on Tuesday, March 3. Whilst it will result in the same travel problems, we acknowledge the difficulties of ensuring midweek fixtures are local, particularly when there are two Dundee clubs in the league. ‘These changes are made without consultation. But we are making every effort to ensure our concerns are heard and have written to the SPFL asking for a review of the logistical implications of fixture changes before games are moved.’