Ray of hope as Morton get their man

Morton are set to announce Ray McKinnon as their new manager.

The Greenock club has called a media conference for this morning where McKinnon is expected to be introduced as Jim Duffy’s replacement.

McKinnon led Raith and Dundee United to the Premiership playoffs in the previous two seasons before losing his job at Tannadice in October after two consecutive defeats left them five points off the top in fourth place.

New Morton chairman Crawford Rae sacked Duffy within 24 hours of taking over from his father, Douglas, after a run of two wins from the final 12 Championship games saw them slump from the play-off places.

McKinnon emerged

“Hopeful that David will see his future at Livingston”

as the odds-on favourite as another target, David Hopkin, takes time to consider his future after an offer to stay at Livingston and other interest.

The former Leeds and Scotland midfielder is out of contract and in demand after leading Livingston to consecutive promotions, sealed with a win over Partick Thistle that saw them return to the Premiership.

Hopkin has been linked with the vacant roles at Carlisle, Morton and St Mirren, but could still commit his future to the West Lothian club.

Livingston are hopeful a decision will be made before the transfer window opens on June 10 after offering Hopkin a budget to work with, but have already started to look at player recruitment ahead of their return to the top flight.

A club statement read: “We are very hopeful that David will see his future at Livingston.” This time, it should be for good. No dramatic comebacks, no lacing up the boots and donning the shinpads one last time.

Kevin McNaughton finally will call it a career. He said the same thing 12 months ago. He would only have kept playing at Caley Thistle and once that chance evaporated, it was time to stop playing.

Joining the coaching staff at Forfar was supposed to be the first move into a new direction and a chance to settle down close to home.

But an injury crisis under new manager Jim Weir prompted an offer of help from the former Scotland international, who already had more than 400 games on the clock. Should he be needed, he would come out of retirement and help the League 1 outfit drag themselves clear of relegation.

Eleven appearances in a midfield role later and the Loons stayed up. McNaughton’s job was done and listening to his creaking body, it should be the final goodbye.

He said: “My body has had enough. I’ve really enjoyed it but there comes a time to stop. I did it as a favour and ended up playing until the end of the season. We were scrambling for results and under pressure most weeks. I wouldn’t say we were playing the best football but it was a million miles an hour. I was playing a sitting midfield role, shielding the back four – you wouldn’t see me running up and down like I did 10 years ago. We didn’t really have any players and we’ve done well to get away from danger.

“It’s been tough going. I’ve had a few injuries over the last few seasons and playing on artificial surface wasn’t the best thing for my Achilles. I enjoy playing, my head is still in it but my body is telling me no. There comes a time when you take your long-term health into account and playing with the kids in the garden

“My body has had enough. I’ve really enjoyed it but there comes a time to stop”

is more important. My wife laughs after I come back from training hobbling, asking me why I’m still going.

“I had to take tablets to get through games so that’s probably me now.”

The 35-year-old has a career to be proud of with more than 200 appearances for Aberdeen, his first club, before a memoryladen spell at Cardiff City. He had nine years in the Welsh capital, two cup finals, three trips to the play-offs and a league title to take away with him. Sadly, in those three major finals at Wembley the Bluebirds came up short; to Portsmouth in the FA Cup in 2008, Blackpool in the play-off final in 2010 and Liverpool in the League Cup in 2012.

But the Dundee-born defender is still held in high regard. He was invited to their player of the year awards earlier this month and had a testimonial in Cardiff last year.

McNaughton said: “When players go down south it doesn’t always work out. It was the first time I’d moved clubs and felt I needed a change. I did quite well in my first season and the supporters seemed to like that I was a ‘steady Eddie’.

“I got to play at Ninian Park, which is my favourite stadium. It was old school, the fans were on top of you and the atmosphere was unbelievable.

“I’m still in contact with the few guys that I played with there and I always get a good reception when I go down.”

So what next? He is an avid painter but admits to going “stir crazy” sitting in the house five days a week. Splitting 15 years between Aberdeen and Cardiff, then short stop-offs in Bolton, Wigan, Inverness and now Forfar, means it is time to settle down. His first Scotland cap and several trips to Wembley remain highlights but that chapter