George Wall takes up director's role at Morton Club Together

The 65-year-old former IBM worker has joined the fan group that is the supporter-owned Cappielow club's majority shareholder.

George, a former Largs Thistle player and manager who also played with Kilbirnie Ladeside and Irvine Meadow and who won the Junior Cup in, has written the weekly 'Off the Wall' column in the News since 2018.

He said he hoped to improve the experience for supporters coming along to Morton matches, as well as attracting more fans through the gates.

Speaking to the News, George said: "With my own footballing background and knowledge of the game, as well as my work with Morton in the Community, and my business background, I hope that I can provide my own help and expertise to the role.

"My vision is to get stability and enhance the fan experience for supporters coming along to Cappielow, and attract more club followers to come along and enjoy what Morton has got to offer.

"It is an exciting time for the club at the moment, competing for the play-offs, and having gone on an amazing unbeaten run of 16 games recently.

"Football can, of course, change in a minute, and we want to be able to provide something which is a positive and long-lasting experience, and boost the membership of Morton Club Together, which all goes to help benefit the club and manager Dougie Imrie and his squad.

“I strongly believe in the journey that MCT has been on to date and look forward to the opportunity to help shape the future direction.

"I will look to utilise my skills and experience to help the current Board and look forward to working with them all.”

Having been co-opted on to the MCT board next month he will stand for election at the group's AGM later this year.

George, who is also a trustee of Children In Poverty Inverclyde, helped arrange a visit by a local primary school to a Morton home match at the end of the 2022-23 season.

As well as holding a variety of senior management roles at IBM, he was a member of the small team that set out with the vision of bringing Morton into community ownership.

On the pitch, he began his career in the Morton youth set-up at the age of 17 before enjoying huge success in the junior ranks, winning every available trophy.

Still Game: George Wall played with Northern Ireland veterans last year in his mid-60s (Image: Newsquest)

MCT chair David McCluskey added: “We’re delighted to have George joining the MCT board and this is a further step in strengthening the team we have on top of bringing Graham McLennan back on board as an adviser.”

Morton Club Together began in 2019 with the aim of contributing to the first team playing budget. That goal developed into pursuing community ownership and since 2021 the club has been owned by its fans, with MCT the majority shareholder.

Even in his mid-60s, George, who lives in Gourock, still plays eleven-a-side football with Largs Thistle over 35s, and has also represented Scotland and Northern Ireland in veteran football tournaments around the UK over recent years.