MORTON chairman Douglas Rae has stood down after 17 years and handed the reins over to his son Crawford.

The club announced the move, triggered by health reasons, at the weekend.

It marks the end of an era at Ton, with Mr Rae, a lifelong fan, having been at the helm for almost two decades.

Douglas Rae said it was with ‘great reluctance’ that he was stepping away to take on a role as honorary club president and watch ‘only from a distance’.

He said: “The role of chairman, I pass to my son Crawford, who will have the task of juggling the football’s club finances alongside the demands of our confectionery business.

“I leave knowing the club is in good hands, but we need you, our supporters, to know that we have great ambition for the future.

“I have to admit that I have allowed my heart to rule my footballing decisions over the last two decades and, while not always getting it right during my tenure, I have always acted in what I believed to be the best interests of Greenock Morton Football Club at all times.

“I have been honoured to have been the club’s main custodian over the last 17 years and I would like to take this opportunity to salute all our wonderful fans for their resolve, backing, and unstinting support during my tenure.

“My regret and disappointment has been that I have not been able to deliver top-flight football for the people of Inverclyde and for that failure I truly apologise.

“As a final request, I would ask you for your continued support and with us working together then I believe that we can achieve our collective ambition of reaching the Premiership.

“This would make me incredibly proud and an experience I would truly love to share with all of you during my lifetime.”

Mr Rae had initially served as a Ton director in a previous spell for eight years, leaving the club in 1997 when it was sold by then-owner John Wilson.

He subsequently returned and rescued Morton in 2001 when it was languishing in administration.

After the takeover Mr Rae got the beleaguered club back on its feet and made investment to reopen parts of the stadium which had been put beyond use.

Ton gradually fought their way back up the divisions with promotions in the following years under Mr Rae’s ownership and the club had its highest finish under his control in 2013 when they were runners-up to Partick Thistle in the second tier.

Mr Rae, who was made an OBE in the Queen’s birthday honours list in 2016, also stepped down last July as boss of Golden Casket, the Fort Matilda-based confectionery firm he founded.