MORTON chairman Douglas Rae has denied claims in a national newspaper that he turned down an Aberdeen bid for Jim McAlister with Michael Paton coming the other way.

Having just returned from a business trip to a trade fair in Germany, he told the Telegraph: "I'm not aware of that. We were after an Aberdeen player, but he went elsewhere. It wasn't Michael Paton." "I don't think we have had any enquiry for Jim [McAlister]. I'm just back from a week in Germany." Dons boss Mark McGhee previously tried take McAlister, who will be out of contract at the end of the season, to Motherwell when manager at Fir Park.

The Aberdeen striker in whom Morton were interested was not named, though young Chris Maguire went to Kilmarnock on loan during the transfer window.

Meanwhile Morton boss James Grady is still looking to fix up a game for his team next week after having a free weekend.

He has an almost injury free squad and said: "Big Erik [Paartalu] and Dominic [Shimmin] are getting treatment for a couple of niggles, but they'll be fine for next Saturday at Queen of the South. I think they would have been able to play if we'd had a game today."