MORTON icon Andy Ritchie reckons the club’s fans can play a massive part in helping their side win promotion back to the Championship by getting right behind Jim Duffy and his players.

Ritchie was a team-mate of Duffy’s at Cappielow in seasons 1981-82 and 82-83, and always felt the defender’s dedication to the game would make for a good manager one day.

The former forward was also a hero to the Ton faithful and understands there may be sections of the fanbase left feeling disillusioned after last year’s relegation from the Championship.

But he feels the drop could prove an opportunity to take one step back to go two forward — as long as the supporters buy into new manager Duffy’s methods and get behind the young players breaking into the first-team.

In an exclusive interview with the Tele, Ritchie said: “The people down there have real passion for the club. The numbers dwindled a bit last year because it was such a disappointing season for them.

“It’s a major disappointment to drop down a division like that, especially when you see the quality of the teams that are unfortunately going to be in that league as well.

“It would have been a big season with more opportunities for the club to develop. Certainly there would have been more revenue and interest around with Rangers, Hearts and Hibs.

“Not to be part of that is a real body blow for the club and for the supporters, but I’m afraid that’s what comes with an unsuccessful season. Based on the times that I saw Morton they basically got what they deserved at the end of the day: relegation.

“But the positive side is that they will be looking to get back up out of that division pretty quickly. Managing to stay full-time will be a big advantage.

“They’ve appointed Jim Duffy, and Jim’s a great fitbaw man. He always was, even when I knew him as a player down there.

“He was someone who liked to be organised in his football and was very serious about his football. It’s no great surprise to see Jim have a career in coaching and management.

“He’s had some big posts up here in Scotland and I know for a fact he’s worked down in England quite a bit as well.

“So he has a vast amount of knowledge of the game; he’s a good thinker about the game and he’s a positive person.

“The opportunity for him to come from Clyde and back into a full-time situation at Cappielow will be ideal for him as well.

“It’s a good appointment for Morton and I’m looking forward to seeing his teams playing because I’m sure they’ll be as positive as the other teams he’s managed over the years.

“A team is a reflection of its manager.

“They portray his thoughts and aspirations.

“I’d urge the fans to really get behind Jim and his team this season; that is the only way round about this situation.

“Nothing successful is ever achieved in football without the club and the supporters reading from the same hymn sheet. A better man than me once said that football clubs are nothing without their supporters and that’s the truth. I know the previous season Morton were up round about the top of the league, which was a disappointment when Partick Thistle went up.

“And I think the supporters expected that they would kick on from there and be one of the top two or three in the division the following year. But it proved to be such a disappointing year that the supporters probably have every right to feel disenchanted right at this moment in time. But it’s a fresh seasons, it’s a new start.

“I know there have been a lot of ins and outs, some good players moving on and maybe not having the extensive budget of the last few season to replace those players.

“They might very well have to go with a lot more young players. But in the time I’ve been travelling down to see Morton, the feeling I’ve got is that supporters would like to see more young local talent.

“That might have been stifled in the last few seasons because of the pushes the club were making in the First Division.

“Maybe that drop down a division will give the younger players the opportunity to come through a wee bit earlier and learn their trade. I’m hoping that will be the case.

“The finances will dictate that they will still be a little better equipped than other clubs, but as I say you win nothing on paper.

“The team must play well and the people need to be positive about it. That’s what will get them up.” Ritchie was speaking ahead of his appointment as the new Greenock Morton Supporters’ Trust patron, a role in which he succeeds Warren Hawke.

The 58-year-old says he was delighted to accept the invitation extended to him because he views supporters’ trusts as an important institution for fans of provincial clubs like Morton.

He added: “I had a few informal chats with Chris McCorkindale and few others from the trust quite a considerable time ago and they had mentioned to me about the position.

“I had a look at it and met up with them again a couple of times and was delighted that they invited me on board. They’ve got some good, exciting, innovative ideas in the pipeline and they asked me if I’d like to get involved and help as much as I possibly can. I’m delighted to be able to do that.

“Being the patron, I might have one or two ideas that they might want to take on board that I’ve heard in the game, be it from other clubs or other trusts, or even my own.

“Supporters’ trusts are very important in my eyes. They’re conducive to passing on information and throwing in new ideas and participating within, especially at provincial clubs.

“You need people feeling that attachment to the club and that they are contributing rather than just turning up on a Saturday.

“The trust wants to do what’s in the best interests of the supporters — who have always been fantastic to me — and of the club as well.

“They’re good people, they work hard and they have a great way that they want to take the trust forward now. I’m looking forward to being part of that.” Trustee Chris McCorkindale added: “When replacing Warren as trust patron, it was important to appoint someone with real gravitas; someone who can unify the Morton support.

“There are few people better suited to that role than Andy Ritchie. Like Warren, Andy will be more than a figurehead.

“His experience across the football spectrum — not only as a legendary player, but also his work in the media, as a coach, a manager, a scout and general manager — will be an invaluable asset.

“He will be a source of advice to the trust as we continue to work with the club to secure a prosperous future for Greenock Morton.”