JIM Duffy believes the intense focus on the Scottish independence referendum has aided his side’s preparation for their clash with title favourites Dunfermline Athletic.

The Morton manager insists tomorrow’s fixture is no more important than any other in League One and hoped to keep the build-up as low key as possible.

He admits that has been far from difficult with the question of Scotland’s future so to the fore that it even overshadowed the first round of matches in the Champions League group stages.

Duffy told the Tele: “You approach every game with the same intention, the same approach and mentality, which is to do your best and try and win the match.

“Sometimes if you have a club like Dunfermline and they are installed as favourites to win the league there’s an extra intensity.

“That shouldn’t really be the case, but it happens as people talk about it and with the extra focus or spotlight on that particular game than there might be on other games.

“There’s awareness that in most people’s eyes Dunfermline are the team to beat and if you finish above them you’ll win the league.

“Do I believe that? I don’t know yet. I think it’s too early to say and disrespects other teams in the league, but it seems to be the consensus of footballing opinion. Like I said last week with the Airdrie match, the players’ pals, families and the social network sites will be saying this is a big game, a really important game, one we need to win.

“Sometimes, as a manager, you have to go the opposite way and keep everyone calmer and to settle them down a little bit. Because it’s not any more of an important game than it was against Airdrie last week. It’s silly to say that. It’s the same three points. And what if we’d lost to Airdrie last week and win this week?

“It’s not any more important. There’s not even one per cent more relevance to this match. It’s exactly the same significance and the same test.

“In some respects the referendum has maybe helped with our preparation. The match would normally have had quite a bit more profile about it. Everybody in the country is talking about the referendum. Maybe by tomorrow it will be different, but there has hardly been any discussion about the match.

“The intensity of coverage on just about every radio station, newspaper, and TV station has been huge, and that’s quite right.

“There’s hardly anybody talking about football. It’s actually the first time I can remember the Champions League starting and feeling underwhelmed by it.

“You usually really look forward to it starting. There were some big games like Bayern Munich against Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund versus Arsenal.

“But it was pushed into the background. It wasn’t to the forefront and came and went without as much attention as it usually gets.

“When the Champions League is pushed into the background then I think Morton versus Dunfermline will be a wee bit further down the list again.” And Duffy revealed that referendum fever had gripped his squad, prompting a series of passionate debates in the dressing room this week.

He added: “There’s been a lot of discussion amongst the boys. It’s a bit like the polls, we’ve almost got a 50-50 split and could even have a wee seven-a-side game with Yes against No.

“It was quite heated at times. Politics does that to people. There are a few boys who have got an opinion, and then you have a lot of the younger ones who aren’t too sure and don’t get involved.

“Strangely enough, some boys have aired their views on it more than they have on the football side of things.

“Maybe when I ask them to communicate a bit better I’ll ask them to use ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ and they might use those phrases to better effect.

“I don’t get involved much myself. My father always told me never to argue about politics or religion, so I step away from any of those debates and stick to subjects like football.” Duffy believes the focus will shift back to football tomorrow and expects the encounter to be one that will have both sets of fans talking about the game again.

The Ton boss, who was speaking before the vote outcome was known, said: “By the time the game comes around we’ll know whether we’re in an independent nation or still part of the UK.

“We’ll get on with it whichever way it has unfolded and hopefully the fans will be excited by the football again.

“Dunfermline will be one of the few teams in this division that will carry a decent travelling support. It’ll be a good atmosphere at Cappielow and that creates a great environment for a game.

“They finished second last year with Rangers in the league and they’ve strengthened, so I’m sure they will have improved.

“I think Dunfermline will come and try to lay down a marker.

“I don’t see them coming and just sitting in. I think they will come and try to impose themselves so I think it will be quite open and competitive. It’s up to us to be as positive as we can be without leaving the backdoor open.”