MORTON'S youth teams are in top gear thanks to a bumper £18,000 sponsorship deal with two leading Inverclyde window companies.

Blairs and Saveheat have signed up to support the Cappielow academy and provided smart new kit for training, travelling to and from games and on match day itself.

The attire is made by top sports clothing brand Joma and features the logos of the sponsors.

Blairs Windows and Saveheat are part of the Arranglen group of companies, which also includes McGill's Buses, owned by Greenock businessmen Sandy and James Easdale.

The family have been big supporters of the Ton, from the academy through to the first team, for a number of years.

Sandy Easdale said: "Not only do the kids represent Morton, they represent Inverclyde when travelling throughout Scotland. "Supporters can be proud of the club's youth set-up, which gives its young players a structured approach to football. "Our sponsorship means they will look the part too. "When people living across Inverclyde buy locally, from business like Saveheat and Blairs, it allows us to give back to these kinds of projects."

The sponsorship deal is worth £18k and means around 140 players and coaches in the Morton academy are now dressed to impress.

Alex Gray, managing director of Blairs and Saveheat, said: "This is a small part of the overall investment from the group, which includes McGill's, Blairs, Saveheat, Inverclyde Taxis, ABC Taxis and Arc Fleet Services.

"We're delighted to be able to contribute to grassroots football and the continued success of the Morton youth academy."

Some of the new Joma range was modelled by Cappielow rising stars Aidan Duffy, Michael Garrity and Ben Docherty, who are all full-time and currently play with the under-18s side.

Derek Anderson, Morton's head of youth, said: "The kit is different class. It's really good.

"Blairs and Saveheat have been very kind to us and we'd like to thank them for backing the academy. "We're very grateful."

Arranglen is the investment vehicle of the Easdale family and its various companies has a combined annual turnover of nearly £100 million.

The group has interests in property, buses, taxis, vehicle leasing and repairs, and windows, doors and glass manufacturing.