FORMER Morton goalie Roy Baines says the future of the club is in safe hands after a fans' investment group announced a takeover of the club.

The popular ex-Cappielow stalwart has been a member of Morton Club Together since it was launched in 2019.

After just a year, MCT has sealed an agreement to take a 90 per cent shareholding next summer, with current owners Golden Casket stepping aside after 20 years of ownership.

Baines believes it could be the start of an exciting new chapter for the club that could bring the glory days back if the wider fanbase plays its part.

He told the Tele: “It really is fantastic news, I’m over the moon about it.

“This is a great opportunity for the club and now is the time for the support and the people who love Morton to get behind it and join MCT.

“I was tuned in for the announcement online last week and it was such great news to hear.

“As a monthly contributor, I really cannot say enough for the five guys behind it all, they’re all good and clever guys who’ve worked incredibly hard to get the group to where it is today.

“I think we’re in good hands with these guys running the group and with fans supporting it with the club’s best interests at heart.

“Most people in football want to take, but these guys don’t - MCT want to give and that’s the big difference and that’s why this is such a good thing for the club.

“For £10 a month, £2.50 a week - which is less than a cup of coffee in some places - you get the chance to help your club prosper.

“It’s a massive opportunity for the people of Inverclyde.

"As a daft goalie I’d say grab this opportunity with both hands and don’t drop it, like I would back in the day!"

Baines hopes that the historic shift in the running of the club could be the catalyst to bring back the halcyon days.

He said: “I’ve got a load of old photos and videos of my time at Cappielow and we didn’t really appreciate the support that we had with eight, nine or ten thousand in every week.

“To see the crowds down at 1,500 now - it hurts me that does.

"Hopefully this is the beginning of a new dawn for the club.

“Let’s hope we can get the support back in now and really get that community feel back in the club.”

Roy paid homage to the Rae family - who will be writing off a £2m debt as they step down - for everything that they have done for the club over the years.

He also believes that Golden Casket keeping ownership of Cappielow gives added security to protect the club from any predators.

He said: “You cannot say enough for Crawford and the late Douglas Rae, these two guys have been magnificent for the club and to give MCT a debt-free environment is terrific for everyone, it actually shows that Crawford Rae still loves the club.

“With everything going on in the world with the likes of Covid-19, for the club to be handed over debt-free is absolutely amazing.

“For the Rae family to do this is absolutely magnificent, instead of just selling it to whoever came in with the biggest bid to buy the club.

“The Raes still owning the ground and the car park is a very shrewd move.

"It means if everything went pear-shaped it would stop someone coming in who did not care about the club's best interests and buying it for peanuts and whacking some development on the site and leaving again.

“I’m absolutely delighted about the takeover for for everyone connected with Greenock Morton.

“We’re in safe hands here, so let's get the community behind it and be a part of this new movement.”