MORTON are set to face early kick-off times this winter under new proposals to tackle the cost of living crisis in Scottish football.

Director Gordon Ritchie attended a meeting with Championship clubs to discus playing fixtures as early as noon during the winter months to cut electricity costs by reducing the use of floodlights.

The SPFL is open to requests to schedule games earlier should both clubs agree to moving the kick-off time and it doesn't impact televised matches.

Ritchie says all 10 clubs in the Championship are on board with the plans and talks were positive.

He told the Tele: "What the discussion was to bring kick-off times forward during the winter months, possibly to 12/12.30pm or thereabouts, thus possibly avoiding or reducing the need for floodlights, and thereby cutting electricity bills.

"We had previously been told by the league that it was entirely a matter for the clubs to decide themselves.

"They would have no issue if the two clubs agreed to bring matches forward, so there was a discussion whether clubs would agree generally in doing that.

"The feeling amongst the clubs seemed to be quite positive.

"There are difficulties, like if you are travelling up to Inverness for a 12pm kick-off, or if they are travelling down to the central belt for a 12pm kick-off, which is not the best situation with how early they would have to leave in the morning to get down in time, so that will be a bit unfair on them if they are doing that every two weeks to come down for matches.

"There are difficulties that need to be looked at, like how the matches will work with the Sky TV deals, and other television contracts, so that may have an effect on whether kick-off times can be changed.

"But on the whole it was a positive discussion, and the clubs have been left with the option of bringing games forward should they wish."

The move to change kick-off times could also impact ties in the Scottish Cup.

Ritchie said: "I think the league have made the decision that it is up to clubs to decide.

"The SFA and the Scottish Cup I would imagine will probably go down the same route.

"If clubs want to move games around and both clubs are in agreement with that, then I would suspect they will probably go along with it, again subject to the television deals."

With Morton signing a stadium sponsorship deal with Dalrada Technology UK last month, Ritchie says the club are working to make Cappielow a more energy efficient place.

He added: "We were already working with Dalrada to look at the energy efficiency in the stadium, and given the age of our stadium it is not the most energy efficient environment, so there is a lot of improvements and savings to be made.

"We are working with them just to look at different ways to save money.

"This is more across the board, we have to look after every club in Scotland.

"There is no point in Morton surviving this economic climate if other Championship clubs go under, because who would we play against in that situation.

"The league stands and falls in the strength of all the teams, so we are trying to find a solution that works for everybody, but at the same time we obviously have to have the guard to our own financial position."