MORTON general manager Dale Pryde-MacDonald hopes that three home pre-season fixtures will give an anticipated high number of summer signings the perfect chance to settle into their new environment.

The Ton GM has been one of the driving factors behind the club's new 'Heartbeat of Inverclyde' campaign and he feels it's imperative that all the new faces coming in get the chance to acclimatise quickly.

It was announced this week that Ton will welcome League One sides Queen of the South, Annan Athletic and Alloa to Cappielow for warm up games.

Pryde-MacDonald believes they will help the new recruits hit the ground running for boss Dougie Imrie.

He told the Tele: "The manager and myself sat down in about February-March time to discuss what pre-season was going to look like, regardless of where we finished in the Championship or if we were in the play-offs at either end of the table.

"We wanted to have that plan in place and it's been a long time since Morton have had three home friendlies on the spin.

"With it being a big turnover of players this year, we wanted to get them used to the Cappielow environment, what it's like to play in front of a busy Cowshed and used to the surface.

"We want to make sure that we give everyone the best possible chance to know and feel comfortable with what it's going to be like stepping out there for the first home game of the Premier Sports Cup.

"It also gives the players the chance to buy into the 'Heartbeat of Inverclyde' message that we're looking to get across.

"Spending four years at Ross County, I was equipped with welcoming players who were coming up from England and the central belt.

"I immersed a lot of time into when those players came to Dingwall, they became really equated with the environment and that's what we want to do here.

"We want to make sure that the players who come here to Cappielow, know what the club and the local area is like and make sure that they're as comfortable as they can be in the environment of Inverclyde.

"If we'd have played a couple of games here and there and then maybe one at Cappielow, then they might have taken a bit of getting used to that during the group stages, so for me it was imperative that we help these new players coming in as soon as possible."

Pryde-MacDonald is expecting a busy summer period and says he is well used to the challenges that this time of the year can present.

He said: "I've been really lucky with the club' that I've been at, I was quite involved and inundated with attracting players over that summer period.

"With Derek Adams at Morecambe, we had just two players on the books this time last year.

"We're a little bit better off here, but because of the position that I'd held at both Morecambe and Ross County, I've a good understanding of what's involved.

"I've had to learn the art of being the negotiator. You're dealing with agents, players who want 'x' 'y' or 'z'.

"You need to try and find that middle ground and I think that myself and the board aren't wanting to be overbearing on the manager.

"We want to support him where necessary and when he feels like he’s done enough to hand over to us, to then help him get deals over the line."