DOWN Greenock way yesterday, fingers of blame were pointing in every direction over the country's third oldest football club being on the verge of closure.

There is no love lost between Morton's millionaire owner Hugh Scott and Cappielow fans.

Both sides remain entrenched, with Mr Scott's provocative warning that ''it would appear this club is going the same way as the shipyards'' being couched in language those who follow The Ton understand.

Brinkmanship was in the air, with the owner also warning he would put no more money in until supporters end their boycott. The fans, however, insist he must go, and were last night studying ways to buy the club.

Greenock Morton is in crisis, with the club up for sale, manager Ian McCall sacked, the boycott, a decaying Cappielow stadium and players close to open revolt.

Mr Scott's latest reason for the club's near collapse is the ''inexcusable behaviour'' of a small number of supporters. Small is appropriate. Since he took over as chairman in 1997, attendances have slumped from an average 4100 to below 1000 on many occasions.

Most diehards still suspect he only took his 61% share in Morton to make a financial killing. However, numerous bids to sell the ground for retail development and relocate - or to refurbish Cappielow if allowed to take over adjacent land for commercial use - have backfired because plans do not meet local authority or Scottish Executive criteria.

According to sources, the strain is telling. One day, Mr Scott promises a purpose-built stadium, the next, that Morton will disappear.

Not one out-of-contract player in the first team has been offered a new deal, but all have been told they will lose wages if they do not report daily for training during the close season.

There are real fears that if Morton survives, reserve team players and raw, low-paid teenagers will take the field.

There is little sympathy among fans for Mr Scott's eccentricities, let alone his reasonable argument that Morton would be secure if based in a purpose-built stadium with other commercial interests.

''He's an arrogant wee man,'' said one fan. ''He's driven wedges between supporters, players, sponsors and the builders who were supposed to provide a new stadium.''

Mr Charlie Kavanagh, spokesman for demonstrators at the last home game, was equally blunt: ''He has let us down badly. He promised so much - a team to challenge in the Premier League, a new stadium, or at least a revamp of Cappielow.''

Four years on, Morton is eighth in the First Division, and Cappielow appears dead as a venue.