Allan McGraw dead at 83 as Morton deliver touching tribute to former Hibs, Linfield and Cappielow hero

Morton legend Allan McGraw has passed away at the age of 83, the club announced on Wednesday.

McGraw was born in Glasgow in July 1939, with the striker starting his career at Cappielow as a 22-year-old. He soon became a legend for Morton; setting a Scottish record for the most goals scored in a single Division Two season, finishing as their top goalscorer for five consecutive seasons and helping them win promotion to the top-flight for the first time in twelve years back in 1964.

Following relegation two years later, McGraw moved on for Hibs, and though his career at Easter Road never quite took off, he still managed 18 goals in 60 appearances. Taking painkillers to play whilst carrying an injury, McGraw never recovered from the unsustainable damage, featuring for Linfield in Belfast for one season before making his final appearance as a player in 1970 - famously utilising a walking stick as a result of his determination to play football.

A 15-year spell out of the game saw him return to Morton in 1985 as manager - and if he wasn't a club legend already, he confirmed that status in a 12-year stay at the club where he made his name. The Ton won promotion to the First Division after winning the league title just two years into his reign, and whilst they suffered a turbulent spell with relegation in his time in the dugout, he won the 1994/95 Second Division title to add to his collection of silverware, before leaving in 1997.

McGraw recently had a stand named after him at Cappielow, and even stood for election as an independent for West Renfrewshire in 1999. The club announced his passing early on Wednesday, paying tribute to the man they called 'Mr Morton'.

It read: "Everyone at Greenock Morton is deeply saddened to learn