Morton manager Jim Duffy has spoken of his delight as he extended his contract at the club for a further two years.

There had been some uncertainty surrounding Duffy’s future with his current deal due to expire this summer, but he is now looking forward to continuing his work at Cappielow after putting pen to paper.

“I had been speaking to the chairman and I don’t think there was ever any issue about it, it was just that we had players to deal with and other footballing matters,” he said.

“It was a smooth process generally speaking, but I’m happy to get it over the line and get it done and dusted, and now we can look forward and continue to progress at the club.

“It’s been two tough seasons, but the players have acquitted themselves well on the back of having won promotion the previous year, but like everything in football, you’ve got to keep moving it forward.

“Everybody wants to move things quickly, but it’s difficult to do that without a ton of money, so we’ll just keep doing what we’re doing - which we believe is the right way to do it.

“The chairman is fully on board with that, and it’s important that he understands and believes in the fact that it’s not a rush job, but that we’re trying to move the club forward again.”

It is not only the manager who has committed his immediate future to the club, with Thomas O’Ware and Ross Forbes both also signing two-year extensions to their contracts.

Duffy said: “Getting Ross and Thomas signed up is a boost, it’s always important to maintain a bit of continuity.

“I think we’ve got seven or so signed up now and hopefully in the next couple of days one or two more will be on board.

“If we can get the nucleus then it gives us a chance to build.

“They know me, and I know them, so I think that understanding and trust between players and management is always important.”

Defender Frank McKeown has been released after missing almost all of the current campaign with a serious knee injury.

“It was so difficult because of what has happened to Frank over the last year,” Duffy said.

“It was a tough decision because he’s such a likeable boy and he’s worked so hard to get himself fit again, but these are the tough decisions that you unfortunately have to make as a manager.”