FORM is said to be temporary and Morton will be hoping that rings true over the coming weeks. The Greenock side enter the first round of the Premiership/Championship play-offs without a victory in their previous nine games having run out of steam at the end of a campaign that has already exceeded expectations. They will need to battle their way through a further six matches – starting with Dundee United at home tonight - if they are to return to the top flight for the first in almost 20 years, a big ask but one that an interested observer hopes is not beyond them.

Allan McGraw was in charge when Morton last played Premier League football in 1988 in the early stages of what would go on to become a 12-year managerial tenure at the club. Now 77 years old, McGraw still lives locally and has been a regular at Cappielow this season.

If recent results have been somewhat disappointing, McGraw has been enthused by the first half of the season when Morton not only provided the main challenge to Hibernian’s supremacy at the top of the Championship but also reached the semi-finals of the League Cup.

Events over the next four days will decide how long Morton’s season is extended by but if Friday night at Tannadice ends up being the end of the line then McGraw feels there is a lot for Jim Duffy and his players to be proud about.

“I think just getting to this point should count as a success for Morton no matter what happens next,” McGraw told Herald Sport. “Jim has done such a great job when you consider that he lost a lot of players last year. So to get to the play-offs has been exceptional. I don’t think many folk would have expected them to get to this point. To be honest, at the start of the season I would have settled for them finishing in the middle of the league. And they’ve gone far beyond that.

“I don’t normally like to give a manager all the praise for a team doing well but I’ll make an exception in Jim’s case as he’s definitely knitted this group together. I’ve seen a lot of the games this season and they’ve maybe shaded off a little recently. But I’m sure they’ll come back at full strength for the play-offs and I’m sure they’ll be right up for the battle. They showed earlier in the season that they have great fighting qualities and I’m confident that will be the case now we’re into the last part of the season and it’s all to play for again.

“I think going into the play-offs will galvanise all the players and bring back that cutting edge. They haven’t won for a wee while but that can change in a flash and there’s no reason why they can’t beat United, especially at home.”

McGraw felt Duffy, a nominee for the PFA Scotland Manager of the Year award, deserved enormous credit for taking Morton to this point but hoped his success wouldn’t draw the attention of other clubs looking for a new manager.

He added: “I hope Jim stays around even if they don’t go up as he’s done a terrific job. Of course there’s a chance a bigger club comes to try to get him as they’ll have seen what a transformation he’s pulled off at Cappielow. So that’s always the worry. But you can see the effect he’s had on the dressing room. And he’s got the team playing good football as well. They can scrap but they can entertain as well.”

One of McGraw’s former players, Warren Hawke, is now chief executive at Morton. “I’ve spoken to him a few times and I’ve no doubt he’ll do well there. There’s definitely scope for Morton to develop and grow. Sometimes it just boils down to money but there are plans there and good intentions.

“And Warren is very good on the community side of things. I’d still like to see the crowds coming back again but it’s not for the lack of trying on the club’s part. If they can keep a winning team on the park then hopefully more fans will start to come out the woodwork.”