Morrison could move for nothing under the Bosman ruling and Collins is keen to tie him up before the end of the season. Collins has already successfully raided his former club to sign up Trevor Molloy and Brian Shelley. As well as Morrison, he is also back in talks with Derry City over their star central defender Darren Kelly, who has been valued at £150,000. Morrison made 77 appearances for the Posh and played 46 games for the Orient in a six-year spell in English football. It was Collins himself who brought him over to Ireland in the summer of 2000 and the 27-year-old teamed up with current United midfielder Tony Hopper whilst in the Bohs first team. It is thought his friendship with Hopper could persuade him to make the move to Brunton Park. However moves to try and persuade Gareth O'Connor to make a loan move from AFC Bournemouth have all but collapsed. United can't sign any players at the moment due to a Football League embargo and in the meantime O'Connor has returned to the Cherries first team where he has rapidly re-established himself. Collins now reckons there's no chance he can get him. "It is a huge loss for us. I was really looking forward to having him. I don't know why the Bournemouth manager put him back in their side, but since he has been star man in three games," he said. All Collins's transfer moves are dependant on John Courtenay completing a deal with Michael Knighton to buy United. Courtenay was hoping today to announce the date for the press conference where both he and Knighton will sign the final documents. The millionaire Irishman's legal team have been working on the bid all week and Courtenay remains very confident everything will be sorted within the next few days. If Courtenay is not installed as new owner by tomorrow afternoon, it could have a negative effect on the attendance, which was expected to top the 5,226 for the last home game against Darlington. |
