MORTON have agreed to sign Dunfermline’s Ross Forbes, with striker Andy Barrowman heading in the opposite direction.

The club yesterday confirmed that captain Barrowman had agreed to leave Cappielow by mutual consent, and it is believed that he will join the Pars as a player-coach.

Meanwhile, midfielder Forbes, 25, will depart East End Park after agreeing terms on a contract that will tie him to the Ton until the end of the season.

And manager Jim Duffy admitted he has been a long-term admirer of the former Motherwell and Partick Thistle man.

He told the Tele: “We’ve released Andy and have agreed terms with Ross Forbes on a deal until the end of the season.

“Part of the negotiations and the process of Andy leaving to go to Dunfermline was that we wanted to make sure it suited all parties and that we got a good player.

“So we negotiated to sign Ross and we’re delighted that we’ve managed to get him.

“We expect that to be completed tomorrow.

“He’s a player I saw a lot of at Motherwell and with Partick Thistle. I thought he did well at Partick in the Championship to get into the Premier League.

“He’s a footballer, he’s left sided, and that gives us a little bit of balance and creativity and different options in that area of the pitch.

“Signing him is something really positive for us.” And Duffy was keen to put on record his appreciation for the role Barrowman played at Cappielow in the first half of the campaign.

He added: “I want to thank Andy for his professionalism, both on and off the pitch.

“He was a tremendous pro and the team captain.

“He gave a lot of help to the younger players and helped make sure they had good habits in the dressing room and in and around the training pitch.

“It’s not only about what a player contributes on the pitch, it’s also about what they contribute off the pitch.

“A lot of people don’t see that stuff.

“My bringing him to Morton was two-fold, and he did that very well.

“So I’m delighted for him that he’s got a move back to a club where he’s very highly regarded.

“He probably had the best spell of his career at Dunfermline and we wish him well.”