Geoff Morris (footballer, born 1949)

Geoffrey Morris (8 February 1949 – 16 February 2015) was an English footballer who played for Walsall, Shrewsbury Town, Bangor City, Port Vale, Kidderminster Harriers, and Brisbane Lions (Australia). A Winger, he scored 58 goals in 305 league games in an 11-year career in the Football League. He won promotion out of the Fourth Division with Shrewsbury Town in 1974–75.

Geoff Morris
Personal information
Full name Geoffrey Morris[1]
Date of birth (1949-02-08)8 February 1949[1]
Place of birth West Bromwich, England[1]
Date of death 16 February 2015(2015-02-16) (aged 66)
Playing position(s) Left winger
Youth career
1964–1965 Walsall
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1965–1973 Walsall 177 (35)
1973–1975 Shrewsbury Town 75 (9)
1975 Bangor City
1975–1976 Port Vale 15 (1)
1976–1977 Kidderminster Harriers
1977–1978 Brisbane Lions 38 (13)
Total 305+ (58+)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Playing career

Born at Great Barr, West Bromwich,[2] Morris began his career in 1964[3] at Walsall, who finished ninth in the Third Division in 1965–66 under the stewardship of Ray Shaw. He became the youngest player in the club's history when he made his debut against Peterborough United in September 1965 aged 16 years and 218 days.[4] The "Saddlers" then finished 12th in 1966–67 and seventh in 1967–68. New boss Bill Moore took the club to 13th in 1968–69, 12th in 1969–70, 20th in 1970–71, and ninth in 1971–72. Morris left the club after a 17th-place finish in 1972–73. He scored 35 goals in 177 league games at Fellows Park.[5]

He moved on to Maurice Evans's Shrewsbury Town, who were relegated into the Fourth Division in 1973–74, in exchange for George Andrews and £6,000.[6] The "Shrews" then won immediate promotion with a second-place finish in 1974–75 under the stewardship of rookie manager Alan Durban. He scored nine goals in 75 league games at Gay Meadow.

He spent time in the Northern Premier League with Bangor City, before he was signed by Port Vale manager Roy Sproson for a £200 fee in August 1975.[1] He was unable to make an impact for the "Valiants" in the 1975–76 season, making 15 Third Division and two FA Cup appearances, scoring one goal in a 1–1 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion at Vale Park on 6 September.[1]

He was given a free transfer in May 1976 and moved on to Kidderminster Harriers.[1] He helped Harriers to an eighth-place finish in Division One North of the Southern League in 1976–77.

He left Aggborough and moved to Australia to score 13 goals in 38 National Soccer League games for Brisbane Lions in 1977 and 1978.

Later life

Morris died on 16 February 2015 at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital after a short illness, aged 66. His funeral took place at Shrewsbury Crematorium on 5 March.[7]

Statistics

Source:[8]

Club Season Division League FA Cup Other Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Walsall 1965–66 Third Division 10000010
1966–67 Third Division 10000010
1967–68 Third Division 1230000123
1968–69 Third Division 3494030419
1969–70 Third Division 3323010372
1970–71 Third Division 3772220417
1971–72 Third Division 421141104712
1972–73 Third Division 1833310226
Total 177351668020141
Shrewsbury Town 1972–73 Third Division 2020000202
1973–74 Third Division 2632011294
1974–75 Fourth Division 2942020334
Total 75940318210
Port Vale 1975–76 Third Division 1510020171
Career total 2674520613130052

Honours
Shrewsbury Town
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References
  1. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 205. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  2. Shropshire Star, Tuesday 24 February 2015, Death Notice, page 26.
  3. "Former [Shrewsbury] Town ace dies at 66". Shropshire Star. 24 February 2015. p. 5.
  4. Baggaley, Mike (23 February 2015). "Former Port Vale winger Geoff Morris dies aged 66". The Sentinel. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  5. "Former Saddler Passes Away". walsall.vitalfootball.co.uk.
  6. "This week in history". Shrewsbury Town F.C. 23 January 2017. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
  7. "Death Notices - MORRIS, Geoffrey". Shropshire Star. 24 February 2015. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  8. Geoff Morris at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
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