James Morrison (footballer)

Last updated

James Morrison
James Morrison 8668 (15629393251).jpg
Morrison in 2014
Personal information
Full name James Clark Morrison [1]
Date of birth (1986-05-25) 25 May 1986 (age 37) [2]
Place of birth Darlington, England
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) [3]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
West Bromwich Albion (first-team coach)
Youth career
1998–2004 Middlesbrough
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2004–2007 Middlesbrough 66 (3)
2007–2019 West Bromwich Albion 309 (34)
Total375(37)
International career
2002–2003 England U17 6 (0)
2004 England U18 2 (0)
2004–2005 England U19 8 (0)
2005 England U20 1 (0)
2008–2017 Scotland 46 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

James Clark Morrison (born 25 May 1986) is a football coach and former player, who is currently a first-team coach with West Bromwich Albion and the Scotland national team. Morrison played as a midfielder for Middlesbrough and West Bromwich Albion between 2004 and 2019, and is regarded as one of the greatest midfielders in West Bromwich Albion's history. [4] After representing various England junior sides, Morrison chose to play for Scotland at full international level and he made 46 full international appearances for them between 2008 and 2017.

Contents

Club career

Middlesbrough

Morrison was born in Darlington, County Durham, [5] and attended Hummersknott School. [6] He is a product of Middlesbrough's youth academy. He starred in Middlesbrough's FA Youth Cup winning side in 2003–04, putting in several eye-catching performances throughout the cup run, notably scoring in the final first leg 3–0 win against Aston Villa.[ citation needed ]

His initial outings in the first team displayed some promise as well. He made his first-team debut on 3 January 2004, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 2–0 FA Cup victory against Notts County. [7] His Premiership debut came four months later, when he replaced Stewart Downing in a 5–1 defeat away at Portsmouth on the final day of the 2003–04 season. [8] Morrison's first European action for Boro was on 30 September 2004 in a UEFA Cup tie away at Banik Ostrava. He marked the occasion by scoring his first goal for the club, a last-minute equaliser that secured a 1–1 draw in the second leg and a 4–1 aggregate victory. [9] Morrison started for Middlesbrough in the 2006 UEFA Cup Final against Sevilla. On 19 March 2007, he was sent off in an FA Cup quarter-final replay against Manchester United for a kick out at Cristiano Ronaldo.[ citation needed ]

West Bromwich Albion

On 7 August 2007, Morrison signed a four-year contract with West Bromwich Albion, for an initial £1.5 million fee. This fee could rise by a further £700,000, depending on Morrison's appearances for the Baggies. Middlesbrough will also receive 15% of any sell-on fee. [10] Morrison made his Albion debut as a second-half substitute in a 2–1 defeat away at Burnley on the opening day of the 2007–08 season. [11] His first goal for the club was a second half winner in a 2–1 home victory over Blackpool on 23 October 2007, [12] a strike that won him the West Bromwich Albion Supporters Club's Goal of the Season award. [13] Morrison described it at the time as "the best goal I've scored in my career". [14]

Morrison impressed in the first team throughout the 2008–09 season. He scored three goals in total over the course of the season, including his goals home and away against Aston Villa. On New Years Day 2011, he scored a 20-yard volley in a 2–1 defeat against Manchester United.

After numerous impressive displays, on 14 September 2012, Morrison signed a new four-year deal until 2016. [15] For his performances in the 2014–15 season, Morrison won the official supporters player of the year award for the first time. [16]

On 23 August 2015, Morrison scored both of West Bromwich Albion's goals in a 3–2 home defeat to Chelsea, the first two-goal haul of his career and an equalling of his goal tally for the previous season. Earlier in the game, he had a penalty saved by Thibaut Courtois. [17] On 30 June 2016, Morrison signed a new two-year deal with West Brom keeping him at the club until at least the summer of 2018 with a one-year option. [18] He further extended this on 3 August 2018, keeping him at the Hawthorns until 2019. [19] He left the club after the 2018–19 season, with his final appearance coming in a play-off match against Aston Villa. [20]

Morrison said in September 2019 that he was considering retirement, having only received offers from lower league clubs during the summer. [21] On 29 October 2019, Morrison announced his retirement from professional football. [22]

International career

Morrison playing for Scotland in 2011 James Morrison 2.jpg
Morrison playing for Scotland in 2011

Morrison played at a number of youth levels for England. Along with Leicester City's Steve Howard and Aston Villa's Gabriel Agbonlahor, Morrison was one of a number of English Premier League players identified in June 2007 as being eligible to play for Scotland. [23] He qualifies to play for the team through his grandparents. [24] Morrison later chose to represent Scotland, claiming that he felt his "opportunities with England will be limited". [25]

After receiving international clearance from FIFA, Morrison joined up with the Scotland squad for training in August 2007. [26] He was unable to make his debut in the friendly against South Africa however, due to injury. [27] Morrison was named in the Scotland B squad to face the Republic of Ireland B team in November, [27] but injury forced him to withdraw from the squad again. [28] He finally made his debut in the friendly against the Czech Republic in Prague, on 30 May 2008. [29]

He scored his first goal for Scotland in the 3–1 win against Wales on 25 May 2011 in the Celtic Nations Cup tournament in Dublin. [30] He also scored for Scotland against England in the friendly game at Wembley Stadium on 14 August 2013.[ citation needed ]

Coaching career

After retiring as a player in October 2019, Morrison started working as a coach in the West Bromwich Albion academy. [22] He was promoted to a first-team coaching role in December 2020, following the appointment of Sam Allardyce as West Brom manager. [31]

Morrison joined the Scotland coaching staff during the June 2023 international break, replacing Steven Naismith. [32] Scotland won both of their matches during that period, and Morrison then joined their coaching staff on a permanent basis. [33]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeague FA Cup League Cup OtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Middlesbrough 2003–04 [34] Premier League 10100020
2004–05 [35] Premier League13020215 [lower-alpha 1] 3224
2005–06 [36] Premier League24131109 [lower-alpha 1] 0372
2006–07 [37] Premier League2827010362
Total66313141143978
West Bromwich Albion 2007–08 [38] Championship 3546220436
2008–09 [39] Premier League3030000303
2009–10 [40] Championship1111000121
2010–11 [41] Premier League3141000324
2011–12 [42] Premier League3052010335
2012–13 [43] Premier League3552000375
2013–14 [44] Premier League3211020351
2014–15 [45] Premier League3323210374
2015–16 [46] Premier League1831100194
2016–17 [47] Premier League3151010335
2017–18 [48] Premier League41002061
2018–19 [49] Championship19010202 [lower-alpha 2] 0240
Total309341951102034139
Career total3753732615116343847
  1. 1 2 Appearances in UEFA Cup
  2. Appearances in Championship play-offs

International

Source: [50]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Scotland 200830
200920
201050
201191
201261
201341
201460
201560
201610
201740
Total463
Scotland score listed first, score column indicates score after each Morrison goal. [50]
List of international goals scored by James Morrison
No.DateVenueCapOpponentScoreResultCompetitionRef.
125 May 2011 Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland13Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales 1–13–1 2011 Nations Cup [51]
212 October 2012 Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales24Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales 1–01–2 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification [52]
314 August 2013 Wembley Stadium, London, England28Flag of England.svg  England 1–02–3 Friendly [53]

Honours

Middlesbrough

West Bromwich Albion

Individual

See also

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