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.
Career Born at Great Barr, West Bromwich,Shropshire Star, Tuesday 24 February 2015, Death Notice, page 26. Morris began his career in 1964 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. 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.
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. 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. 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.
He was given a free transfer in May 1976 and moved on to Kidderminster Harriers. 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.
Career statistics + Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueFA CupLeague CupTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsWalsall1965–66Third Division100000101966–67Third Division100000101967–68Third Division12300001231968–69Third Division34940304191969–70Third Division33230103721970–71Third Division37722204171971–72Third Division4211411047121972–73Third Division1833310226Total178351668020241Shrewsbury Town1972–73Third Division20200002021973–74Third Division26320112941974–75Fourth Division2942020334Total75940318210Port Vale1975–76Third Division1510020171Career total2684520613130152
Honours Shrewsbury Town Football League Fourth Division second-place promotion: 1974–75
References