Fred Morris

Born in Pant near Oswestry, Morris played for his local club, Oswestry Town, as an amateur before signing professional forms for Walsall, for whom he made 227 appearances, scoring 49 goals. He had a shorter spell at Mansfield before signing for Liverpool in May 1958, shortly before his twenty-ninth birthday. Although not selected for the opening two second division games of the 1958/59 season, Morris played in the remaining 41 and scored 12 times, used both as a centre-forward and a right winger. Morris was in the line-up as the following season commenced but then had a spell on the sidelines before returning and scoring twice in a 4-3 home win against Leyton Orient on 21 November 1959. But only days later, Bill Shankly swept into Anfield and Morris was one of the early casualties. Shankly’s first match in charge of Liverpool turned out to be Morris’ last for the club. Probably not because of that comprehensive 4-0 home defeat by Cardiff City, but more to do with the fact that he had by now passed his thirtieth birthday. He was transferred to Crewe during the following close-season and had a short spell at Gillingham before signing for Chester, his sixth and final Football League club, in July 1961. Morris finished his career as Oswestry Town's player-manager from 1963-1965.