Morgan Billy Image 2 Crystal Palace 1923

Description

Old Hill, Staffordshire born inside left Billy Morgan joined Second Division Birmingham from Cradley Heath St Luke’s in 1912, making his debut against Wolverhampton Wanderers in January 1913. He played both sides of the First World War for Birmingham but during the War he guested in Scotland for Motherwell, where he scored 13 goals in 63 appearances between 1916 and 1919, and also played for Third Lanark in 1916. Morgan represented The Football League XI against The Scottish League at his home ground of St Andrew’s, Birmingham in February 1919, in the first representative match played after the First World War. He set up the second goal for Bob Whittingham in a 3–1 win, and according to the Daily Express reporter, “the pick” of the English XI were Morgan, Whittingham and Joe Clennell.

In October 1920 he transferred to Coventry City after 13 goals in 68 appearances for The Blues, and his two seasons at Coventry saw him score 14 goals in 57 games. He joined Second Division club Crystal Palace in the summer of 1922, but they were relegated in 1924-25 and Morgan was released after 16 goals in 84 appearances, thereafter he returned to non league football with Cradley Heath St Luke’s before joining Shrewsbury Town in 1926.

NB in the photograph taken at The Nest, Croydon on 20th October 1923, Morgan shoulder charges Bradford City goalkeeper Jimmy McLaren (legal in those days!). Crystal Palace won the match 3-0.