Sam Morris (footballer, born 1886)

Samuel Herbert Morris (23 October 1886 – December 1969) was an English professional footballer who played in the Football League for Brentford as a wing half.

Sam Morris

Morris while with Bristol Rovers.
Personal information
Full name	Samuel Herbert Morris[1]
Date of birth	(1886-10-23)23 October 1886[2]
Place of birth	Handsworth, England
Date of death	December 1969 (1970-01) (aged 83)[2]
Place of death	Paddington, England[2]
Position(s)	Wing half
Youth career
0000–1906	Perry Bar
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1906–1907	Aston Villa	0	(0)
1908–1911	Queens Park Rangers	40	(2)
1911	Birmingham	0	(0)
1911–1919	Bristol Rovers	89	(0)
1916–1917	→ Clapton Orient (guest)	3	(0)
1917	→ Brentford (guest)	5	(0)
1919–1921	Brentford	63	(0)
	Maidstone United
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Early years

Morris joined First Division club Aston Villa in 1906, but failed to make an appearance before departing the club at the end of the 1906–07 season.^[3] He moved to Southern League First Division club Queens Park Rangers in 1908.^[4] He remained at Loftus Road until joining divisional rivals Bristol Rovers in 1911,^[4] after a short spell with Second Division club Birmingham.^[1] Morris remained with Rovers during the First World War and left the club after the armistice,^[5] in 1919.^[6]

Brentford

Morris signed for Southern League First Division club Brentford in 1919,^[7] after having guested for the club during the war.^[8] He made 37 appearances during what would be the club's final season of Southern League football and was kept on for the club's debut Football League season.^[7] Morris had to wait until 9 October 1920 to make his Football League debut, which came in a 0–0 draw with Norwich City.^[8] He made 27 appearances during the 1920-21 season and departed Griffin Park in May 1921,^[8] having made 64 appearances for the Bees.^[7]

Maidstone United

After leaving Brentford, Morris dropped into non-League football to join Kent League club Maidstone United.^[7]

Personal life

Morris served as a sergeant in the Middlesex Regiment's Football Battalion during the First World War.^[9][10] He was a motor car machinist by trade and later worked in Paddington as an ice rink foreman and ice skate grinder.^[11]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Queens Park Rangers	1907–08[12]	Southern League First Division	2	0	0	0	2	0
	1908–09[13]	Southern League First Division	23	2	1	0	24	2
	1909–10[14]	Southern League First Division	6	0	0	0	6	0
	1910–11[15]	Southern League First Division	9	0	1	0	10	0
	Total		40	2	2	0	42	2
Brentford	1919–20[8]	Southern League First Division	36	0	1	1	37	1
	1920–21[8]	Third Division	27	0	0	0	27	0
	Total		63	0	1	1	64	1
Career total			103	2	3	1	106	3

References

1. Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 211. ISBN 978-1905891610.
2. Emms, Steve; McPherson, Dave (1978). Who's Who of the Football League 1919 to 1939. Association of Football Statisticians. p. 95. ISBN 0946531730.
3. "Morris, Sam". Aston Villa Player Database. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
4. Rose, Ash (2012). The QPR Miscellany. The History Press. ISBN 978-0752467382.
5. "Southern League Players Index 1899–1920". Bristol Rovers Memorabilia. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
6. "Our her-O's: Part 4 of Orient's World War I heroes". www.leytonorient.com. Archived from the original on 29 November 2021. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
7. Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Harefield: Yore Publications. p. 111. ISBN 978-0955294914.
8. White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. pp. 364–366. ISBN 0951526200.
9. Sam Morris on Lives of the First World War
10. Riddoch, Andrew; Kemp, David (2010). When the Whistle Blows: The Story of the Footballers' Battalion in the Great War. Sparkford, Yeovil, Somerset: Haynes Publishing. p. 53. ISBN 978-0857330772.
11. "A to M". The Bristol Rovers History Group. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
12. "Seasonal Stats – 1907–08". QPRnet. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
13. "Seasonal Stats – 1908–09". QPRnet. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
14. "Seasonal Stats – 1909–10". QPRnet. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
15. "Seasonal Stats – 1910–11". QPRnet. Retrieved 9 June 2018.