Stuart Morgan
Encyclopedia
Stuart Edward Morgan is a Welsh
former professional footballer and football manager. A central defender
, he made 222 appearances in the Football League
playing for Torquay United
, Reading
, Colchester United
and A.F.C. Bournemouth
. As manager, he took charge of Torquay United
in the Football League and Weymouth
(twice) and Dorchester Town
in non-League football
.
as a junior, turning professional in March 1967. However, he was never to make the West Ham first team. He joined Torquay United
on loan in February 1969, making his league debut on 15 February in a 2-1 win at home to Watford
. He remained at Plainmoor
until the end of the season, playing 14 league games.
In November 1969, Morgan moved to Reading
where he played 46 times before moving to Colchester United
in August 1972. He scored twelve times in 81 league games for Colchester, captaining them to promotion under manager Jim Smith in 1974 before moving to A.F.C. Bournemouth
in March 1975.
He was appointed manager of Weymouth
in November 1978, guiding them to second place in the Alliance Premier League
in 1979-80. He left Weymouth in November 1983, returning to Bournemouth as part of Harry Redknapp
's coaching staff, where he remained until September 1985 when Morgan was appointed as manager of Torquay United
. Torquay finished bottom of Division Four
that season, the last before automatic relegation to the Conference
would begin. The next season Torquay struggled again and only survived on the last day of the season, at Lincoln City
's expense, thanks to a late winner against Crewe Alexandra
from Paul Dobson
in injury time added after Torquay defender Jim McNichol
had been bitten by a police dog.
Morgan resigned in May 1987 and the following month began his second spell as manager of Weymouth. He took 'The Terras' to second place in the league before a flooded Wessex Stadium pitch meant that they did not play for six weeks, thus losing their momentum. Morgan then joined forces with Harry Redknapp again, as Chief Scout of AFC Bournemouth, where they enjoyed a lot of success.
In August 1993 he was appointed as manager of Dorchester Town
, where he took 'The Magpies' to their highest ever Southern Premier League finish, but was sacked in September 1999 after a 3-0 defeat in the FA Cup
qualifying rounds to a Taunton Town
side that contained manager Russell Musker
and four players, Tom Kelly
, Mark Loram, Chris Myers
, and Darren Cann
, all of whom he had signed while manager of Torquay.
He later worked as a scout for West Ham United and Portsmouth and is currently a full-time scout for Tottenham Hotspur Football Club.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
former professional footballer and football manager. A central defender
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
, he made 222 appearances in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
playing for Torquay United
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
, Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
, Colchester United
Colchester United F.C.
Colchester United Football Club is an English football club based in Colchester. The club was formed in 1937, and briefly shared their old Layer Road home with now defunct side Colchester Town who had previously used the ground from 1910....
and A.F.C. Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....
. As manager, he took charge of Torquay United
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
in the Football League and Weymouth
Weymouth F.C.
Weymouth F.C. are an English football club based in the town of Weymouth, who currently play in the Southern League Premier Division.-History:Weymouth Football Club were founded in 1890 and played their first game on 24 September of that year...
(twice) and Dorchester Town
Dorchester Town F.C.
Dorchester Town Football Club are a semi-professional football club, based in Dorchester, Dorset, England, and currently playing in the Blue Square Bet South...
in non-League football
Non-league football
Non-League football is football in England played at a level below that of the Premier League and The Football League. The term non-League was commonly used well before 1992 when the top football clubs in England all belonged to The Football League; all clubs who were not a part of The Football...
.
Career
Morgan joined West Ham UnitedWest Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
as a junior, turning professional in March 1967. However, he was never to make the West Ham first team. He joined Torquay United
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
on loan in February 1969, making his league debut on 15 February in a 2-1 win at home to Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
. He remained at Plainmoor
Plainmoor
Plainmoor is a suburb of Torquay, Devon, but is best known as the name of the stadium in which Torquay United Football Club currently play.-History:...
until the end of the season, playing 14 league games.
In November 1969, Morgan moved to Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
where he played 46 times before moving to Colchester United
Colchester United F.C.
Colchester United Football Club is an English football club based in Colchester. The club was formed in 1937, and briefly shared their old Layer Road home with now defunct side Colchester Town who had previously used the ground from 1910....
in August 1972. He scored twelve times in 81 league games for Colchester, captaining them to promotion under manager Jim Smith in 1974 before moving to A.F.C. Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....
in March 1975.
He was appointed manager of Weymouth
Weymouth F.C.
Weymouth F.C. are an English football club based in the town of Weymouth, who currently play in the Southern League Premier Division.-History:Weymouth Football Club were founded in 1890 and played their first game on 24 September of that year...
in November 1978, guiding them to second place in the Alliance Premier League
Football Conference
The Football Conference is a football league in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South. Some Football Conference clubs are fully professional, such as Luton Town, but most of them are semi-professional...
in 1979-80. He left Weymouth in November 1983, returning to Bournemouth as part of Harry Redknapp
Harry Redknapp
Henry James "Harry" Redknapp is a former English footballer who has enjoyed a long career in football management starting in 1983 with Bournemouth. He is the current manager of Tottenham Hotspur....
's coaching staff, where he remained until September 1985 when Morgan was appointed as manager of Torquay United
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
. Torquay finished bottom of Division Four
Football League Fourth Division
The Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
that season, the last before automatic relegation to the Conference
Conference National
Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
would begin. The next season Torquay struggled again and only survived on the last day of the season, at Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
's expense, thanks to a late winner against Crewe Alexandra
Crewe Alexandra F.C.
Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional football club based in Crewe, Cheshire. Nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry, they currently play in Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and are based at the Alexandra Stadium.The club...
from Paul Dobson
Paul Dobson (footballer)
Paul Dobson is an English former professional football player. He was a prolific striker in the lower leagues during the 1980s and early 1990s, notably for Torquay United....
in injury time added after Torquay defender Jim McNichol
Jim McNichol
Jim McNichol is a Scottish former footballer who is most noted for his career at Torquay United and Exeter City.-Playing career:An apprentice at Ipswich Town McNichol joined Luton Town in July 1976. He later played for Brentford, before moving on to Exeter City. In July 1986 he joined Torquay United...
had been bitten by a police dog.
Morgan resigned in May 1987 and the following month began his second spell as manager of Weymouth. He took 'The Terras' to second place in the league before a flooded Wessex Stadium pitch meant that they did not play for six weeks, thus losing their momentum. Morgan then joined forces with Harry Redknapp again, as Chief Scout of AFC Bournemouth, where they enjoyed a lot of success.
In August 1993 he was appointed as manager of Dorchester Town
Dorchester Town F.C.
Dorchester Town Football Club are a semi-professional football club, based in Dorchester, Dorset, England, and currently playing in the Blue Square Bet South...
, where he took 'The Magpies' to their highest ever Southern Premier League finish, but was sacked in September 1999 after a 3-0 defeat in the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
qualifying rounds to a Taunton Town
Taunton Town F.C.
Taunton Town Football Club are an English football club based in Taunton, Somerset, England. They compete in the Southern Football League Division One South & West, and play their home matches at their Wordsworth Drive ground which they moved into during the 1953 season...
side that contained manager Russell Musker
Russell Musker
Russell Musker is an English former footballer who played for Bristol City, Exeter City, Gillingham, Torquay United and Walsall between 1980 and 1992, making over 180 appearances in the Football League, before embarking on a career in the non-league game with Gloucester City, Saltash United and...
and four players, Tom Kelly
Tom Kelly (footballer)
Thomas John Kelly is a Scottish former professional football, currently playing for South West Peninsula League side Bovey Tracey....
, Mark Loram, Chris Myers
Chris Myers (footballer)
Christopher Myers is an English former professional footballer who played for clubs including Torquay United and Exeter City.-Career:...
, and Darren Cann
Darren Cann
Darren John Cann is an English former professional football central defender and is currently men's soccer coach at St. Thomas University in New Brunswick.Cann was born in Torquay...
, all of whom he had signed while manager of Torquay.
He later worked as a scout for West Ham United and Portsmouth and is currently a full-time scout for Tottenham Hotspur Football Club.