Owen Morrison
FullnameJohn Owen Morrison[1]
Birth date8 December 1981 (age 44)
Birth placeDerry, Northern Ireland
Height1.73 m
PositionWinger
Years 11997–1998
Clubs 1Derry City
Caps 13
Goals 10
Years 21998–2003
Clubs 2Sheffield Wednesday
Caps 255
Goals 28
Years 32002
Clubs 3→ Hull City (loan)
Caps 32
Goals 30
Years 42003
Clubs 4Sheffield United
Caps 48
Goals 40
Years 52003–2004
Clubs 5Stockport County
Caps 523
Goals 51
Years 62004–2006
Clubs 6Bradford City
Caps 636
Goals 62
Years 72006–2008
Clubs 7Dunfermline Athletic
Caps 734
Goals 72
Years 82008
Clubs 8Derry City
Caps 816
Goals 84
Years 92009
Clubs 9Sligo Rovers
Caps 925
Goals 91
Years 102010
Clubs 10Portadown
Caps 1011
Goals 100
Years 112011
Clubs 11New York
Caps 1113
Goals 111
Years 122011–2012
Clubs 12Derry City
Caps 1218
Goals 120
Years 132014–2015
Clubs 13Letterkenny Rovers
Nationalteam 1Northern Ireland U-21

John Owen Morrison (born 8 December 1981) is a Northern Irish former professional footballer.

Morrison played in the League of Ireland for Sligo Rovers and had three separate seasons for his hometown club Derry City. He also played for English sides Sheffield Wednesday, Hull City, Sheffield United, Stockport County and Bradford City, as well as Dunfermline Athletic in Scotland.

Career

After playing as a youth with Derry City in the League of Ireland, he began his senior career with Sheffield Wednesday during which he had a loan spell with Hull City. After 55 league appearances and eight goals in just under five seasons with the club he joined their rivals Sheffield United in 2003.[2] He departed Sheffield United just five months later after refusing to sign a new contract after playing only eight league matches and joined Stockport County.[3]

He left Stockport after just over a year and joined Bradford City after an initial loan period.[4] However, Morrison fell out of manager Colin Todd's plans and made only 32 league appearances for the club before being sacked in May 2006 due to breaches of discipline.[5] He did though endear himself to Bantams fans by scoring a last gasp winner against former club Sheffield Wednesday in a Yorkshire derby in February 2005 that kept the club in the play off hunt before ultimately falling short.[6] Morrison joined Dunfermline Athletic in July 2006 after a successful trial[7] and scored his first goal for the club in a 1–1 draw with Rangers in August 2006[8]

He has been capped by Northern Ireland at Under-21 level and was last called up to the senior team in 2001 but was not capped.

Morrison completed a week-long trial with Chinese side Qingdao Zhongneng in February 2007 and was offered a contract.[9] The move was cancelled and Morrison was initially offered a new one-year extension but rejected this.[10] Morrison signed a new contract extension with The Pars a month later.[11]

After almost two years with the Pars, Morrison was returned to Derry City by manager Stephen Kenny, whom he played under while at Dunfermline.[12] However, in September 2008, only a few months after his return to the Brandywell, Morrison was released from his contract by mutual consent.[13]

In 2009, Owen Morrison was unveiled as one of two new players, the other being Stephen Parkhouse, joining Sligo Rovers upon the return of Paul Cook to the club. He scored his first goal for the Sligo in a 2–2 draw away to Drogheda United. He was released at the end of the season.

On 18 January 2010, Morrison signed for Portadown until the end of the IFA Premiership season.[14]

Morrison signed with F.C. New York of the American USL Pro league on 18 March 2011,[15] He scored his first goal for New York against Orlando City on 30 April 2011 to tie the game 1–1 but they eventually lost 2–1,[16] on 28 June 2011, in the third round of the US Open Cup against the New York Red Bulls, he opened the scoring with a wonderful shot from a 30-yard strike that blasted into the top of the net to give FC New York the lead, but they lost 2–1.[17]

Morrison left F.C. New York and rejoined Derry City for the remainder of the 2011 season. He was later released during the 2012 League of Ireland season.

On 23 February 2015 Morrison was charged with possessing a class A drug with intent to supply and possession of cocaine. He was also charged with handling a car stolen in the Republic of Ireland, with no insurance and no licence.[18]

See also

References

  1. ^
  2. ^ "Blades swoop to capture Morrison". BBC South Yorkshire. 21 February 2003.
  3. ^ "Morrison signs for Stockport". BBC Sport website. 22 July 2003.
  4. ^ "Morrison signs Bradford contract". BBC Sport website. 20 December 2004.
  5. ^ "Morrison sacked by Bradford boss". BBC Sport website. 11 May 2006.
  6. ^ "Sheff Wed 1-2 Bradford". 12 February 2005.
  7. ^ "Pars sign Morrison and De Vries". BBC Sport website. 21 July 2006.
  8. ^ "Dunfermline Ath 1–1 Rangers". BBC Sport website. 13 August 2006.
  9. ^ "Morrison hoping for China switch". BBC Sport website. 10 February 2007.
  10. ^ "Morrison clan split at East End". BBC Sport website. 7 June 2007.
  11. ^ "Morrison stays on at Dunfermline". BBC Sport website. 5 July 2007.
  12. ^ "Morrison added to squad". Archived from the original on 19 February 2008. Retrieved 14 February 2008.
  13. ^ "Owen Morrison Released from Contract". Retrieved 2 September 2008. [dead link]
  14. ^ "Ports snap up Morrison". Archived from the original on 28 January 2010. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
  15. ^ F.C. New York Adds Irish Duo Archived 10 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  16. ^ Orlando City at FC New York 2:1 Archived 28 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  17. ^ "Rooney, Hertzog leads Red Bulls over FCNY". Archived from the original on 11 October 2012. Retrieved 14 July 2012.
  18. ^ Former Wednesday and United player in court over drugs charges Archived 23 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine