Seymour Morris
Encyclopedia
Seymour Morris was a Welsh
professional footballer who played as an outside left. He won five full caps
for his country and played for Huddersfield Town
and Birmingham
in the Football League
.
, Glamorgan
. On leaving school he became a miner, and then joined the army, serving in the Welch Regiment
. While stationed near Cardiff
he played football for Welsh League
side Aberaman Athletic
, where he was noticed by bigger clubs. He turned professional, signing for Huddersfield Town
in 1933. Unable to establish himself as a regular first-team player at Huddersfield, he moved to fellow First Division
club Birmingham
in March 1935.
At Birmingham he was used in his preferred position on the left wing, but still took another eighteen months to supplant Billy Guest
as first choice in that spot. He was the club's top scorer in 1936–37, with 15 league goals (16 in all competitions), but this was the only year in which injury and international duty allowed him to play anything approaching a full season. During the Second World War he serviced aircraft at Elmdon aerodrome and made occasional appearances for Birmingham, playing his last game for the club in April 1945.
He won five full caps for Wales
. On his international debut he scored the opening goal in a 2–1 victory over England
at Ninian Park
on 17 October 1936, which was the first time England had lost in Wales for over 50 years.
Wales went on to win the Home International Championship
that season, the last time they won it outright.
When he retired from playing football he returned to Wales and worked in a tool factory in Crickhowell
, where he coached the works football team. Later he and his wife ran a children's home. He died in October 1991, aged 83.
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...
professional footballer who played as an outside left. He won five full caps
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
for his country and played for Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
and Birmingham
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
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...
.
Biography
Seymour Morris was born in YnyshirYnyshir
Ynyshir , meaning "Long Island" in English, is a village and a community located in the Rhondda Valley, within Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales. The village takes its name from a farm in the area, falling within the historic parishes of Ystradyfodwg and Llanwynno . The community of Ynyshir also...
, Glamorgan
Glamorgan
Glamorgan or Glamorganshire is one of the thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. It was originally an early medieval kingdom of varying boundaries known as Glywysing until taken over by the Normans as a lordship. Glamorgan is latterly represented by the three...
. On leaving school he became a miner, and then joined the army, serving in the Welch Regiment
Welch Regiment
The Welch Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1969.-History:It was formed as the Welsh Regiment during the Childers Reforms of 1881, by the amalgamation of the 41st Regiment of Foot and the 69th Regiment of Foot...
. While stationed near Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
he played football for Welsh League
Welsh Football League
The Welsh Football League is a club football league in Wales. Division One of the Welsh Football League is at Level 2 of the Welsh football league system, immediately below the national Welsh Premier League.The Welsh Football League's history stretches back to 1904 when the competition was first...
side Aberaman Athletic
Aberaman Athletic F.C.
Aberaman Athletic Football Club is a Welsh football club that currently play in the Welsh Football League Division One. Their ground is situated on Cardiff Road, Aberdare, between the suburb of Aberaman and the village of Abercwmboi....
, where he was noticed by bigger clubs. He turned professional, signing for Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
in 1933. Unable to establish himself as a regular first-team player at Huddersfield, he moved to fellow First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
club Birmingham
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
in March 1935.
At Birmingham he was used in his preferred position on the left wing, but still took another eighteen months to supplant Billy Guest
Billy Guest
William Francis "Billy" Guest was an English professional footballer who played as an outside left for Birmingham, Blackburn Rovers and Walsall in the Football League either side of the Second World War. During the war, he won a runners-up medal with Blackburn Rovers in the 1940 War Cup...
as first choice in that spot. He was the club's top scorer in 1936–37, with 15 league goals (16 in all competitions), but this was the only year in which injury and international duty allowed him to play anything approaching a full season. During the Second World War he serviced aircraft at Elmdon aerodrome and made occasional appearances for Birmingham, playing his last game for the club in April 1945.
He won five full caps for Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
. On his international debut he scored the opening goal in a 2–1 victory over England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
at Ninian Park
Ninian Park
Ninian Park was a football stadium in Leckwith, Cardiff, Wales. Until 2009, it was the home ground of Cardiff City F.C., who compete in the English Football League Championship...
on 17 October 1936, which was the first time England had lost in Wales for over 50 years.
Wales went on to win the Home International Championship
British Home Championship
The British Home Championship was an annual football competition contested between the United Kingdom's four national teams, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland from the 1883–84 season until the 1983–84...
that season, the last time they won it outright.
When he retired from playing football he returned to Wales and worked in a tool factory in Crickhowell
Crickhowell
Crickhowell is a small town in Powys, Mid Wales.-Location:The name Crickhowell is taken from that of the nearby Iron Age hill fort of Crug Hywel above the town, the Welsh language name being anglicised by map-makers and local English-speaking people...
, where he coached the works football team. Later he and his wife ran a children's home. He died in October 1991, aged 83.