Michael Brian Morrison (born 3 March 1988) is an English professional
footballer
A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby le ...
who plays as a
centre back
In the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield position whose primary role is to stop attacks during the game and prevent the opposition from scoring.
Centre-backs are usually positioned in pairs, with one full-back on either s ...
for
Portsmouth
Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council.
Portsmouth is the most dens ...
.
Morrison began his senior career in the
Conference National
The National League, known as the Vanarama National League for sponsorship reasons, is the highest level of the National League System and fifth-highest of the overall English football league system. It is the highest league that is semi-profes ...
with
Cambridge United
Cambridge United Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Cambridge, England. They compete in EFL League one , the 3rd tier of the English football league system. The club is based at the Abbey Stadium on N ...
. After three years as a first-team player, he moved on to
Leicester City
Leicester ( ) is a city, unitary authority and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest settlement in the East Midlands.
The city lies on the River Soar and close to the eastern end of the National ...
, contributing to their promotion to the Championship in 2009. He spent the second half of the 2010–11 season with
Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club is a professional association football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. The team competes in League One, the third tier of the English football league system. Formed in 1867 as an offshoot of ...
of
League One
The English Football League One (often referred to as League One for short or Sky Bet League One for sponsorship purposes, and known as the Football League One from 2004 until 2016) is the second-highest division of the English Football Leag ...
before moving to another League One club,
Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, south-east London, which compete in . Their home ground is The Valley, where the club have played since 1919. They have also played at The Mount in C ...
. He helped Charlton gain promotion to the Championship in his first season, was appointed vice-captain, and played regularly until 2014, when he joined another Championship club,
Birmingham City
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional football club based in Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, it was renamed Small Heath in 1888, Birmingham in 1905, and Birmingham City in 1943. Since 2011, the first te ...
, initially on
loan
In finance, a loan is the lending of money by one or more individuals, organizations, or other entities to other individuals, organizations, etc. The recipient (i.e., the borrower) incurs a debt and is usually liable to pay interest on that d ...
.
While a Cambridge United player, he represented
England at semi-professional level.
Career
Cambridge United
Morrison was born in
Bury St Edmunds
Bury St Edmunds (), commonly referred to locally as Bury, is a historic market town, market, cathedral town and civil parish in Suffolk, England.OS Explorer map 211: Bury St.Edmunds and Stowmarket Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher:Ordnance Survey – ...
, Suffolk.
He grew up in nearby
Haverhill, and attended
Castle Manor School. He started his football career with
Cambridge United
Cambridge United Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Cambridge, England. They compete in EFL League one , the 3rd tier of the English football league system. The club is based at the Abbey Stadium on N ...
, where he came through their youth academy and at the age of 15 became the youngest player to ever feature for their reserve side. He made his debut for Cambridge United in October 2005 against
Halifax Town
FC Halifax Town is a professional association football club based in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England. They currently compete in and play at the Shay. They replaced Halifax Town A.F.C., which went into administration in the 2007–08 season. ...
when he was aged 17,
[ and was voted young player of the year for three years in row between 2006 and 2008. He appeared for ]England C
The England national football C team (previously known as the England National Game XI and the England Semi-Pro national team) is the football team that represents England at non-league level.
Formed in 1979 as the England Non-League team, it fe ...
the team that represents England at semi-professional levelagainst Finland in November 2007 and against Wales in May 2008 when England retained the Four Nations Tournament title.
Leicester City
Morrison joined Leicester City
Leicester ( ) is a city, unitary authority and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest settlement in the East Midlands.
The city lies on the River Soar and close to the eastern end of the National ...
on 2 July 2008, signing a two-year contract for an undisclosed fee. Pleased at joining Leicester, Morrison believed his transfer was in the best interests of Cambridge, who could have lost him on a free transfer. He saw manager Nigel Pearson
Nigel Graham Pearson (born 21 August 1963) is an English football manager and former professional player, currently the manager of Championship club Bristol City. During his playing career, he was a defender and played for Shrewsbury Town, Shef ...
as his mentor due to his past experience as a defender. Morrison made his professional debut in a 2–0 win over Milton Keynes Dons
Milton Keynes Dons Football Club (), usually abbreviated to MK Dons, is a professional association football club based in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England. The team competes in , the third tier of the English football league system. The ...
on 9 August, and scored his first goal in a 4–2 win over Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town Association Football Club is a professional football club based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England, which compete in the . The team have played home games at the Kirklees Stadium since moving from Leeds Road in 1994. Th ...
on 24 January 2009. He returned to the first-team line-up in November 2008 after Patrick Kisnorbo
Patrick Fabio Maxime Kisnorbo (born 24 March 1981) is an Australian professional football manager and former player who is currently the manager of club Troyes. He is also known by his nicknames Paddy and PK. As a player, Kisnorbo was a primar ...
was ruled out by injury. Helping Leicester win promotion as champions, he ended their last home game of the season by scoring two goals against Scunthorpe United on 24 April, the night they received the League One trophy.
Happy to fight for a first-team spot in the 2009–10 season, Morrison's squad number was changed from 15 to 4. On 6 October 2009, Morrison signed a two-year contract extension with Leicester, to run until June 2012. He scored his first goal of the season in a 2–1 home win over Sheffield United
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional football club in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, which compete in the . They are nicknamed "the Blades" due to Sheffield's history of cutlery production. The team have played home games at ...
on Boxing Day. Morrison took over the right back role in January 2010, after a poor display from teammate Robbie Neilson
Robbie Neilson (born 19 June 1980) is a Scottish professional football manager and former player who is currently the manager of Scottish Premiership club Heart of Midlothian.
Neilson, who played as a right-back, started his senior career with ...
.
Sheffield Wednesday
On 7 January 2011, Morrison signed for Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club is a professional association football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. The team competes in League One, the third tier of the English football league system. Formed in 1867 as an offshoot of ...
on a three-and-a-half-year contract for an undisclosed fee.
Charlton Athletic
On 12 July 2011, Morrison joined League One side Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, south-east London, which compete in . Their home ground is The Valley, where the club have played since 1919. They have also played at The Mount in C ...
on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee. He quickly established himself as a key member of Chris Powell's team, winning League One Player of the Month for November 2011. He established himself as the team's first choice centre-half during the 2012–13 Championship campaign, in which the Addicks finished in ninth place. On 24 June 2014, Morrison signed a two-year contract extension, keeping him at the club until 2016.
Birmingham City
Morrison joined Birmingham City
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional football club based in Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, it was renamed Small Heath in 1888, Birmingham in 1905, and Birmingham City in 1943. Since 2011, the first te ...
on 31 October 2014 on a two-month emergency loan. He went straight into the starting eleven for the following day's goalless draw at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club (), commonly known as Wolves, is a professional football club based in Wolverhampton, England, which compete in the . The club has played at Molineux Stadium since moving from Dudley Road in 1889. The club's ...
, and kept his place thereafter, establishing himself as centre-back of choice alongside captain Paul Robinson. In December, it was announced that Morrison would sign a three-and-a-half-year contract with Birmingham once his loan ended and the January transfer window opened. His loan was initially extended for a few days to ensure his eligibility for the third-round FA Cup tie against Blyth Spartans
Blyth Spartans Association Football Club is a football club based in Blyth, Northumberland. They are currently members of and play at Croft Park.
They were founded in September 1899 by Fred Stoker, who was the club's first secretary before fo ...
, when he captained the team, and the permanent move was confirmed on 5 January 2015.
Morrison left the club after his contract expired in June 2019, after failing to agree a new deal.
Reading
On 19 July 2019, Morrison joined another Championship club, Reading
Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of Letter (alphabet), letters, symbols, etc., especially by Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch.
For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process invo ...
, on a two-year contract. He scored his first goal for the club to complete a 2–0 league win against Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town Association Football Club is a professional football club based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England, which compete in the . The team have played home games at the Kirklees Stadium since moving from Leeds Road in 1994. Th ...
on 24 August.[
On 11 May 2021, Morrison signed a new one-year contract with Reading.
]
Portsmouth
On 26 July 2022, Portsmouth
Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council.
Portsmouth is the most dens ...
announced the signing of Morrison on a one-year contract.
International career
Morrison represented England at semi professional level during his time at Cambridge United playing for the England C
The England national football C team (previously known as the England National Game XI and the England Semi-Pro national team) is the football team that represents England at non-league level.
Formed in 1979 as the England Non-League team, it fe ...
, sometimes known as the National Game XI. He played against Finland in November 2007 and against Wales in May 2008 when England retained the Four Nations Tournament title.
Career statistics
Honours
Leicester City
*Football League One
The English Football League One (often referred to as League One for short or Sky Bet League One for sponsorship purposes, and known as the Football League One from 2004 until 2016) is the second-highest division of the English Football Leag ...
: 2008–09
Charlton Athletic
*Football League One: 2011–12
Individual
*PFA Team of the Year
The Professional Footballers' Association Team of the Year (often called the PFA Team of the Year, or simply the Team of the Year) is an annual award given to a set of 55 footballers across the top four tiers of men's English football; the Premie ...
: 2011–12 League One
References
External links
*
Leicester City profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Morrison, Michael
1988 births
Living people
Sportspeople from Bury St Edmunds
People from Haverhill, Suffolk
Footballers from Suffolk
English footballers
England semi-pro international footballers
Association football defenders
Cambridge United F.C. players
Leicester City F.C. players
Sheffield Wednesday F.C. players
Charlton Athletic F.C. players
Birmingham City F.C. players
Reading F.C. players
National League (English football) players
English Football League players