Taylor Lee Morgan (born 21 October 1990) is an English former
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 played as a
forward
Forward is a relative direction, the opposite of backward.
Forward may also refer to:
People
* Forward (surname)
Sports
* Forward (association football)
* Forward (basketball), including:
** Point forward
** Power forward (basketball)
** Sm ...
.
Career
Early career
Taylor joined the
Southampton
Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...
academy at the age of 10 and remained there for four years before joining the
Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers Football Club, commonly abbreviated to QPR, is a professional football club based in Shepherd's Bush, West London, England, which compete in the . After a nomadic early existence, they have played home matches at Loftus Ro ...
academy for two years. Morgan played for the
English Schools' Football Association
The English Schools' Football Association was founded in 1904 and is the governing body of schools' football in England. It is responsible for the running and development of schools competitions and festivals at primary and secondary school age ...
U18 side while he continued his education, before moving to the United States on a college scholarship through th Pass4Soccer Scholarships Agency He spent his first year at
Central Connecticut State University
Central Connecticut State University (Central Connecticut, CCSU, Central Connecticut State, or informally Central) is a public university in New Britain, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1849 as the State Normal School, CCSU is Connecticut ...
before transferring to
George Mason University
George Mason University (George Mason, Mason, or GMU) is a public research university in Fairfax County, Virginia with an independent City of Fairfax, Virginia postal address in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area. The university was origin ...
for his final three years. He finished with 23 goals and 7 assists in 50 appearances for the George Mason Patriots, including 13 goals in 19 matches as a senior to lead the Colonial Athletic Association. During his time at college, he also appeared for the
Chicago Fire Premier
Chicago Fire U-23 was an American soccer team based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 2001, the team last played in the PDL, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. They last played in 2016, choosing to leave the PDL.
Th ...
of the
USL Premier Development League
USL League Two (USL2), formerly the Premier Development League (PDL), is a semi-professional developmental soccer league sponsored by United Soccer Leagues in the United States and Canada, forming part of the United States soccer league syste ...
.
Toronto
Morgan was signed by
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
in the fourth round (58th overall) in the
2013 MLS Supplemental Draft The 2013 MLS Supplemental Draft was a secondary draft that was held by Major League Soccer via conference call on January 22, 2013. The draft was four rounds with all 19 MLS clubs participating.
Selection order
The official selection order was a ...
. He joined the team for its 2013 pre-season training camp and officially signed with them on 1 March 2013. He then made his debut on 2 March 2013 in Toronto's MLS season opener against
Vancouver Whitecaps
Vancouver Whitecaps Football Club is a Canadian professional soccer team based in Vancouver. They compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member club of the league's Western Conference. The MLS iteration of the club was established on March ...
at the
BC Place Stadium
BC Place is a multi-purpose stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Located at the north side of False Creek, it is owned and operated by the BC Pavilion Corporation (PavCo), a crown corporation of the province.
The venue is currently ...
, coming on as a 75th-minute substitute for
Terry Dunfield
Terence Dunfield (born February 20, 1982) is a Canadian former soccer player, coach and pundit who is head coach of Toronto FC's under-17s team, as well as soccer analyst for TSN and colour commentator for OneSoccer.
As a player he was a midfi ...
. Morgan was released by Toronto on 14 May 2013, after making this one appearance.
Ă–stersunds
Morgan signed with Swedish football club
Ă–stersund
Östersund (; sma, Staare) is an urban area (city) in Jämtland in the middle of Sweden. It is the seat of Östersund Municipality and the capital of Jämtland County. Östersund is located at the shores of Sweden's fifth-largest lake, Storsjön, ...
on 9 August 2013. He scored his first two goals for the club on 21 August 2013 against
Vänersborgs IF
Vänersborgs IF is a Swedish football club located in Vänersborg. The club was founded in 1906. The current men's football team head coach is Andy Kilner.
Background
The club was founded in 1906. In the 1940s, it became the first team from VĂ ...
in the
Svenska Cupen
Svenska Cupen (, ''The Swedish Cup'') is a knockout cup competition in Swedish football and the main Swedish football cup. Svenska Cupen usually refers to the men's tournament, although a women's tournament is also held. Each year 96 teams compe ...
in the 41st and 69th minutes of a 5–0 victory. He then scored his first two league goals on 14 September 2013 against Varbergs BolS in the 82nd and 87th minute, after coming on as a substitute match in a 3–0 victory. Morgan then scored his third goal for the club on 19 October against
Ljungskile SK
Ljungskile SK is a Swedish football club located in Ljungskile, a town within Uddevalla Municipality. They currently play in the Swedish third tier, Division 1.
History
Ljungskile SK, formed in 1926, is famous for their promotions between 19 ...
in the 90th minute of a 3–1 victory.
Falkirk (loan)
After the
2014 Superettan
The 2014 Superettan, part of the 2014 Swedish football season, was the 14th season of Superettan, Sweden's second-tier football league in its current format. The 2014 fixtures were released on 20 December 2013. The season started on 5 April 2014 a ...
season concluded, Morgan signed with
Scottish Championship
The Scottish Championship, known as the cinch Championship for sponsorship reasons, is the second tier of the Scottish Professional Football League, the league competition for men's professional football clubs in Scotland
Scotland (, ...
side
Falkirk
Falkirk ( gd, An Eaglais Bhreac, sco, Fawkirk) is a large town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland, historically within the county of Stirlingshire. It lies in the Forth Valley, northwest of Edinburgh and northeast of Glasgow.
Falkirk had a ...
on loan until the end of the season. He made his debut on 10 January 2015 against Hibernian, coming on as a substitute.
Airdrieonians (loan)
On 23 July 2015, Morgan moved on loan to
Scottish League One
The Scottish League One, known as cinch League One for sponsorship reasons, is the third tier of the Scottish Professional Football League, the league competition for men's professional football clubs in Scotland. The Scottish League One was e ...
club
Airdrieonians
Airdrieonians Football Club is a Scottish professional football team in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, who are members of the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) and play in Scottish League One. They were formed in 2002 as Airdrie United ...
, signing until January 2016. He made his debut for the club on 25 July 2015 in a
Scottish Challenge Cup
The Scottish Professional Football League Challenge Cup,Annan Athletic. He started the match and played 75 minutes as Airdrieonians lost 3–1.
Tulsa Roughnecks
Morgan signed with the
Tulsa Roughnecks Tulsa Roughnecks may refer to any of four distinct professional soccer teams:
*Tulsa Roughnecks (1978–1984), the original top-flight team that played in the North American Soccer League from 1978 to 1984.
*Tulsa Roughnecks (1993–2000), the team ...
of the
United Soccer League
United Soccer League (USL), formerly known as United Soccer Leagues, is a Association football, soccer league in the United States and Canada. It organizes several men's and women's leagues, both professional and amateur. Men's leagues curren ...
in February 2016. He made his debut for the club on 26 March 2016 against RGV Toros, coming on as a 79th-minute substitute as Tulsa won 2–0. He scored his first goal for the club on 2 April in a 1–2 defeat against
Swope Park Rangers
Sporting Kansas City II is a MLS Next Pro club affiliated with Sporting Kansas City of Major League Soccer. For the 2022 season they will play their home games at Rock Chalk Park at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas, as well as Swope S ...
.
San Antonio
Morgan signed for Tulsa's Texas rivals
San Antonio
("Cradle of Freedom")
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, mapsize = 220px
, map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = United States
, subdivision_type1= U.S. state, State
, subdivision_name1 = Texas
, s ...
on 22 June 2016, making his debut when he played the first 60 minutes in 0–0 home draw on 9 July against
Oklahoma City Energy
Oklahoma City Energy Football Club is an American professional soccer club based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The club is a member of the USL Championship, the second division of the American soccer league system.
History
Oklahoma City businessma ...
. He featured as a wide midfielder or lone forward in 13 further matches and was credited with his only assist for what was the winning goal after coming on as second-half substitute against
Seattle Sounders FC 2
Tacoma Defiance, formerly Seattle Sounders FC 2, is an American professional Association football, soccer team based in Tacoma, Washington, Tacoma, Washington (state), Washington, U.S. that competes in the MLS Next Pro, the third tier of the Unit ...
on 20 August 2016.
He left the club at the end of the 2016 season and signed for
National League South
The National League South, formerly Conference South, is one of the second divisions of the National League in England, immediately below the top division National League. Along with National League North, it is in the second level of the N ...
side
Whitehawk
Whitehawk is a suburb in the east of Brighton, England, south of Bevendean and north of Brighton Marina. The area is a large, modern housing estate built in a downland dry valley historically known as Whitehawk Bottom. The estate was originally ...
on 23 March 2017.
Personal
Taylor supports
Arsenal
An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, or issued, in any combination, whether privately or publicly owned. Arsenal and armoury (British English) or armory (American English) are mostly ...
, while his father and younger brother are season ticket holders of
Queen's Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers Football Club, commonly abbreviated to QPR, is a professional football club based in Shepherd's Bush, West London, England, which compete in the . After a nomadic early existence, they have played home matches at Loftus Roa ...
. Two weeks before being signed by
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
, he went to a QPR game while back in the UK on holiday, not knowing at the time that he would be watching one of his soon-to-be coach
Ryan Nelsen
Ryan William Nelsen (born 18 October 1977) is a former New Zealand professional football player and former head coach of Major League Soccer side Toronto FC.
Nelsen commonly played as a defender, and his professional career began in 1995. He ...
's final professional games as a player. Nelson subsequently left QPR to coach
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
and signed Taylor the following month.
Taylor attended
Hamble Community Sports College
The Hamble School is a secondary school in Hamble-le-Rice, offering education to children between 11-16.
Ofsted
The school was inspected by Ofsted in November 2001, when the quality of teaching received an overall "good" for both Years 7-9 and ...
George Mason University
George Mason University (George Mason, Mason, or GMU) is a public research university in Fairfax County, Virginia with an independent City of Fairfax, Virginia postal address in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area. The university was origin ...