Alan Morton
![]() | This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages)
|
![]() | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Alan Lauder Morton[1] | ||
Date of birth | 24 April 1893 | ||
Place of birth | Glasgow, Scotland | ||
Date of death | 12 December 1971[2] | (aged 78)||
Place of death | Airdrie, Scotland[1] | ||
Position(s) | Outside Left | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1913–1920 | Queen's Park | 218 | (46) |
1920–1933 | Rangers | 382 | (83) |
National team | |||
1915–1917[3] | Scottish League (wartime) | 3 | (0) |
1918–1919 | Scotland (wartime) | 4 | (1) |
1919–1931 | Scottish League XI | 15 | (1) |
1920–1932 | Scotland | 31 | (5) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Alan Lauder Morton (24 April 1893 – 12 December 1971) was a Scottish international footballer and "Wembley Wizard". He was known for his stirring wing play as an outside-left and commitment to Rangers. He retired from active play in 1933.
Playing career
Club
Morton was born in the Jordanhill district of Glasgow.[4] He grew up in Airdrie, where his family relocated due to his father's work.[4] After leaving Airdrie Academy he had an unsuccessful trial with Airdrieonians.[4] Consequently, he entered studies to become a mining engineer while playing with Queen's Park,[4] the famous amateur club.[1] Once fully qualified in 1920 he turned professional, becoming Bill Struth's first signing as manager of Rangers, but only on the proviso that he could maintain his position as a mining engineer.[4]
Morton only measured 5 ft 4 inches in height but his talent lay in his physical balance, speed and thought.[4] As a result of this association, Struth's intuitive training and the combination of an array of internationals (not least Bob McPhail and David Meiklejohn), Rangers enjoyed a sustained period of success. Highlights included the famous 1928 Scottish Cup triumph against Celtic in which Rangers ended a 25‑year wait to win the Cup 4–0.
In addition to this Morton went on to receive winner's medals as Scottish Football League champion in 1921, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930 and 1931, and as a Scottish Cup winner in 1930; he received runners-up medals in 1921, 1922, and 1929. He made his debut for Rangers against Airdrieonians on 17 August 1920, and played his last game against the same opposition on 7 January 1933 (in which he scored). "The Wee Blue Devil", as he was nicknamed, played 470 times for the Gers and scored 109 goals.[5]
Morton's dress was as precise as his play.[4] He was a familiar figure strolling down Paisley Road West towards training at Ibrox sporting a bowler hat and umbrella (as befitted a professional gentleman of the time), which caused locals to dub him "The Wee Society Man" (insurance salesman).
International
Morton had already been capped while an amateur before joining Rangers (making his debut for Scotland on 26 February 1920 against Wales) but would go on to play in every international against the Auld Enemy, England, from 1920 to 1932 bar the fixture at Old Trafford in 1926, eventually winning 31 caps.[6] In addition he made 15 appearances (scoring 1 goal) for the Scottish League XI[7] (making his debut on 22 February 1919 against the Football League at St. Andrew's, Birmingham after playing in three wartime fundraising matches) and four Scotland wartime appearances (a charity match and three Victory Internationals).[8][9]
It was in the 1928 full international in London where Morton, as part of an under-rated Scottish side that beat England 5‑1 in driving rain to record a famous triumph, earned the moniker: "Wembley Wizard". Three of Morton's crosses were converted by Huddersfield Town's Alex Jackson. Ivan Sharpe, the ex‑player and writer, commented on the victory: "England were not merely beaten. They were bewildered – run to a standstill, made to appear utterly inferior by a team whose play was as cultured and beautiful as I ever expect to see."[10]
Retirement
After retiring Morton's impact was felt as an administrator, becoming a powerful figure within Scottish sport. He was appointed to the Rangers board and he remained there until the year of his death.[4] Further afield, he demonstrated an inclination toward Unionist politics in reaction to the rise in post-War Scottish nationalism. He also had a coal business in Central Scotland. Today a portrait of Morton in his Scottish strip stands at the top of the marble staircase at Ibrox's Main Stand, such is his enduring stature at the club.[11]
Personal life
His elder brother Bob Morton also played for Queen's Park, where the siblings were teammates for six seasons.[12]
Honours
Scottish League: (9)
Scottish Cup: (3)
Glasgow Cup: (5)
- 1922–23, 1923–24, 1924–25, 1929–30, 1931–32
See also
- List of footballers in Scotland by number of league appearances (500+)
- List of Scotland national football team captains
- List of Scotland wartime international footballers
- List of Scottish football families
References
- ^ a b c "Morton, Alan Lauder". QPFC.com. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
- ^ Litster, John. Record of Pre-War Scottish League Players. Norwich: PM Publications.
- ^ Association Football. Belgian Refugees' Fund, The Glasgow Herald, 17 May 1915
Association Football. War Fund Games, The Glasgow Herald, 22 May 1916
Notes on Sport. Football's Exit, The Glasgow Herald, 28 May 1917 - ^ a b c d e f g h Cairney, John (12 November 1998). A Scottish Football Hall of Fame (illustrated ed.). Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing. ISBN 9781840180442.
- ^ "Rangers player Alan Morton". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
- ^ Alan Morton at the Scottish Football Association
- ^ "Alan Lauder Morton". Londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters Club. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
- ^ 45,000 view the charity 'national match, Sunday Post, 9 June 1918 (via Partick Thistle History Archive)
- ^ "Scotland player Alan Morton (including unofficial matches)". London Hearts Supporters Club. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
- ^ "Wembley Wizards report in the profile of Hughie Gallacher". Archived from the original on 17 September 2009.
- ^ "Rangers legend Alan Morton's medals to go up for auction". Daily Record. 2 December 2009. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
- ^ The Restoration of Rangers Graves Project. Alan Morton., The Founders' Trail, 16 May 2017
- ^ played in drawn Final in 1932 but not in Replay
- Morton, Brian (8 January 2006). Blue Devil With A Briefcase: Alan Morton – Rangers And Scotland Legend. Trafalgar Square. ISBN 1-84018-472-8.
- Cairney, John (2004). A Scottish Football Hall of Fame. Mainstream Sport. ISBN 1-84018-920-7.
External links
- Scottish FA player ID not in Wikidata
- Articles with short description
- Justapedia articles with style issues from February 2010
- Articles with invalid date parameter in template
- All articles with style issues
- Articles needing additional references from February 2010
- All articles needing additional references
- Articles with multiple maintenance issues
- Use dmy dates from December 2018
- 1893 births
- 1971 deaths
- Footballers from Glasgow
- Association football wingers
- Rangers F.C. players
- Queen's Park F.C. players
- Scottish footballers
- Scotland international footballers
- Scotland wartime international footballers
- Rangers F.C. non-playing staff
- Scottish Football Hall of Fame inductees
- Scottish Football League players
- People educated at Airdrie Academy
- Scottish Football League representative players
- Place of death missing
- People from Jordanhill
- Footballers from Airdrie, North Lanarkshire