Johnny Morrissey Appreciation Thread

[Groucho]

Seeing as in this "series" we will at some point have discussed the holy trinity, I thought it right and proper that we take a look at the fourth man in that midfield - Johhny Morrissey.

From wikipedia:

Morrissey was born in Liverpool, and began his football career as a junior with Liverpool F.C, signing professional forms when he turned 17, and making his debut in September 1957. He played as an outside left, and was unable to dislodge Alan A'Court from that position in the first team.

In 1962 he signed for Everton for £10,000, sold without manager Bill Shankly's knowledge. He scored on his Everton debut, in the first league Merseyside derby in 11 seasons, which finished as a 2–2 draw, and went on to help the club to the First Division title in his first season.

In 10 years with Everton, Morrissey scored 50 goals from 314 games in all competitions. Despite his small stature Morrissey had a reputation as an uncompromising player, Jimmy Greaves once commenting that he "always got the retaliation in first!". Johnny Giles, however, whilst later recognising Morrissey's unflinching style, commented first on him: "Well Johnny Morrissey, first of all, was a top-class player. He was a terrific player."

Was he the player that did the "dirty work" that allowed Harvey, Kendall and Ball to flourish? He was a bit before my time so I'm, as usual, relying on the memories of elder blues to fill us in on this thread. He scores the first goal in this clip below:

 

[blueloon]

Seeing as in this "series" we will at some point have discussed the holy trinity, I thought it right and proper that we take a look at the fourth man in that midfield - Johhny Morrissey.

From wikipedia:




Was he the player that did the "dirty work" that allowed Harvey, Kendall and Ball to flourish? He was a bit before my time so I'm, as usual, relying on the memories of elder blues to fill us in on this thread. He scores the first goal in ]

I never really saw him as " the fourth man" in a midfield, mind you my tactical knowledge then was not so keenly honed as now , at such a tender age. While we played different formations with different players my Hare Krishna chant of " Gordonwest, Tommy Wright, Keith Newton , Howard Kendal,;Brian labone, Colin Harvey , Jimmy husband, Alan ball; Joey Royle, Johnny Hurst , Johnny Morrisey , Harry Catterick ,; Harry Catterick , Harry Catterick etc " suggests he was one of the front three with Husband and Royle. Lovely barrel of a player . Got to dash now , got keys for parkrun, more later.

 

[Groucho]

I never really saw him as " the fourth man" in a midfield, mind you my tactical knowledge then was not so keenly honed as now , at such a tender age. While we played different formations with different players my Hare Krishna chant of " Gordonwest, Tommy Wright, Keith Newton , Howard Kendal,;Brian labone, Colin Harvey , Jimmy husband, Alan ball; Joey Royle, Johnny Hurst , Johnny Morrisey , Harry Catterick ,; Harry Catterick , Harry Catterick etc " suggests he was one of the front three with Husband and Royle. Lovely barrel of a player . Got to dash now , got keys for parkrun, more later.

You may be right mate, I was going off something that was mentioned to me about him.

 

[allezlesbleus]

Cracking player, hard as nails, could cross it on a sixpence and did his fair share of digging in wide left midfield too to win possession. Upset jack charlton too!! Well done mogsy!!

 

[1966efc]

Jack Charlton claimed in a newspaper article that he kept a little black book of players who had offended him and who he would eventually get.

Next match against Leeds, Morrissey 'introduced' himself to Charlton and said, "Put that in your f'g book".

Pretty typical of the only winger I've come across who spent the first ten minutes of a match looking for his fullback to make sure he knew who was boss.

Utterly fearless, good with ball, not so pacey. Used as the outball as often as not. Not so much the midfielder as I recall.

Two semi final memories: him taking the penalty that beat Leeds and got us into the final v West Brom; him with his face covered in blood at the end of the semi against the Reds in '71.

 

[roy vernon]

After Alan Ball, my second favourite Everton player of all time. A very skilful left winger and also the hardest player I ever saw. Moggsy and Tommy Hutchinson of Chelsea were the only name in Jack Charlton's infamous 'little black book'. He was furious because Moggsy seriously injured him in a tackle and then stood over him and asked "are you all right big fella?" Jack confirms this in his autobiography.

Moggsy was a member of both the 63 and the 70 league title sides, he very seldom had a bad game and was an exquisite crosser of a football, just ask big Joe.

 

[Dario Terracotta]

Christ Groucho,Brace last week,Moggsy this week,you're surpassing yourself mate!!my first Everton "hero"aged five I got the old round neck blue collar top with number eleven sewed on the back,every sunday we would go to my Nans for tea and pass his house in the Old Roan/Aintree,my old man used to have me chanting,"Rah,rah,rah,rah,Morrissey"!!!I only know of him as a player from what I've heard as I was very young,but the clips I've seen of him he was quite a player,oh and years ago bizarrely I went out with a girl who had been seeing his son Johnlol

 

[Aberblue]

Seeing as in this "series" we will at some point have discussed the holy trinity, I thought it right and proper that we take a look at the fourth man in that midfield - Johhny Morrissey.

From wikipedia:




Was he the player that did the "dirty work" that allowed Harvey, Kendall and Ball to flourish? He was a bit before my time so I'm, as usual, relying on the memories of elder blues to fill us in on this thread. He scores the first goal in this clip below:

That was my first ever away match. I think John Hurst got our third.

Morrissey was a terrific winger. I remember him absolutely destroying Paul Reaney of Leeds in August 1969; I could never take Reaney seriously after that, good player though he no doubt was.

I've often watched Everton wingmen and thought, "he isn't a patch on Johnny Morrissey".

 

[Walken]

All my family are kopites, and you all know what those beauts are like, think they've always got the best and the hardest, but even they tell me morrisey was the only player tommy smith backed down from, and they say it with affection, to a man they tell me he was the toughest player they've seen, and a fine footballer

 

[dave abrahams]

An outstanding winger, who could dribble, tackle, pass better than most especially his centres and weigh in with a decent
tally of goals, afraid of no one, one of my favourite Everton players, only cost £10,000, a steal , sold while Shankley was
doing business elsewhere, it was rumoured that he threatened to resign over Liverpool letting him go, if Johnny is not in
Everton's hall of fame he should be.

 

[alan ball]

I was with him only a few months ago. He hasn't changes a single bit apart from his hair which is "ghostly white. "

 

[Tennessee Blue Mike]

Best signing from the Red lot at that time. I couldn't understand why Shankley didn't rate him. Him and Husband on the wings were ace when I was growing up.

 

[royalblue66]

All my family are kopites, and you all know what those beauts are like, think they've always got the best and the hardest, but even they tell me morrisey was the only player tommy smith backed down from, and they say it with affection, to a man they tell me he was the toughest player they've seen, and a fine footballer

Yes one of my earlier heroes, can't remember if he went on to play for another team ?

 

[larbert toffee]

I used to get taken to games at the time and although young at the time seem to remember him being consistent and certainly played his part in a successful team,I did notice from the clip earlier of the Wolves game how much running and hard work Joe Royle put in for a big guy.

 

[degsy]

Seeing as in this "series" we will at some point have discussed the holy trinity, I thought it right and proper that we take a look at the forth man* in that midfield - Johhny Morrissey.

From wikipedia:




Was he the player that did the "dirty work" that allowed Harvey, Kendall and Ball to flourish? He was a bit before my time so I'm, as usual, relying on the memories of elder blues to fill us in on this thread. He scores the first goal in this clip below:

*forth man? Hmm? I hope Tommy Jackson get a mention in this series as he was the proper 4th man of the Trio

Anyway, Moggsy...

I don't really hold with the some what trendy view that the 69-70 team played 4:5:1. Just like now with 10 outfielders, the formation was flexible, nominal 4:3:3. (Though the newspapers of the day still printed the teams in the old manner - 1:2:3:5) and could be any permutation of numbers at any time...Though it has to be said that the back 4 was less flexible than now, the FB's did push up but as much as now.
Morrissey did drop back and tuck in more than Husband, but that was just his nature and a measure of his versatility...I seem to recollect him playing at LB once or twice. But in those days a winger was mostly a winger, get up, get it over or cut in and shoot.

So on to what we all know; He WAS as hard as nails, he backed down to no one, but didn't need or have to prove or flaunt it. He just was, you didn't mess with moggsy, everybody knew you'd get no change out of him...but he wasn't 'hard' in the sly, snide, dirty manner that some where and still are today.

The 'alleged' tins of salmon and ciggies I'll leave alone and let others tell the stories, from both on and off the field, tell them better than me.