Jody Morris

Infobox Football biography
playername = Jody Morris


fullname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1978|12|22|df=y
cityofbirth = Hammersmith, London
countryofbirth = England
height = height|ft=5|in=5
nickname =
position = Midfielder
currentclub = St. Johnstone
clubnumber =
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1995–2003
2003–2004
2004
2004–2007
2008-
clubs = Chelsea
Leeds United
Rotherham United
Millwall
St. Johnstone
caps(goals) = 124 (5)
012 (0)
010 (1)
065 (5)
005 (1)
nationalyears =
nationalteam =
nationalcaps(goals) =
pcupdate = 1:30, 14 May 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate =

Jody Morris (born 22 December 1978 in Hammersmith, London) is an English football midfielder. He is currently playing for Scottish club St. Johnstone. He has previously played for Chelsea, Leeds United, Rotherham United and Millwall.

Playing career

Morris came through the youth ranks at Chelsea, alongside his close friend John Terry.cite web|author=|title=Profile: Jody Morris|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/1750675.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|date=2002-01-09|accessdate=2008-04-21] While at Chelsea he made 124 League appearances and was a late substitute in the 2000 FA Cup Final, receiving a winner's medal. However, he was never a first team regular, finding himself behind players such as Roberto di Matteo, Didier Deschamps and Emmanuel Petit.He was offered a new five-year contract with Chelsea in 2003 but chose to turn it down.cite web|author=Murray, Ewan|title=Morris becomes a Saint in hunt for redemption|url=http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2266245,00.html|publisher=The Guardian|date=2008-03-18|accessdate=2008-04-21] Graeme Souness offered him the chance of regular first team football at Blackburn Rovers and they shook hands on a deal, but it fell through. He joined Leeds United instead, but made only 12 appearance before the club, short of money, released him two games before he was due a contract extension. After a short spell at Rotherham he joined Millwall in 2004.

Morris made 70 first-team appearances for Millwall before fracturing his cheekbone and then suffered cruciate knee ligament damage at Derby County on his comeback game towards the end of the 2005-06 campaign. He signed a new one-year deal in June 2006, with the club having an additional one-year option. [cite news | date= | url=http://www.millwallfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Squad/Profiles/0,,10367~5603,00.html | title=Jody Morris profile | work=millwallfc.co.uk | accessdate=2006-11-22] In June 2007 Morris was released by Millwall. [cite news | date=2007-06-09 | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/millwall/6737421.stm | title=Lions release Morris and Cottrell | work=BBC | accessdate=2007-06-09] Morris then had a brief trial period at Charlton Athletic, and trained with League Two side Brentford in a bid to earn himself a contract at the West London club.

In 2007 he was nominated at Number 47 in "The Times" poll of the "50 Worst footballers (to grace the Premiership)." [citeweb|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article2025420.ece|title=50 worst footballers|publisher=The Times|date=July 4, 2007|accessdate=2008-01-06]

Morris signed for Scottish side St. Johnstone on a short-term deal at the end of February 2008, playing under Derek McInnes, his former teammate at Millwall during the 2006-07 season. [citeweb|url=http://www.thecourier.co.uk/output/2008/02/27/sportstory10991668t0.asp|title=Saints snap up former Chelsea star Morris|accessdate=February 27|accessyear=2008] He scored a goal on his debut against Dundee. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/scot_div_1/7270221.stm Dundee 3-2 St Johnstone] - BBC Sport] He played in the club's Scottish Cup semi-final defeat to Rangers in April 2008 but was one of two Saints players to miss in the penalty shoot-out. [cite web|author=Murray, Ewen|title=Alexander pulls out all the stops as Rangers progress to second final|url=http://football.guardian.co.uk/Match_Report/0,,2275217,00.html|publisher=The Guardian|date=2008-04-21|accessdate=2008-04-21] After a successful five months at McDiarmid Park, Morris signed a two-year deal with the Perth side at the end of the season. [cite web|title=JODY PENS TWO YEAR PERTH DEAL|url=http://www.stjohnstonefc.co.uk/newsitem.asp?NewsID=2499|publisher=stjohnstonefc.co.uk|date=2008-05-12|accessdate=2008-05-12]

Legal issues

Morris has had a bad image over several legal and ethical issues. Chronologically, these include allegations that: he was one of a group of Chelsea players who drunkenly abused American tourists at Heathrow Airport within hours of the 9/11 attacks on New York City and the Pentagon; [cite news | date=2004-03-07 | url=http://www.abc.net.au/sport/content/s1060595.htm | title=Leeds release Morris | work=ABC News Online | accessdate=2007-05-01] that he was involved in a drunken brawl (in 2002); [cite news | date=2002-08-22 | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2205505.stm | title=Footballers cleared over club brawl | publisher=BBC News | accessdate=2007-05-01] that he sexually assaulted two women, raping one of them (in 2003), [cite news | date=2003-10-22 | url=http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-7284765-details/Jody+Morris+released+on+bail/article.do | title=Jody Morris released on bail | work=Evening Standard | accessdate=2007-05-01] both for which the charges were dropped. [cite news | date=2004-01-30 | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/west_yorkshire/3445187.stm | title=Jody Morris sex charge dropped | publisher=BBC News | accessdate=2007-05-01] He was also arrested for drunk-driving on November 1 2006, after driving the wrong way down a one-way street. Morris, who had one previous conviction for drunk-driving, was disqualified from driving for four years, given 80 hours community service and a two-year suspended jail sentence. [cite news | date=2006-11-10 | url=http://icsouthlondon.icnetwork.co.uk/southlondonpress/slpheadlines/tm_method=full%26objectid=18071938%26siteid=50100-name_page.html | title=Lions star gets ban| publisher=South London Press | accessdate=2007-06-24]

Honours

; With Chelsea:
* 1998 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Winner (unused sub)
* 2000 FA Cup Winner
* 2000 FA Charity Shield Winner

References

External links

*soccerbase|8878|Jody Morris