Harry Morris Sr.

Infobox Football biography
playername = Harry Morris


fullname =
dateofbirth = April 11, 1866
cityofbirth = Birmingham
countryofbirth = England
dateofdeath = June 1931 (aged 65)
cityofdeath = Birmingham
countryofdeath = England
height =
position = Centre-forward / Right-half
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1883–1893
clubs = Small Heath Alliance /
Small Heath
caps(goals) = 042 0(2)

Harry Morris (April 11, 1866 – June 1931) was an English professional footballer who spent all his playing career with Small Heath (now Birmingham City). He became a successful businessman, joining the club's board of directors in 1903, and was instrumental in the club moving to the St Andrews stadium.

Biography

Morris was born in Birmingham and attended Small Heath Council School. On leaving school he took up an apprenticeship in the plumbing trade, which he combined with playing for Small Heath Alliance from 1883 at the age of 17 – the club was one of the first to turn professional, but that was not until 1885. As a youth he played centre-forward, but gradually moved into midfield, developing into an influential half-back and captain. Much of his playing career preceded the formation of the Football Alliance, of which Small Heath was a founding member, in 1889–90, so information is not readily available on how many games he played for the club, but he was a first-team regular by 1885, and played until the 1891–92 season.

Over his career he saved £85 from his wages as a footballer, enough to take on the lease of a shop near the club's old Arthur Street ground, buy tools, and set up his own plumbing business. He made such a success of it that within ten years he was being invited to join the Small Heath board. By this time the ground at Muntz Street was becoming inadequate; a new stadium was needed, and Morris's business acumen again came to the fore. He identified an area of wet, sloping wasteland next to a railway as a potentially suitable site for a state-of-the-art football ground, convinced his fellow directors to back the idea, and served on the committee formed to organise the works. Within ten months of the land being acquired, the new ground, which would become known as St Andrews, was opened.

Morris's investments extended beyond football. When the first talking picture came out in 1928, he had seen the potential and acquired an interest in several Midlands cinemas. He remained on the Birmingham board until 1929, when his son Harry junior took his place; another son, Len, also served as a director. Harry junior became chairman of the club in 1933, and after 38 years unbroken service to the club was appointed president in 1967, the year of his death.

Harry Morris senior died in June 1931 in Birmingham, not long after watching his club lose to West Bromwich Albion in the FA Cup Final. Forty-five years earlier, he had played against, and lost to, the same club in the FA Cup semi-final.

ee also

St Andrews (stadium)

References

cite book
author=Matthews, Tony | title=Birmingham City: A Complete Record | year=1995 | publisher=Breedon Books | isbn=1-85983-010-2

Persondata
NAME = Morris, Harry
ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
SHORT DESCRIPTION = Footballer and businessman
DATE OF BIRTH = 1866-04-11
PLACE OF BIRTH = Birmingham, England
DATE OF DEATH = June 1931
PLACE OF DEATH = Birmingham, England