Wes Morgan

Westley Nathan Morgan (born 21 January 1984) is a professional footballer who plays as a defender for and is captain of Premier League club Leicester City and formerly the Jamaica national team.

Wes Morgan
Morgan warming up for Leicester City in 2013
Personal information
Full name Westley Nathan Morgan[1]
Date of birth (1984-01-21) 21 January 1984[2]
Place of birth Nottingham, England
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.86 m)[3]
Position(s) Defender
Club information
Current team
 Leicester City
Number 5
Youth career
1995–1999 Notts County[4]
1999–2000 Dunkirk[5]
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002–2012 Nottingham Forest 352 (12)
2003 → Kidderminster Harriers (loan) 5 (1)
2012– Leicester City 277 (11)
National team‡
2013–2016 Jamaica 30 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19:41, 8 November 2020 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 23:55, 13 February 2017 (UTC)

Morgan spent the first ten years of his career with his boyhood club, Nottingham Forest, playing 402 matches and scoring 14 goals. He was their longest-serving player when he transferred to Leicester City in January 2012. Morgan became Leicester's captain later that year, and has gone on to play over 300 matches in all competitions for them, captaining them to the Championship title in 2014 and their first Premier League title two years later. He was the first Jamaican player to score in a UEFA Champions League game.

Born and raised in England, Morgan chose to represent his ancestral Jamaica at international level, making his debut for them in 2013. He was part of their teams that competed in two Copa América tournaments and finished runners-up at the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Club career

Early years
Morgan playing for Nottingham Forest in 2002

Morgan was born in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire.[2] Having been rejected by Nottingham Forest's near neighbours Notts County at the age of 15, he went to study business at South Notts College while playing semi-professionally in central midfield for Dunkirk in the Midland Football Alliance. His performances were tracked by non-League teams and Forest, who took him as an apprentice while he continued studying. There was no transfer fee, but Dunkirk received two Forest kits. Their clubhouse has his Forest and Leicester shirts on the wall.[6]

In February 2003, with manager Paul Hart considering him close to a first-team breakthrough after his reserve performances, Morgan was loaned to Kidderminster Harriers of the Third Division.[7] He made his professional debut on 1 March, playing the full 90 minutes of a 3-1 loss to Scunthorpe United at Aggborough, deflecting a 25-yard Peter Beagrie shot for the first goal.[8] Morgan totalled five appearances for the Worcestershire side, scoring his first goal two weeks after his debut, heading to confirm a 2–0 victory at Cambridge United.[9]

Hart wanted Morgan to lose weight before joining the first team, which became a priority as the team had lost several players after losing in the last season's play-offs.[6] He made his debut at left-back on 12 August 2003 away to Port Vale at the age of 19; after a goalless draw, Forest won a penalty shoot-out to advance to the second round of the League Cup.[10] Four days later he made his First Division debut in a 3–0 loss to Reading; Hart considered him the man of the match.[6] On 18 October, he scored his first goal for Forest, heading Eoin Jess' cross to finish a 6–0 win over bottom team Wimbledon at the City Ground.[11] He totalled 32 games across the season, also scoring an equaliser on 3 December in the home game against Ipswich Town, and was sent off twice over the campaign.

First-team regular

In the 2007–08 campaign, Morgan missed only four games all season, as he helped Forest finish second in the league and gain promotion from League One to the Championship.[12] His only goal of the season came in a 2–0 victory at Tranmere Rovers, while Forest kept a season-record 24 clean sheets.

Morgan found it hard adapting to life back in the Championship during the first half of the 2008–09 season, with Forest languishing in the relegation zone by Christmas. Following the dismissal of Colin Calderwood on Boxing Day 2008, and the arrival of Billy Davies soon after, Morgan and the Forest defence looked far more solid as the season progressed which eventually led to the Reds retaining their Championship status. At the end of the 2008–09 season he had made a total of 274 appearances in all competitions, including 255 starts.

October 2011 saw Wes Morgan make his 400th appearance for Nottingham Forest against Hull City in a match in which he was also handed the captaincy.

On 20 January 2012, Nottingham Forest announced they rejected a bid for Morgan from local rivals Leicester City.[13]

Leicester City
Morgan (left) playing for Leicester City in 2017

On 30 January 2012, Morgan joined East Midland rivals Leicester City for an undisclosed fee believed to be in the region of £1 million. As a result of his performances towards the end of the 2011–12 season, he was rewarded with the Leicester City captaincy ahead of the 2012–13 season.[14] His impressive performances early on earned him a nomination for Championship Player of the Month for September.[15]

Leicester won the 2013–14 Championship, in which he missed only one game.[16] Afterwards, the club used a clause in his would-be expired contract to keep him for another season;[17] he eventually signed a new three-year deal.[16]

In the Premier League for the 2014–15 season, Morgan scored his first goal of the season in a 4–3 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on 21 March 2015, and another in 3–0 win over Newcastle on the 5 May. On 19 April 2015, Morgan was selected in the "Football Manager Team of the Decade" at the Football League Awards.[18]

Morgan kept his place for the 2015–16 season, playing in every minute of all 38 Premier League matches,[19] one of only 4 players to achieve that accolade (including teammate Kasper Schmeichel) in that season. On 3 April 2016, he scored the only goal against Southampton,[20] despite feeling ill.[6] On 1 May, he equalised with a header in a 1–1 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford, and the next day Leicester won the title, with Morgan becoming the first Jamaican to win a Premier League medal.[21] After captaining Leicester City to the title, Morgan was included in the Premier League PFA Team of the Year, alongside teammates Jamie Vardy, N'Golo Kanté and Riyad Mahrez.[22] He also became the third outfield player in Premier League history to play every minute of a title-winning season after Gary Pallister in 1992–93 and John Terry in 2014–15.[23]

Manager Claudio Ranieri said "Wes Morgan is Baloo off The Jungle Book. He is a big gentle bear who looks after all the lads. He does not speak so much but when he does speak, everybody listens. He is the perfect captain. I never knew anything about him before I came here. But I watched all the matches, I watched how solid, strong and intelligent he was".[6] On 25 February 2017, reports emerged alleging that Morgan was among several teammates who met with chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha following their 2–1 Champions League defeat at Sevilla on 22 February,[24] which led to Ranieri being sacked.[25][26][27]

On 14 March 2017, he scored the first goal in Leicester's 2–0 win against Sevilla, contributing to a 3–2 aggregate score which allowed the club to qualify for the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League. This also made him the first Jamaican player to score in a Champions League game.[28]

International career

On 1 September 2013, Morgan was called up to the Jamaican squad for the first time.[29][30] He made his debut in a 0–0 draw against Panama at the Estadio Rommel Fernández in Panama City on 7 September 2013.[31] Morgan captained the Reggae Boyz for the first time in the 3–1 defeat to Canada on 9 September 2014.[32]

Morgan was part of the Jamaican squad invited to the 2015 Copa América in Chile. He played every minute of their campaign, in which they were eliminated in last place in their group.[33] Weeks later, he was again in the team at the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup in the United States and Canada, helping them to their first final. Jamaica lost 3–1 to Mexico at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.[34]

Career statistics

Club
Morgan playing for Nottingham Forest in 2010
As of 8 November 2020
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Nottingham Forest 2002–03[35] First Division 0000000000
2003–04[36] First Division 3221030—362
2004–05[37] Championship 4314040—511
2005–06[38] League One 432301000472
2006–07[39] League One 38050105[lower-alpha 1]1491
2007–08[40] League One 42110201[lower-alpha 2]0461
2008–09[41] Championship 4212020—461
2009–10[42] Championship 44320302[lower-alpha 3]0513
2010–11[43] Championship 46120102[lower-alpha 3]0511
2011–12[44] Championship 2210031—252
Total 3521220020110140214
Kidderminster Harriers (loan) 2002–03[35] Third Division 51———51
Leicester City 2011–12[44] Championship 17020——190
2012–13[45] Championship 45130102[lower-alpha 3]0511
2013–14[46] Championship 4520031—483
2014–15[47] Premier League 3723000—402
2015–16[48] Premier League 3820000—382
2016–17[49] Premier League 271211010[lower-alpha 4]1403
2017–18[50] Premier League 3202020—350
2018–19[51] Premier League 2231020—253
2019–20[52] Premier League 1102040—170
2020–21[52] Premier League 3000103[lower-alpha 5]070
Total 2771115113114132014
Career total 6332434133224172729
  1. Three appearances and one goal in Football League Trophy, two appearances in League One play-offs
  2. Appearance in Football League Trophy
  3. Appearances in Championship play-offs
  4. One appearance in FA Community Shield, nine in UEFA Champions League
  5. Appearances in UEFA Europa League

International
As of match played 6 September 2016[53]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Jamaica 201340
201460
2015130
201670
Total300

Honours

Nottingham Forest

Leicester City

Jamaica

Individual

References
  1. "Updated squads for 2017/18 Premier League confirmed". Premier League. 2 February 2018. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
  2. Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2010). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2010–11. Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing. p. 294. ISBN 978-1-84596-601-0.
  3. "Wes Morgan". Leicester City F.C. Retrieved 22 December 2018.
  4. "Foxes Move For Morgan". LCFC.com. Archived from the original on 1 February 2012. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
  5. Robertson, Gregor (22 December 2015). "Leicester City captain Wes Morgan's fairytale rise". Sky Sports.
  6. Percy, John (16 April 2016). "Wes Morgan: The making of the Leicester City captain". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  7. Livie, Alex. "Harriers set to land Morgan". Sky Sports. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  8. "Kidderminster 1–3 Scunthorpe". BBC Sport. 1 March 2003. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  9. "Cambridge 0–2 Kidderminster". BBC Sport. 15 March 2003. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  10. "Port Vale 0–0 Nottm Forest". BBC Sport. 11 August 2003. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  11. "Nottm Forest 6–0 Wimbledon". BBC Sport. 18 October 2003. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  12. "Nott'm Forest 3–2 Yeovil". BBC Sport. 5 May 2008. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
  13. "News | Foxes Bid Rejected". Nottingham Forest F.C. Archived from the original on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
  14. "Leicester sign Wes Morgan from Nottingham Forest". BBC. 30 January 2012. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
  15. "Award Nominations For Nigel And Wes". LCFC.com. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
  16. "Wes Morgan Signs New Leicester City Contract". Leicester City F.C. 4 July 2016. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
  17. "Wes Morgan set to sign new deal with Leicester City". Leicester Mercury. 13 June 2014. Archived from the original on 24 August 2014. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
  18. "Winners announced for The Football League Awards 2015". The Football League. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  19. "Wes Morgan". Soccerbase. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  20. Gheerbrant, James (3 April 2016). "Leicester City 1–0 Southampton". BBC. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  21. "Leicester City: The ridiculous statistics". Football 365. 3 May 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  22. "PFA awards: Leicester and Spurs dominate Premier League team". BBC Sport. 21 April 2016. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  23. Shamoon Hafez (15 May 2016), Chelsea 1–1 Leicester City, BBC Sport, retrieved 12 January 2017
  24. Phil Dawkes (22 February 2017), Sevilla 2–1 Leicester, BBC Sport, retrieved 21 October 2017
  25. Marc Albrighton denies involvement in Claudio Ranieri's exit from Leicester, Sky Sports, 26 February 2017, retrieved 6 July 2020
  26. Matt Hughes (25 February 2017), "Vardy part of meeting that sealed fate of Ranieri", The Times, retrieved 6 July 2020
  27. Claudio Ranieri: Sacked Leicester manager says his 'dream died', BBC Sport, 24 February 2017, retrieved 6 July 2020
  28. McNulty, Phil (14 March 2017). "Leicester City 2–0 Sevilla (3–2 agg)". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  29. "Leicester City's Wes Morgan gets chance to fulfil World Cup dream". Leicester Mercury. 3 September 2013. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  30. "Wes answers Jamaica call". LCFC.com. Leicester City F.C. 1 September 2013. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  31. "Morgan Makes International Bow". 7 September 2013. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
  32. "Wes Morgan to captain Boyz against Canada today". 9 September 2014. Retrieved 11 September 2014.
  33. "Argentina 1–0 Jamaica". BBC Sport. 21 June 2015. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
  34. "Jamaica 1–3 Mexico". BBC Sport. 27 July 2015. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
  35. "Games played by Wes Morgan in 2002/2003". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
  36. "Games played by Wes Morgan in 2003/2004". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
  37. "Games played by Wes Morgan in 2004/2005". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
  38. "Games played by Wes Morgan in 2005/2006". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
    "Weymouth v Nottingham Forest, 14 November 2005". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  39. "Games played by Wes Morgan in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
  40. "Games played by Wes Morgan in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
  41. "Games played by Wes Morgan in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
  42. "Games played by Wes Morgan in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
  43. "Games played by Wes Morgan in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
  44. "Games played by Wes Morgan in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  45. "Games played by Wes Morgan in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  46. "Games played by Wes Morgan in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  47. "Games played by Wes Morgan in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  48. "Games played by Wes Morgan in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  49. "Games played by Wes Morgan in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  50. "Games played by Wes Morgan in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  51. "Games played by Wes Morgan in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  52. "Games played by Wes Morgan in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
  53. Morgan, Wes at National-Football-Teams.com
  54. "Wes Morgan: Overview". Premier League. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  55. "W. Morgan: Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  56. "Leicester City captain Wes Morgan suffers defeat as Mexico beat Jamaica in Gold Cup final". Leicester Mercury. 27 July 2015. Archived from the original on 2 October 2015. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
  57. "Spurs' Gareth Bale wins PFA player of the year award". BBC Sport. 17 April 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  58. "Gareth Bale wins PFA Player of Year and Young Player awards". BBC Sport. 28 April 2013. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  59. "Luis Suarez: Liverpool striker wins PFA Player of the Year award". BBC Sport. 28 April 2014. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  60. "The Football League announces its Team of the Decade". The Football League. 19 April 2015. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
  61. "Leicester City's player of the year Wes Morgan focuses on final fling". Leicester Mercury. 1 May 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
  62. "Bryan Ruiz and Alex Morgan Named 2016 CONCACAF Players of the Year". CONCACAF. 18 January 2017. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
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