Thomas 'Ching' Morrison

Irish Footballer that Played for Manchester Utd - Thomas Morrison

Thomas 'Ching' Morrison - Introduction

Thomas (sometimes known as Ching) Morrison was the first Irishman to play for Manchester United. John Peden did play for the club in the 1893/94 season but it was called Newton Heath then. Morrison was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on 16 September 1874. Before Morrison joined Manchester United he had already established his football career with Glentoran in Ireland, Glasgow Celtic in Scotland, and Burnley in the North-west of England. Somewhat strangely Thomas Morrison, a Protestant from East Belfast, is believed to have been the first Irishman to play for Celtic. Morrison, a forward, joined Second Division Manchester United in December 1902.

Thomas Morrison & Manchester United

Thomas Morrison made his debut for Manchester United on Christmas Day against Manchester City at Bank Street. The match ended in a 1 - 1 draw. He went on to play two more matches in the next two days drawing with Blackpool and beating Barnsley 2 - 1.

Thomas Morrison scored his first goal against Blackpool in the draw on 26 December. He was an ever-present in the Manchester United for the rest of the 1902/03 season making 20 appearances and scoring seven goals in the process.

During the next season Morrison made 16 starts for United, seven of which were in the FA Cup. Four of these FA Cup appearances were in the Intermediate Round where it took

three replays to see off Birmingham City. In the first round of the Cup United took First Division Notts County to a replay at Bank Street where Ching Morrison scored one of the goals in a 2-1 win over the more-fancied opposition. Unfortunately for Morrison and United their FA Cup run came to a juddering halt at Hillsborough as the Reds were thrashed 6-0 by Sheffield Wednesday.

Thomas Morrison made just two more appearances for Manchester United after that FA Cup exit with his last match coming on 19 March 1904 against Preston North End. Morrison's career at United ended as it began, in a 1 - 1 draw. In September 1904 Ching Morrison left Manchester United and joined another Lancashire football club, Colne FC

Thomas Morrison - Northern Ireland Career

Thomas Morrison made his debut for Ireland on 9 March 1895 in a crushing 9 - 0 defeat by England. He made a further six appearances for Ireland, the last of which was on 22 March 1902 also losing to England. Ching Morrison's international record reads: Won 1; Drew 1; Lost 5. Morrison never scored a goal for his country.

Thomas Morrison - Man Utd & Ireland Statistics

Trevor Anderson - Harry Baird - Billy Behan - George Best - Jackie Blanchflower - Derek Brazil
Tommy Breen - Shay Brennan - Ronnie Briggs - David Byrne - Noel Cantwell - Johnny Carey
Joe Carolan - Roy Carroll - Tom Connell - Gerry Daly - Bernard Donaghy - Mal Donaghy - Tony Dunne
Pat Dunne - Jonny Evans - Sonny Feehan - Darron Gibson - John Giles - Keith Gillespie - Don Givens
Harry Gregg - Ashley Grimes - Mickey Hamill - David Healy - Denis Irwin - Tommy Jackson
Michael Keane - Roy Keane - Paddy Kennedy - Davy Lyner - Mick Martin - David McCreery
Noel McFarlane - Pat McGibbon - Chris McGrath - Paul McGrath - Sammy McIlroy - Sammy McMillan
Walter McMillen - Liam Miller - Kevin Moran - Tommy Morrison - Phil Mulryne - Jimmy Nicholl
Jimmy Nicholson - Liam O'Brien - John O'Shea - Patrick O'Connell - John Peden - James Robinson
Paddy Roche - Jackie Scott - Tom Sloan - Frank Stapleton - Billy Toms - Anthony Whelan
Liam Whelan - Norman Whiteside

Manchester United Blog - Manchester United Supporters Clubs