Morris: Jody Steven (Jody)

2003-2004 (Leeds Player Details)(Player Details)

Midfield

Born: Hammersmith, London: 22-12-1978

Debut: v Newcastle United (h): 17-08-2003

5’5” 9st 7lb (2003)

After playing for England Schoolboys, Morris signed professional forms on 8th January 1996 and made his Chelsea debut at the age of seventeen in February 1996 as a substitute for John Spencer and despite Chelsea’s foreign imports and spending he was able to make over a hundred appearances in their colours. He went on to gain England Youth honours, playing four times in the World Youth Cup and was capped seven times for the England Under-Twenty-ones. His Chelsea debut was his only appearance in the 1995-96 season, but he gradually became part of the the squad necessary for chasing honours on several fronts as was the case with Chelsea in his time at Stamford Bridge. He made his England Under-Twenty-One debut as a sixty-second minute substitute for Chris Holland of Newcastle United in a 0-0 draw with Poland in a UEFA Group Two Qualifier at Molineux on 8th October 1996 but had to wait a while for his second call up, this time as a fifty-fifth minute replacement for Rio Ferdinand of West Ham United in another 0-0 draw, this time with Switzerland in a Friendly at the County Ground, Swindon on 1st April 1997. His third came on 29th April 1997 in another UEFA Group Two Qualifier at the Valley in another 0-0 draw, when he was again a substitute, and got his change when he came on for Darren Eadie of Norwich City, after sixty-eight minutes. His next four games came in the World Youth Cup in Malaysia, three of them in the Group F Qualifiers as England beat Ivory Coast 2-1 on 18th June 1997, the United Arab Emirates 5-0, two days later and Mexico who were beaten 1-0 on 23rd June 1997. The three games were all played at the Larkins Stadium, Johor Bahru, as was the Second Round defeat by Argentina as England were eliminated after losing 1-2 to them on 26th June 1997. Morris had played the full ninety minutes in each game. In 1998 he gained a UEFA Cup-winners’ Cup medal as an unused substitute in the final when Chelsea beat Stuttgart 1-0 in the Final in Stockholm, but he had featured in the second leg of the Semi-Final. He also added three more caps for the England Under-Twenty-Ones in quick succession with two more appearances in the UEFA Group Five Qualifiers, as a substitute, firstly in the seventy-fourth minute in a 1-0 win over Bulgaria at Upton Park on 9th October 1998 as a replacement for Matt Jansen of Crystal Palace and four days later in a 5-0 win over Luxembourg at Op Flohr, Grevenmacher, as a replacement for Lee Hendrie of Aston Villa but he did not last long as he received his marching orders after sixty-eight minutes. On 17th November 1998 he was given a rare start in a Friendly in a 0-1 loss to the Czech Republic at Portman Road, Ipswich, but was replaced at half-time by David Dunn of Blackburn Rovers. His final cap came almost a year later, on 7th September 1999, when he played a full game in a UEFA Group Five Qualifier in a 1-3 loss to Poland at Stadion Orlen, Plack. He scored the last English League goal of the Twentieth Century when he chested the ball over the line to seal a 3-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday on 29th December 1999. He was a late substitute for Gianluca Vialli in the 2000 FA Cup Final 1-0 victory over Aston Villa. He was an FA Charity Shield Winner as Chelsea beat Manchester United 2-0 in 2000. While never a permanent fixture in the Chelsea team he did play many games as deputy for injured, suspended or fatigued midfielders and by the time he left for Leeds United on a free transfer on 18th July 2003, as Peter Reid’s first signing, he had amassed one hundred and twenty-four League appearances, including forty-two from the bench and scored five goals. He also clocked up fifteen FA Cup appearances, including five as substitute, and scored two goals, twelve League Cup appearances, two as substitute, and two goals, while in European Cups he made twenty-four appearances, including eleven as substitute, without scoring. Off the field Morris had attracted attention for drunkenness and assault and it wasn’t long before he was accused of sexual assault when he arrived at Leeds. He started off in midfield with Seth Johnson in the 2003-04 season but soon fell out of favour as Leeds went from bad to worse following 4-0 thrashings by Leicester City and Everton and the dismissal of Peter Reid after a 6-1 pasting at Portsmouth when in all those games the midfield had been virtually non-existent. Caretaker Manager Eddie Gray solved the problem by only giving Morris one start in his time in charge and that was when the team was decimated by injury. With the criminal allegations Leeds suspended him while they were cleared up and after turning up to training reeking of alcohol he was released from his contract. Unwanted at Leeds, Morris left for Rotherham United on a free transfer on 13th March 2004. He soon left Millmoor at the end of the season after scoring once in nine starts and one substitute appearance. He joined Millwall on 2nd July 2004 and started to rebuild his career and played thirty-seven League games, including two as substitute and scored five goals in his first season at the Den. He made his Lions debut in a 0-0 draw with Plymouth Argyle at Home Park on 7th August 2004 and made the midfield position his own before breaking his cheekbone in a 1-1 draw with Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road and had to leave the field after twenty-five minutes. He then suffering cruciate ligament damage in a 0-1 defeat at Pride Park against Derby County on 8th April 2006, which once more sidelined him. He signed a one year deal in June 2006 but he only made four more League appearance, three being from the bench and Millwall did not take up their option and he was released in June 2007. He had again been in trouble off the field in November 2006 and was convicted for drink-driving. His full record in all games for Millwall was five goals in sixty starts and five games from the bench in the League, and two starts in the F.A. Cup, two starts in the UEFA Cup and four starts and one game from the bench in the League Cup, all without scoring. Morris then had a brief trial period at Charlton Athletic, and trained with League Two side Brentford in a vain bid to earn himself a contract at the West London club. Morris signed for Scottish side St Johnstone on a short-term deal at the end of February 2008, playing under Derek McInnes whom he played with while he was at Millwall. He scored a goal on his debut against Dundee. He played in the club's Scottish Cup semi-final defeat by Rangers on 21st April 2008 and he and Steven Milne were the two St Johnstone players who failed to score in the penalty shoot-out, after the two teams had been locked at 0-0 at full-time and 1-1 at the end of extra-time. After a successful five months at McDiarmid Park, Morris signed a two-year deal with the Perth side at the end of the season. He scored a goal on his debut, just ten minutes after coming on as a sixty-second minute substitute in a 2-3 defeat at Dundee. He was part of the title-winning team that, in May 2009, gained promotion to the Scottish Premier League after a seven-year absence. He continued to be influencial and on 30th October 2009 he signed a further two year extension to his existing contract taking him to June 2012. In November 2009 George Burley, the Scotland team Manager said he would consider picking Morris for Scotland. Derek McInnes left St Johnstone to manage Bristol City in October 2011 and Morris, who had also become the captain of the club, assisted caretaker Manager Alec Cleland to coach the squad. However, when it came time to review his contract with the club he opted to join his former boss at Bristol City and signed a one year contract with them on 12th June 2012. He had four happy years at McDiarmid Park and scored four League goals in ninety-eight starts and six games from the bench. He also scored twice in five starts in the Scottish League Cup and started twelve Scottish Cup games without scoring. His time at Ashton Gate was not a successful one and, after initially being in the team, he was then omitted by Bruce McInnes and picked up an injury. McInnes was sacked and his successor, Sean O'Driscoll, while stating his admiration for his play, also said that his style of play was not what the club needed in their fight against relegation. He made just two starts and two games from the bench in the League and one start in the League Cup, without scoring. He had his contract terminated on 31st January 2013, by mutual consent. Morris wants to keep playing and plans to add to his B-licence coaching qualification and coach one day, but it concerns him that some have already made their minds up about him. Morris said "I can play the game, I understand the game and coaching is definitely something I know and I will be good at.”