Debut:
15/12/1900 v Lincoln City (Bank Street) 4-1 (League Division Two)
Farewell:
Transferred to Manchester City, 08/1901, £
Passed Away:
06/05/1959
Biography
A blond bundle of energy, Hugh Morgan began his career as an inside-forward with Scottish junior side, Harthill Thistle. His breakthrough into League football came with Airdrieonians, though it was a slow breakthrough: 1 game each in 1894-95 and 1895-96. Hugh finally excelled in 1896-97 that, 12 games in, Sunderland were enticed to sign him in December. It was an inspired purchase: Morgan helped keep them in Division One, even scoring in the playoffs against Newton Heath, then starred as they finished runners-up the following year.
Bolton Wanderers paid £200 for him in February 1899 and, though he could not prevent their drop into Division Two that season, Morgan netted 10 goals in the following year's successful promotion. Newton Heath then signed him in December 1900 in the hope he could replicate that success. Initially, Morgan seemed like the star Heath had been missing: from scoring a mere 5 goals in the previous nine matches, the side struck 14 times in his first 5 outings, with Hugh claiming a goal on his bow versus Lincoln.
However, the goals again dried up - for both club and player - so, when the Heathens did not offer to re-sign Hugh, he moved to neighbours Manchester City in the 1901 close season. His debut for City was on September 7th against Sunderland but the general view of his time with the club was that "though Hugh is clever and shoots well, he lacks weight for Division One". Which was just as well: City were relegated into Division Two at the end of the season!
Morgan, meanwhile, left the League altogether to spend a couple of seasons with Accrington Stanley. Eventually, he returned with Blackpool for the duration of 1904-05, his last game coming in April 1905 against Manchester United. After that, he move back to Scotland and assisted Hamilton from December 15th, 1905, until the end of 1906-07, a season in which his 11 goals in 22 league matches were his best return ever! Morgan thus retired on a high and, later in life, worked as a school attendance officer. Biography kindly provided by Charbel Boujaoude.
