 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alan Lauder Morton[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 24 April 1893 | ||
| Place of birth | Glasgow, Scotland | ||
| Date of death | 12 December 1971(1971-12-12) (aged 78)[2] | ||
| Place of death | Airdrie, Scotland[1] | ||
| Position | Outside Left | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1913–1920 | Queen's Park | 218 | (46) |
| 1920–1933 | Rangers | 382 | (83) |
| International career | |||
| 1915–1917[3] | Scottish League (wartime) | 3 | (0) |
| 1918–1919 | Scotland (wartime) | 4 | (1) |
| 1919–1931 | Scottish League XI | 15 | (1) |
| 1920–1932 | Scotland | 31 | (5) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Alan Lauder Morton (24 April 1893 – 12 December 1971) was a Scottishfootballer who played as anoutside left forQueen's Park,Rangers andScotland.
Morton was born in theJordanhill district ofGlasgow.[4] He grew up inAirdrie, where his family relocated due to his father's work.[4] After leavingAirdrie Academy he had an unsuccessful trial withAirdrieonians.[4] Consequently, he entered studies to become amining engineer while playing withQueen's Park,[4] the famous amateur club.[1] Once fully qualified in 1920 he turned professional, becomingBill Struth's first signing as manager of Rangers, but only on the proviso that he could maintain his position as a mining engineer.[4]
Morton only measured 5 ft 4 inches in height but his talent lay in his physical balance, speed and thought.[4] Rangers enjoyed a sustained period of success, winning theScottish league championship in 1921, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930 and 1931. Highlights included the1928 Scottish Cup Final win againstCeltic, which ended a 25‑year wait to win theScottish Cup.
He made his debut for Rangers against Airdrieonians on 17 August 1920, and played his last game against the same opposition on 7 January 1933 (in which he scored)."The Wee Blue Devil", as he wasnicknamed, played 470 times for theGers and scored 109 goals.[5]
Morton made his international debut forScotland on 26 February 1920 againstWales. He would go on to play in every international against theAuld Enemy,England, from 1920 to 1932 bar the fixture atOld Trafford in 1926, eventually winning 31 caps.[6] It was in the 1928 full international in London where Morton, as part of an underrated Scottish side that beat England 5–1 in driving rain to record a famous triumph, earned the moniker: "Wembley Wizards". Three of Morton's crosses were converted byHuddersfield Town'sAlex Jackson.Ivan Sharpe, the ex‑player and writer, commented on the victory:"England were not merely beaten. They were bewildered – run to a standstill, made to appear utterly inferior by a team whose play was as cultured and beautiful as I ever expect to see."[7]
In addition he made 15 appearances (scoring 1 goal) for theScottish League XI[8] (making his debut on 22 February 1919 against theFootball League atSt. Andrew's,Birmingham after playing in three wartime fundraising matches) and four Scotland wartime appearances (a charity match and threeVictory Internationals).[9][10]
After retiring Morton became an important administrator within Scottish sport. He was appointed to the Rangers board of directors and he remained there until the year of his death.[4] Further afield, he demonstrated an inclination towardUnionist politics in reaction to the rise in post-WarScottish nationalism.[citation needed] He also owned a coal business in central Scotland.[citation needed] Today a portrait of Morton in his Scottish strip stands at the top of the marble staircase atIbrox's Main Stand, such is his enduring stature at the club.[11]
His elder brotherBob Morton also played for Queen's Park, where the siblings were teammates for six seasons.[12]
Scottish League: (9)
Scottish Cup: (3)
Glasgow Cup: (5)
