Former Red Adam Morgan: I'm on the way back up

But in the modest surroundings of National League North outfit Curzon Ashton, former Liverpool striker Adam Morgan is rediscovering his mojo.

After a torrid three years during which his career went into freefall, the 22-year-old from Halewood is starting to play with a smile on his face again.

On Monday night he was the hero, scoring twice as Curzon beat Westfields 3-1 to advance to the second round of the FA Cup. Their reward is a televised tie at home to Bury or AFC Wimbledon on December 4.

The part-timers are just one win away from potentially facing Premier League opposition.

“Liverpool away in the third round, that’s the dream,” Morgan told the ECHO.

“Getting this far is a massive achievement for the club and hopefully I can help them get a bit further.

“I’d take a 10-1 defeat at Anfield. If I got the one I’d still take my shirt off!”

Morgan has scored four goals in four appearances since signing for the Ashton-under-Lyne based club last month. He says he has his former Reds teammate Jon Flanagan, who is currently on loan at Burnley, to thank for his recent resurgence.

“Flanno gave me a pair of his boots with ‘Flanno No 38’ on them and I’ve worn them for every game so far,” he said.

"He rubbed them and told me they were magic boots and they seem to be doing the trick. Luckily, we’re both a size eight-and-a-half.

“It’s funny because our manager is called John Flanagan. I told him my boots are a tribute to him!

“It was my mum’s birthday on Monday night so those two goals were for her. I’m enjoying myself playing for Curzon and it’s been a while since I’ve really enjoyed my football.

“It’s been a tough few years. I fell out of love with it. Everything was going wrong. Football is a cutthroat business.

“It was getting me down. But now I can see the light a bit. I’m trying to rebuild my career and turn things around.”

Morgan, who had been on Liverpool’s books since the age of five, was a prolific goal scorer at youth team level.

He played for England in the 2011 FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Mexico, alongside the likes of Nathan Redmond (Southampton), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), James Ward-Prowse (Southampton) and Nathaniel Chalobah (Chelsea), before making the breakthrough to the Reds’ senior ranks under Brendan Rodgers.

He scored the first goal of Rodgers’ reign in a friendly against Toronto on the pre-season tour of 2012. A competitive debut followed away to Hearts in the Europa League play-off and he started the second leg in front of 44,000 at Anfield.

Morgan featured against Anzhi Makhachkala in the group stage in Moscow in November 2012 when he lined up against Samuel Eto’o. But less than 12 months later came the chat that every young player who is battling to make the grade at the highest level fears.

“I remember Brendan Rodgers called me into his office after training,” he said.

“It was after a session when I had been battered by Martin Skrtel. Not in a bad way, he wasn’t kicking lumps out of me, but he was just very physical.

“Brendan said he didn’t doubt my ability but he said that physically I wasn’t ready and looked out of my depth. He explained that was why he had asked Skrtel to stay close to me throughout the training game. He said he thought I maybe needed to go to a Championship club and kick on from there. He told me it straight.

“I went and sat in my car outside Melwood and cried. It hurt being told my time at Liverpool was over.

“But in Brendan’s defence he did it all right. I love Brendan Rodgers. He gave me my Liverpool debut and I won’t ever say a bad word about him.

“I’m not stupid, I knew I wasn’t Raheem Sterling. I wasn’t going to get ahead of Luis Suarez or Daniel Sturridge.

“I’m a Liverpool fan and would have loved nothing more than to stay there but sometimes you have to be realistic.

“If anyone had said to me as a kid you’ll make three appearances for Liverpool, including a start at Anfield, I’d have snapped their arm off. Of course once I’d had a taste I wanted more but it wasn’t to be.

“Moving on was the right thing to go but it was just the wrong move and that hindered me.”

In November 2013 Morgan joined Championship strugglers Yeovil Town. It was initially a loan move but a permanent deal was already in place for January 2014. Gary Johnson’s side were locked in a relegation battle and the young striker found life tough - failing to score in 13 appearances.

“I’d been injured for six weeks before going there and my ankle was still sore,” he said.

“I was thrown straight in but then found myself out the team. The manager got frustrated.

“I’d been given a two-and-a-half year contract and there was an expectation that I’d be knocking them in straightaway. There was a gradual falling out with him.”

In August 2014 he signed for St Johnstone on loan but made just five appearances before his spell in Scotland was cut short.“Mentally, I was shot to bits,” he said.

“My head had fallen off. I didn’t have the best of times up there. You cannot deliver on the pitch if your head isn’t right. It was one thing after another. I was a long way from home.”

On his return to Somerset he did at least end the long wait for a first professional goal in a League One clash with Gillingham but in the summer of 2015 he agreed a severance deal with Yeovil.

He penned a one-year deal with Accrington Stanley but played just 21 minutes of football before leaving by mutual consent. Morgan went on to have spells with non-league Hemel Hempstead Town and Colwyn Bay as he sought to maintain his fitness levels.

This summer he did part of pre-season with Barrow but found himself without a club for the opening two months of the campaign. The support of Liverpool Academy director Alex Inglethorpe during some dark days meant a lot to him.

“Alex has been a massive help,” he said.

“A few months back I was at a crosroads and he invited me down to the Academy, He’s been great with me. He’s always sending me messages of support. It’s great that even after you’ve left Liverpool, people there still want to help you.”

It was Curzon midfielder Luke Clark who convinced Morgan to sign for them. It’s a far cry from what he was used to but he’s on the way back up.
“I feel like I’ve got my head right now,” he said.

“Curzon is an unbelievable club. It’s really well run with lovely people. The money from this cup run will make a massive difference. I’ve never seen anyone smile as much as our chairman on Monday night.

“We train two evenings a week. My dad Shaun says I’ve got enough time on my hands to do some work for Wiggys Wheels, his minicab company, but I’ve put that off so far!

“I know it hurts my dad that I’m not playing at a higher level. I want to get back up there for him as well as myself. My mum, my dad and my girlfriend have been through a lot but they’ve always stuck by me.

“Sometimes people take different paths. I’m not going to say I’m aiming for the Premier League. But I believe I can get back in the Football League. There might be a way back.”

Source: Liverpool Echo

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