John Morrow Player Profile

Biography

Harryville forward John Morrow rose through the football ranks to be one of the first hometown players to represent the new Ballymena FC club in their maiden campiagn.

Born and raised on Larne Street in Harryville, John Morrow began his football career following the end of the First World War, turning out for local junior side Victoria Rangers as a teenager in the 1919/1920 season.

John became a regular in the Rangers side as the club were beaten finalists in the County Antrim Junior Cup in 1922 but bounced back the following season by winning the top prize in junior football – the IFA Junior Cup in 1922/1923 defeating Banbridge United in the final and also picking up the County Antrim Junior Shield against Old Lodge.

Morrow enjoyed six seasons at the club, before stepping up a level to the Intermediate ranks in 1925 with another in-form local club – Summerfield at the age of 25. The inside forward made an instant impact at Summerfield as they won the Intermediate League Second Division (the Clement Lyttle Cup) finishing ahead of Linfield Rangers and finished as beaten finalists in the Steel and Sons Cup that same season, losing 4-0 to St. Marys.

Having moved up into the top tier of Intermediate football with Summerfield for two seasons, he was naturally on the recruitment list in the summer of 1928 following the formation of the town’s first senior team, Ballymena FC. John joined the movement in July, alongside former team-mate John McNinch and made his debut in the club’s historic first ever match against Belfast Celtic at the beginning of the 1928/1929 in front of a packed Showgrounds.

Having started the season at inside forward, the inconsistent form of the collective team called for a reshuffle of the pack and unfortunately for John, the move of Hoody McCambridge from half-back to the forward line and the instant return of goals, meant that Morrow was consigned to playing as a reserve player for much of the campaign. He scored his first goal in light blue on Christmas Day 1928 against Cliftonville but couldn’t force his way into the panel for the landmark Irish Cup Final victory over Celtic a few months later.

Morrow finished his debut season with a respectable 13 appearances and 4 goals but wasn’t to be retained by his hometown club. He stayed in senior football with a move over Shane’s Hill to Larne in November 1928. He spent a year with the Invermen as they finished the 1929/1930 campaign a point off the bottom of the Irish League table.

A move to Newington Rangers in October 1930, produced a McElroy Cup winners medal, before he finished his career with another swansong into senior football with Newry Town in the 1932/1933 campaign before hanging up his boots.

John Morrow passed away in March 1970 in Nuneaton, aged 70.

Career
(1919) Victoria Rangers; (1925) Summerfield; (Jul 1928) Ballymena; (Nov 1929) Larne; (Oct 1930) Newington Rangers; (1932) Newry Town

Honours
(with Victoria Rangers)
IFA Junior Cup: (winner) 1922/1923
Co Antrim Junior Shield: (winner) 1922/1923
Co Antrim Junior Cup: (finalist) 1921/1922
(with Summerfield)
Steel and Sons Cup: (finalist) 1925/1926
(with Newington Rangers)
McElroy Cup: (winner) 1930/1931

Last updated: 10 May 2023