Category: Arthur Morgan

Marvellous Morgans

6/13/2018

An edited version of this article appeared in the Cambridge United matchday programme for the match against Crawley Town on 22 August 2015.

In a certain row of the main stand on any match day, at least three Morgans, sometimes more, can be found sitting. None of them are related, at least not closely, and they originate from far-flung corners of these islands. There are a lot of them about and, predictably, Morgans loom large in the story of Cambridge United.

You won’t be talking about Supporters’ Club history for long, for example, before someone mentions Jenny Morgan who, alongside the equally legendary Lil Harrison, was a stalwart of the committee in the 1950s and beyond.

Old-school supporters recall with fondness queuing for the tea bar at which Mesdames Morgan and Harrison dispensed the half-time cups that cheered.

You can still see the serving hatches if you sidle along behind the enclosure for disabled supporters at the pitchward end of the Supporters’ Club. Breeze-blocked in for many years now, they will one day soon, perhaps, be reduced to rubble.

This corner of the Abbey is stiff with history. Cast your eyes up and to the left and you’ll espy the centre of 100 Years of Coconuts’ world: the ruins of the little tower where Jack Morgan first dropped I’ve Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts, by Billy Cotton and his Band, on his gramophone turntable for the entertainment of the Abbey faithful.

Jack – one of four sons of Jenny and Dick Morgan who inherited the Abbey habit – supported the U’s throughout his 92 years. He remembered clambering over the club's roof to set up the speakers that would relay the glad tidings of a United win to the neighbourhood; there were no eardrum-wobbling PA systems in those days.

United lost a lifelong friend when Jack died in 2016. We were lucky enough to be able to record some of his memories before he left us.

Another Morgan brother was Arthur, who made his name as a goalkeeper but turned out for Abbey United in a multitude of positions, full back, wing half, inside forward and centre forward among them. Try to imagine Liam Hughes with side-parted, dark, wavy hair and baggy shorts.

Above, Cambridge United Supporters' Club management committee for 1957/58, with Jenny Morgan front row, far right. Below, supporters Sheila Munn (left) and Rosa Craft pin rosettes on the lapels of players Arthur Morgan (left) and Bob Bishop. Bottom, Jack Morgan in 2015.

Arthur played 110 first team games for United between 1947 and 1955. His greatest moment came on 26 November 1953, when his stupendous performance in goal allowed the U’s to beat Newport County 2-1 away in an FA Cup first round replay.

He was chaired from the pitch that afternoon by fans including brother Jack, who had hotfooted it to Newport from Wembley: Hungary’s Magical Magyars had humiliated England by six goals to three the previous night.

But Arthur’s biggest thrills in football came from beating United’s closest rivals in the pulsating derbies of the 1950s. ‘With so many locals involved, the beer always seemed to taste better after we had defeated the City,’ he recalled.

Arthur is best remembered by Cambridge people, however, for his 40-plus years as the devoted custodian of Parker’s Piece, which ended with his retirement in the late 1980s. He died in 2012.

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Percy's progress

1/6/2017

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In the old days, if you left a Newmarket Road pub only to realise you’d still got a bit of a thirst on, you didn’t have to go far to put the matter right. Around the time Abbey United was formed, early in the last century, there was a boozer every 36 yards on an average stretch of the fabled thoroughfare.

Nowadays you’ll need stout walking boots if you want to visit the only three pubs that remain: the Wrestlers, the Corner House and the Burleigh Arms. But renovations at the old Seven Stars promise to bring a lost hostelry back to life – and reawaken memories of the shop that once nestled alongside the pub.

The fishing tackle emporium of the larger than life Percy Anderson met the needs of generations of Cambridge anglers, and it was for that pursuit that Percy was best known. Crowned UK national champion in 1974 and Europe’s top angler three years later, he rejoiced in passing on his skills and knowledge, running his legendary summer teach-ins for local kids for 40 years until shortly before his death, aged 75, in 2006.

Everyone who knew Percy has a story to tell; ask the likes of Ian Darler or Rodney Slack if you need to flex your chuckle muscle. Ian’s tale of the exposed rump is a belter, as is Rodney’s colourful recounting of the mannequin incident, and there’s plenty more where they came from.

But Percy’s competitive exploits were not confined to the riverbank: he competed at county level at indoor and outdoor bowls, snooker, pool and table tennis, and he was a very useful centre forward who flirted with football’s big time.

After rising through the Abbey ranks, he made his United Counties League debut in a 2-2 home draw with Corby Town in September 1950. The goals didn’t flow too freely – he scored three in 11 first team games – but First Division West Brom were interested and in May 1951, after netting four times in three trial matches, the 20-year-old Percy signed a professional contract. As you’ll see when you visit The Story of the U’s in the Supporters’ Club, the Throstles promised to reward United if ‘the boy Anderson’ made the grade.

Sad to say, he didn’t. After missing out on the Albion’s first team for two seasons, he moved on to Stockport County of Division Three North, for whom he played his only Football League game during the 1953/54 season.
Perhaps pining for the Cam, he returned to the Abbey in May 1954 and enjoyed a run in the side in the first half

Percy Armstrong (second right) listens to player-manager Bill Whittaker's dressing room talk before Cambridge United's FA Cup first round proper match at Torquay United on 20 November 1954. Others, back from left: Teddy Bowd, Peter Dobson, Harry Bullen; lower from left: Bob Bishop, Len Crowe, Russell Crane, Arthur Morgan, Jack Thomas. Torquay won 4-0.

The Seven Stars, Newmarket Road, probably 1920s. Occasion unknown.

of the following season. The goals again proved hard to come by, however, and after a 1-0 defeat at Clacton in January 1955 he was loaned out to Great Yarmouth Town of the Eastern Counties League, his U’s career at an end. The United career stats: seven goals in 29 games.

Percy made many a keepnet bulge in angling matches, but the Newmarket Road goal nets were often empty. When he did score he made sure everyone knew about it, and in later life he was fond of recreating his successes on the Abbey pitch. If you get a chance, ask Ian. Bet you can’t keep a straight face.

This article appeared in the Cambridge United matchday programme for the game against Notts County on 2 January 2017.

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Jack Morgan, 1924-2016

5/5/2016

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The Cambridge United family has lost a much-loved and esteemed member with the death of Jack Morgan at the age of 92 on April 26.

Renowned as the man who first played ‘I’ve Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts’ over the tannoy, Jack belonged to a diehard U’s family. His mother and father worked tirelessly for the club and Supporters’ Club and his brother Arthur played 110 first-team games between 1947 and 1955; usually but not always in goal.

Jack was born in the Hills Road area of Cambridge in 1924. His family subsequently moved to Ditton Fields; a hotbed of United support. He and his three brothers were soon enthusiastic supporters and later, like his parents, he served on the Supporters’ Club committee.

As Abbey United progressed towards professionalism and the Football League, it was the norm for supporters to help out with all manner of jobs. Jack remembered scrubbing floors and marking the pitch, but a highlight of his work was the playing of records, perched in the little box that still adorns the north-west corner of the ground, through the tannoy on match days.

Supporter Robin Mansfield recalled Jack taking him to his first U’s game in 1955. ‘It was he who first decided to play that record [Coconuts] whenever we had a win,’ he said. ‘I have asked Jack why he chose that particular record. His reply was: “It was purely accidental. I had a pile of records in front of me and thought this one would do!” He just carried on playing it and the tradition continues to the present day.’

Jack, who turned out at right half for United Reserves ‘when they were short’, worked at Marshall’s during World War II. He later became a rent collector for

Cambridge City Council before being promoted to housing manager, and then worked for the Rent Officers’ Association throughout the East of England.
He and his wife Audrey had one daughter, Jane, and a granddaughter, Sophie.

The funeral service will be held on Cambridge City Crematorium’s East Chapel on Thursday, May 12 at 12.15pm. Jack’s family has requested that no black be worn.

Jack talked about his life when Radio Coconuts visited his Chesterton home last year. The recording can be found at 100yearsofcoconuts.co.uk/radio-coconuts.html. Robin Mansfield’s story is at 100yearsofcoconuts.co.uk/robin-mansfield.html.

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Marvellous Morgans

Percy's progress

Jack Morgan, 1924-2016

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Marvellous Morgans

Percy's progress

​Jack Morgan, 1924-2016

Happy Harry's blog

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Jack Morgan, 1924-2016