1900 - 1994

Silverwood Mine

Hollings Lane

Thrybergh

Local Sport

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Facts, Stories and Features

LOL MORGAN

Pictured left laying down in front of Thrybergh Park Cricket Club is Lol Morgan nephew of Albert Nightingale. Lol was born in Rotherham on the 5th of May 1931 and started his football career with Silverwood Colliery F. C.

He was to become well known in his position of full back not only for his effectiveness in that role but also for his unique style of back peddling in front of an oncoming forward. It is stated he could run as fast backwards as he could run forward, having witnessed him playing as a youngster I have to agree with that statement.

He made quite an imposing figure out there on the field and as a back I would rate him amongst the best.
 

From Silverwood Colliery he went on to play as an Amateur for Sheffield United where Uncle Albert was also. Later joining Huddersfield Town in March 1949, making his debut on the 24th September of that year. Div 1. (A) v Wolves. L1-7. Left Half.
Making only six appearances in the Season 1949-50, and only one appearance in the Season 1950-5.

Lol then transferred to Rotherham United in August 1954 and made 290 League appearances between 1954 and 1964. These were amongst the most successful years of the club, and Lol was to make captain of the team. In his time at Rotherham Lol also worked for the Rotherham Advertiser selling advertising space

Now I never knew Lol actually scored a goal throughout his career but apparently he joined Darlington in July 1964 making 29 League appearances and scored 1 goal.
 

Eventually he became Manager of Darlington and gained the club promotion from the 4th Div. In an interview with the Northern Echo http://www.thisisthenortheast.co.uk he recalls.
  He succeeded Eddie Carr at Feethams in 1964, initially billeted on Charles Brand, club secretary and former town clerk, who in his 70s still rode to the ground on his bike. "Throughout my career there he never once called me Lol, or even Lawrence, just Morgan. He was a nice enough chap, just old- fashioned." In 1966 he steered the Quakers to a first promotion in 40 years, having inherited crowds of 3,000 and doubled them, despite admission rising to four shillings. "I'm no financial expert," he says, "but I remember reading somewhere even then that Manchester United made more from selling programmes than we did on gate receipts." The league's lowest paid manager, he was offered an extra tenner a week for winning promotion, left for Norwich City,

© Newsquest Media Group 2005

 At Norwich City as manager Lol followed Ron Ashman. However Lol was sacked as manager and returned back home to Rotherham.

Lol was also involved with Thrybergh Cricket Club along with his Rotherham United teammate Danny Williams back in the 1950's.

If you have any memories of Lol please send them in.

Many thanks to John Ward of Huddersfield Town F. C. for supplying much of the information above, if anyone has any information on the  players above please contact John at jmward@onetel.com