Ravel Morrison
Ravel Ryan Morrison is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for UAE Second Division League club Arabian Falcons.
Morrison rose through the youth ranks at Manchester United where he was considered as one of their most promising talents and touted as a wonderkid. His football career has been hindered by legal issues and disciplinary problems. He made three cup appearances for the Manchester United first-team before joining West Ham United in January 2012. Morrison spent the 2012–13 season on loan with Birmingham City, and also played for Queens Park Rangers and Cardiff City on loan in 2014, featuring in the QPR side that won the 2014 Football League Championship play-off final.
In July 2015, on the termination of his West Ham United contract, he joined Lazio. In 2017, he had a loan spell back at QPR, before spending the 2017–18 season on loan at Mexican club Atlas. He joined Swedish club Östersund in February 2019, before returning to England to join Sheffield United in July 2019. In 2020, he had a loan spell at Middlesbrough, before leaving Sheffield United on the expiry of his contract.
Born in England, he represented that country at under-16, under-17, under-18 and under-21 levels. He qualifies by descent to represent Jamaica, and made his senior international debut for that country in November 2020.
Club career
Manchester United
Morrison's first club was Fletcher Moss Rangers. He was first scouted for the Manchester United Academy by former United coach Phil Brogan. According to Rio Ferdinand, United manager Sir Alex Ferguson "thought he was the best player he had seen at that age". Morrison signed on as a first-year scholar in 2009 and turned professional on 2 February 2010, on his 17th birthday.He made his first team debut in a 3–2 League Cup win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on 26 October 2010, coming on as a substitute for Park Ji-Sung. After his debut, Alex Ferguson later revealed Morrison visited his office the following morning. "Another thing about Ravel, which I've always treasured because no other young player who made their debut did it, was after the first game in the first team that he played, the next morning he came to my office and gave me a letter thanking me for giving me his debut. I was gobsmacked, The boy had a good heart."
On 20 April 2011 he scored the opening goal against Chelsea in the semi-final of the FA Youth Cup at Old Trafford, which Manchester United went on to win 4–0. Morrison added two more goals in the second leg of the Youth Cup final against Sheffield United, a match that Manchester United went on to win 4–1, securing the title 6–3 on aggregate. On 25 October 2011, he came on as a substitute for Mame Biram Diouf in a 3–0 League Cup win over Aldershot Town. He then came on at half-time during United's 2–1 League Cup fifth round loss to Crystal Palace, replacing Dimitar Berbatov. On 13 January 2012, Manchester United confirmed that they rejected an offer from Newcastle United, despite Morrison's contract being due to expire in June 2012.
West Ham United
On 31 January 2012, Morrison signed for Championship club West Ham United on a three-and-a-half-year contract for an undisclosed fee. A clause in the contract between Manchester United and West Ham United ensured that the Manchester club would receive £25,000 for every game Morrison played for West Ham United. Allowing him to leave Manchester United, manager Sir Alex Ferguson told West Ham United manager, Sam Allardyce of Morrison, "A brilliant footballer. Brilliant ability. Top class ability. Needs to get away from Manchester and start a new life". On 17 March 2012, he made his debut for The Hammers, replacing Jack Collison in the 81st minute of the 1–1 draw at Leeds United.Birmingham City (loan)
With West Ham manager Sam Allardyce keen for him to gain experience of first-team football, Morrison joined Championship club Birmingham City on loan for the 2012–13 season. He made his competitive debut for the club on 14 August 2012, playing 78 minutes in a 5–1 win over Barnet in the League Cup, and kept his place for the opening match of the league season, a 1–1 draw at home to Charlton Athletic. Problems with Morrison's attitude in training had led manager Lee Clark to consider terminating his loan, but he returned to the team in October with an influential performance as Birmingham City narrowly failed to beat league leaders Leicester City. The improvement continued as Birmingham City came back from 3–0 down to draw at Millwall; as the Birmingham Mail reporter noted, "it wasn't just his elegant, effortless ability on the ball and passing, but work rate, too". He scored his first goal in league football on 17 November 2012, a "spectacular volley" from Nikola Žigić's knockdown, to start Birmingham City's attempted comeback from 3–0 at home to Hull City.Return to West Ham United
Morrison returned to West Ham United from his loan with Birmingham City for the 2013–14 season. He was given the squad number 15 with only his first name, "Ravel", listed on the back of his shirt. Morrison scored his first goal for West Ham United on his full debut, in the second round of the League Cup, on 27 August 2013, in a 2–1 win against Cheltenham Town. Starting the game against Everton on 21 September 2013, Morrison scored his first Premier League goal, and West Ham United's first of the game, in a 3–2 home defeat. On 6 October 2013, he scored West Ham's third goal in a 3–0 derby win away against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane. Manager Sam Allardyce said of the goal, "That's a genius goal for me. You'll struggle to see a better goal than that all season". It went on to win the West Ham "Goal of the Season" award.Queens Park Rangers (loan)
On 19 February 2014, Morrison's 93-day loan, to commence on 21 February, to Championship side Queens Park Rangers was announced. Morrison's first goals for Queens Park Rangers came on 8 March 2014. Playing against Birmingham City he scored both goals in a 2–0 win; the first from a free-kick after Paul Robinson had fouled Kevin Doyle and the second from a cross by Jermaine Jenas. Morrison was a member of the Queens Park Rangers side which won the 2014 Football League Championship play-off final, 1–0 against Derby County at Wembley on 24 May 2014 when he was an unused substitute.In the 2013–2014 season Morrison scored 13 goals in 33 starts for clubs and country in all competitions. West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce said of Morrison in September 2014, "It's not that he has to impress me as a footballer, we know about his talent. It's about playing the talent and himself to a disciplined life in general, is what needs to happen with Rav. If that happens we'd want him here."
Cardiff City (loan)
On 23 September 2014, Morrison completed a three-month loan move, until 26 December 2014, to Championship side Cardiff City.He was named Man of the Match by WalesOnline on his first and only start for the club, against Blackpool, on 14 October 2014. While still on loan with Cardiff City, West Ham United placed Morrison on the transfer list making him available for transfer for a "nominal fee" in the January 2015 transfer window. In December 2014, Morrison returned early to West Ham United from his loan, after Cardiff City manager Russell Slade said Morrison had no future at the club. He had played seven games, one start and six as a substitute, without scoring.
Lazio
In January 2015, it was reported that Morrison had signed a pre-contract agreement to join Lazio on a four-year deal at the end of the 2014–15 season. In February 2015, Morrison's contract with West Ham United was terminated early and the player began training with Lazio ahead of his proposed move. By June, various reports in the English media suggested that Morrison had become unsettled in Rome and in turn had instructed his representatives to seek out a move back home. Soon after, it emerged that former club Queens Park Rangers were the lead club to secure Morrison's signature, with the player reportedly keen to return to London, however Morrison himself later denied these claims.Morrison made his Lazio debut in a 14–0 victory against C.S. Auronzo on 12 July 2015, scoring two goals and providing two assists, with his overall performance "sending the fans into ecstasy". He made his competitive debut for Lazio in the UEFA Champions League play-off round second leg match, away to Bayer Leverkusen on 26 August 2015. Morrison played the final eight minutes in place of Ogenyi Onazi in a 3–0 loss. Four days later, he made his Serie A debut in a 4–0 loss to Chievo, coming on at half time in place of Senad Lulić.
Morrison scarcely featured in Lazio's start to the 2015–16 season, with coach Stefano Pioli criticising his effort and inability to speak Italian. In October 2015, he posted a message on Twitter saying solely "January..", leading to more reports of an exit from the club.
Queens Park Rangers and Atlas loans
On 31 January 2017, Morrison returned to Queens Park Rangers on loan until the end of the 2016–17 season. He made five appearances for them in the Championship, all but one as a substitute, and the West London club did not take the option to sign him for £2 million.On 31 August 2017, Morrison joined Atlas on loan until the end of the 2017–18 season. Only one other Englishman had previously played in Liga MX, Chester-born Antonio Pedroza, who was raised in Mexico and whose father is Mexican.