John Joseph Morrissey was born on the 18th of April 1940 at
122 Athol Street, Liverpool. His 'school of hard knocks' attitude was imbued during his upbringing in the tough Scotland Road area of Liverpool in the 1940s and 1950s. He came through the junior ranks at Anfield before signing professional
forms in May 1957 shortly after his seventeenth birthday. Kevin Lewis
blocked his way into the team on the right wing but he played regularly
from the 28th of January onwards in the 1960/61 season. Roger Hunt's injury
opened the door for him as outside-left Alan A' Court was moved to the
middle giving Johnny a run in the side on the left. With the
up-and-coming Ian Callaghan on their books he was deemed surplus
to requirements by the Liverpool board of directors who decided to sell
him. A £10,000 move from Liverpool to Everton for
the diminutive dreadnought was sanctioned in September 1962 without
manager Bill Shankly's knowledge. When the incensed Reds boss
belatedly discovered the deal had been done he penned a resignation
letter and made it clear that any further transfers without his seal of
approval would result in his exit. Liverpool's loss was undoubtedly Everton's gain as his credentials as a very talented, winger were confirmed in a decade at Everton in which he played in two title-winning sides. In June 1963 he married Miss Celia Collister, of Lord Street, Douglas, Isle of Man at St. Anthony's Church, Scotland Road. Johnny figured in the 1962-63 Championship winning side, but more memorably and prominently he stood
out, even among the greats of Alan Ball, Colin Harvey and Howard
Kendall, in the 1969-70 triumph, his crosses being a rich source of supply
for the young Joe Royle. Playing the full 90 minutes in 41 of the 42 games that season he contributed nine goals from the left-wing. 'Mogsy' as he was known, was beloved among Everton fans, who worshipped both his great ability
and his attitude. In 10 years with Everton he scored 50 goals from 314 games in all competitions and finished his career with a brief stay at Oldham Athletic, which brought his total of League appearances over the 300 mark. He still cut a sprightly figure at Goodison Park, at
85, when he was part of the parade of former players at the final men's
game at the 'Old Lady' in May 2025.
In
the wider game, Johnny had a reputation as a hard-as-nails character
who was not to be trifled with at any time - a winger happy to give any
full-back taking liberties a taste of their own medicine. Team-mate Colin Harvey revealed that such was Johnny's formidable
reputation as a Mersey hard-man, even in training ground kick-abouts players always wanted him on their side. "He was a winger who famously used to terrify the full-back who marked him," smiled his former team-mate. He definitely belongs in any list of Mersey hard-men, but because of
that reputation people don't give him enough credit for the skill he
had – and he was very skillful, but he knew how to tackle, too. He was
an excellent crosser, with both feet and would get up and down and put a
good shift in every game. He was a real team player and when you put
those qualities together you had a very good footballer." In October 1970 Jack Charlton, known for his ruthlessness in that infamous Leeds team, famously appeared on a TV programme where he
said he'd once kept a 'little black book' of names of players whom he
intended to hurt or exact some form of revenge upon. Johnny Morrissey presumably figured on Page One. "We
knew all about the so-called black book," laughed Colin. "Johnny
absolutely clattered Jackie one afternoon then went over to pick him up.
As he bent over he muttered into his ear 'you can put that in your
****ing book now!' It’s fair to say he wasn’t easily intimidated." Liverpool's
famous 'Anfield Iron' Tommy Smith admitted even he was wary of
Morrissey, while former colleague Kendall said Ball's advice to him on
his first day at Everton was: "Never take the ball off Johnny Morrissey
in training."
see also :- http://www.thefootballvoice.com/2026/08/mersyside-for-sport-brian-labone.html
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