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12 August 2025
 
 

Bert Morley

Notts County FC

 1 appearance, 0 goals

P 1 W 0 D 1 L 0 F 1: A 1
50% successful
1910

captain: none
minutes played: 90

Timeline
  Herbert Morley
Birth Sunday, 8 October 1882 at 33 (Old) Rows, Kiveton Park, Rotherham, West Riding of Yorkshire
registered in Worksop October-December 1882

According to the 1891 census, Herbert is the youngest of five children, four of them sons, to John and Martha K. (née Parkin). His father and three older brothers are coalminers. They live at 33 Rows in Kiveton Park.

According to the 1901 census, Herbert is the youngest of three children now at Colliery Cottages in Kiveton Park. He is now working at the coalmines along with his older brother and father.
His mother died in the autumn of 1908.

According to the 1911 census, Herbert, a professional footballer, is boarding along with teammate Fred Emberton, at 63 Woodward Street in Nottingham. The home of widow Ann Elizabeth Eite and her two children.
Married to Elizabeth May Carpenter, on Saturday, 3 August 1918, at St. Faith's Church in North Wilford in Nottingham, both living at 59 Collygate Road
registered in Nottingham July-September 1918
Children Bert and May have one son together. John Godfrey (b.3 May 1924)
His father died in summer of 1920.
According to the 1921 census, Herbert, an out-of-work Notts County FC professional footballer, is now married to Elizabeth May, a dressmaker. They live at 76 Station Road in Kiveton Park.
  According to the 1939 register, Herbert, a retired professional footballer, remains married to Elizabeth M., and they live at Springfield, on Walls Lane in Ingoldmells.
Death Tuesday, 16 July 1957 at Springfields, Walls Lane, Ingoldmells, Skegness, Lincolnshire
aged 74 years 281 days registered in Spilsby July-September 1957
Obituary
"Originator of the Offside Trap
 "FORMER ENGLAND INTERNATIONAL AND NOTTS. COUNTY CAPTAIN
 "BERT MORLEY LIVED FOR 23 YEARS IN SKEGNESS
"SINCE it's introduction, for good or ill, more than forty years ago, the offside trap has exercised a profound influence on the tactics of Association Football. Its originator died last week, after having lived in retirement in the Skegness district for 23 years. He was Herbert ('Bert') Morley, England international and former captain of Notts. County.
"Born in the Sheffield district in 1882, Bert Morley joined Kiveton Park, a Sheffield League Club, as a centre-forward at the age of 17. Four years later, spotted by Grimsby Town, he joined that up-and-coming team which was already established in the second division, and it was while with the Mariners that he became converted to a full-back, the position in which he gained his greatest triumphs.
"It was on the Good Friday of 190[7] that his transfer to Notts. County was effected. The County were facing relegation, bottom of the first division with only eight games to go. There followed a legendary comeback which carried them clear of the relegation bogey—when in a few weeks they beat Derby County, Sheffield United and Middlesbrough, achieved a draw at Preston. Two years later Morley was honoured by being made captain of Notts. County for the first time.
"The same year, 1910, saw Bert Morley capped for England. He played full-back for England against Ireland at Belfast, in a match that ended in a one-all draw. It was his first and only international cap, for in the same year he sustained a leg injury while playing full-back for the Players' Union team against Chelsea, a game which was utilised to serve as an England trial. The injury ruled out Morley's inclusion in the England team to meet Scotland, but he continued to captain Notts. County until 1916. He had previously played on the Continent—in Denmark and in Spain. Morley's brilliant offside theory entirely changed the face of English 'soccer, though in later years it was his own contention that its introduction had entirely spoiled the game.
"The offside trap, formerly called the one-back game, was officially recognised by the F.A. in 1919, though the identity of its originator was for a long time a matter of controversy. While various claims on this score were being made, one national newspaper made the following comment: 'Notts. County, original members of the Football League, were the first professional team and the first Second Division team to win the cup. Their right-back Morley introduced the one-back game before Billy MacCracken ever thought of it.'
"Morley's claim to be the initiator of the tactics was substantiated, and it transpired that MacCracken—one of the famous Irish internationals who played many times for Newcastle, and whom Notts. County full-back regarded as the finest of his contemporaries—adopted the offside trap a good twelve months after Morley had first put it into operation.
"Bert Morley—regarded as one of the all-time 'greats' of 'soccer—died at his Skegness home, 'Springfield,' Walls Lane, on July 16th." - The Skegness News, Wednesday, 24 July 1957, page 4.
Funeral
Friday, 19 July 1957
Wilford Hill crematorium, Nottingham
"Tommy Lawton. and a number of representatives of the directors of Notts. County F.C., attended the funeral, at Wilford Hill Crematorium, Nottingham, on Friday, of Mr. Herbert ('Bert') Morley. He leaves a widow and one married son, Mr. John Godfrey Morley, M.Sc., a nuclear physicist who is at present engaged on research work for Rolls-Royce. In addition to the widow, son and daughter-in-law, mourners at Friday's funeral included Mr. and Mrs. B. Morley, nephew and nice, Mr. H. Morley and Mr. A. Bignall, niece, and Mr. and Mrs. E. Coup, nephew and niece; Mrs. Linfoot, Mrs. E. Spooner and Dorothy, Mr. A. Shaw, Mrs. Bland, Miss F. Prescott, Mrs. Hartland, Mrs. Gascoyne, and Mr. I. Waterfall." - The Skegness News, Wednesday, 24 July 1957, page 5.
"ACKNOWLEDGEMENT  Mrs E. M. MORLEY, Springfield,' Walls Lane, Ingoldmells, whishes to thank relatives, friends and neighbours for their kindness, sympathy and beautiful floral tributes, and to express her gratitude to the doctor and to Mrs. N. Bark." - The Skegness News, Wednesday, 24 July 1957, page 2.
Probate "MORLEY Herbert of Springfields Walls-lane Ingoldmells Skegness Lincolnshire died 16 July 1957 Probate Nottingham 28 October to Elizabeth May Morley widow and John Godfrey Morley physicist. Effects £1750 15s. 10d." [2025 equivalent: £39,881]
  His wife, Elizabeth, died on 23 June 1970 in Louth
Source

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] &

Playing Career
Club(s) Morley started his career with Kiveton Park FC before signing as a centre-forward with Grimsby Town FC on 30 August 1904, scoring two goals in a trial match that afternoon. Notts County FC signed him in on 29 March 1907. Retired during the war.

League honours
351 appearances, 3 goals		 Grimsby Town FC 1904-07 93 appearances, three goals
debut (division two): 3 September 1904 Grimsby Town FC 0 Barnsley FC 0.
Notts County FC 1907-15 258 appearances
debut: 29 March 1907 Notts County FC 4 Derby County FC 0.
last: 28 April 1915 Notts County FC 2 Chelsea FC 0.
Club honours Football League Division Two winners 1913-14 (36ᵃ);
Individual honours None
Distinctions None
Height/Weight 'stands over 6ft., weighs more than 12st.' [1904], 6' 1", 13st. 4lbs [1908].
Source

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990].

England Career
Player number One of five who became the 344th players (344) to appear for England.
Position(s) Right-back
Only match No. 105, 12 February 1910, Ireland 1 England 1, a British Championship match at Solitude Ground, Cliftonville, Belfast, aged 27 years 127 days.
Major tournaments British Championship 1909-10;
Team honours None
Individual honours The Whites (one appearance, January 1910);
Distinctions Died the same day as Albert Sturgess, and thirteen days after George Blackburn.

Beyond England
After retiring, he scouted for Notts County FC. Is said to have actually been the innovator of the notorious offside trap that is generally ascribed to Newcastle United FC's Bill McCracken. [See his 'obituary'↑] - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.179.


The Numbers
parties Appearances comp. apps minutes captain
1 1 1 90 0 none
The minutes here given can only ever be a guideline and cannot therefore be accurate, only an approximation.
P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
1 0 1 0 1 1 =0 0 0 1 1 50 =0
His only match was in the British Championship competition and at an away venue

Tournament Record

British Championship Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1909-10 1 0 1 0 1 1 =0 0 0 1.00 1.00 50.0 =0
BC All 1 0 1 0 1 1 =0 0 0 1.00 1.00 50.0 =0

All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1 0 1 0 1 1 =0 0 0 1.00 1.00 50.0 =0
1 0 1 0 1 1 =0 0 0 1 1 50 =0

Match History

 Club: Notts County F.C. - one full appearance (90 min) 2ᵍ F.A. International Select Committee - one full appearances (90 min)x

apps match match details comp res. rundown pos

Age 27 trial  
one appearance - The Whites vs. The Stripes, 31 January 1910;

1 105 12 February 1910 - Ireland 1 England 1
Solitude Ground, Belfast 		BC AD   rb
 

one of five who became the 344th player (344) to appear for England
the fifteenth player from Notts County FC to represent England

     

 
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