Many of Mike Morgan’s former colleagues from over the decades are coming together to have a memorial lunch in his honour in Sheffield on Thursday, October 1.
Several managers and players who worked with Mike are also coming to the event to pay tribute to this tabloid Titan of Yorkshire. Journalists, past and present, are travelling from all over the country to remember Mike and guest of honour will be his son Oliver.
We all look forward to sharing our many stories about Mike from over the last 50 years or so and reminiscing about our dear friend and colleague. For more details, please contact David Anderson on 07710 613925.
Mike Morgan 1948-2026
Tributes have poured in from former colleagues following the very sad news that Mike Morgan has passed away, just a few days after his 78th birthday. Mike, a long-standing FWA member and friend to many of us, was one of the finest football journalists of his generation, covering the North and East Midlands for the Daily Express, Daily Star and then The Sun and Mirror.
Alan Biggs wrote the lovely tribute below to his great friend, going back to the 1970s covering the Sheffield beat. And on Thursday Alex Montgomery, former FWA Chairman and a colleague of Mike’s at The Sun for two decades, wrote in to add:
“Mike Morgan was a football writer of the highest order: a reporter who reported. He loved the beautiful game and those who participated in it – players, managers, coaches and directors. It was his job to know them and be trusted by them and that he did in his own stylish way. Mike joined the Sun in the eighties and we worked together on the paper for a couple of decades plus. It was a pleasure to speak with him over the years and benefit from his unique knowledge of football’s greatest names. We retain the memories.” Alex
He will be much missed, and we at the FWA send our condolences to his family, friends and former colleagues.
Mike with Ron Atkinson. Pic Trevor Smith
Mike Morgan, by Alan Biggs
It’s an honour to be asked to write these few words – fewer than he deserves – in tribute to Mike Morgan, a colleague and friend for some 50 years.
It was never about him, mind you. An accomplished sports journalist who told the story rather than screamed opinions. An old-fashioned operator in the best possible way, who had his pulse on the people he dealt with and was universally trusted by them.
I first met Mike in 1975 when he was already established as a football writer on the Daily Express and I was a green local radio reporter, having only worked briefly in print.
When I decided to go freelance on all fronts in 1984, Mike was the guy who did most to aid and encourage me. He helped me gain acceptance among an esteemed group of staffers including Peter Cooper, Bill Mallinson and David Walker.
It was a different age and what characters they were. Later, we teamed up on many stories involving copious shared car journeys. And confidences kept.
On that subject, what struck me most about Mike, and learned the most from, was the relationships he built. It was clear that “off the record” was kept that way.
When you consider the cutting edge nature of the papers he worked for (the Daily Star and then the Sun), and the intense demands of the job, I could only admire his high wire balancing act. He always had a natural instinct for the story, but with discretion.
Such was the respect for Mike that he established firm friendships with so many luminaries of football – including Tony Currie, Allan Clarke, Dave Bassett, Chris Wilder, Ron Atkinson and Trevor Francis, to name but a few.
They would often phone him, rather than the other way around. I was in awe of that. It is an aspect of journalism in danger of being lost.
Of course, humour abounded. Mike and Peter Cooper had alternative names for clubs on their patch – for instance, Rotherham was Rotterdam, Sheffield United was Sheffield Untied and Chesterfield was Chesterfiddle.
And, unlike me, he had a great memory for good jokes; he was full of one-liners.
It’s a sad day for the many who had the pleasure of knowing Mike, who was greatly respected inside and outside of football.
Thoughts with all his family and friends, especially his son Oliver who was his very best pal of all.
Sammy McIlroy with Mike Morgan
Mike with David Watson, Barnsley’s goalkeeper in 1998. Pic Martyn Harrison
Mike presents Barnsley’s Scott Jones with his man of the match award. Pic Phil Callaghan
