Callum Morris (born 3 February 1990) is a former professional footballer who played as a centre-back. Released by Newcastle United as a youngster, Morris played for Blyth Spartans then went to the Glenn Hoddle Academy in Spain, where he also played for Jerez Industrial. Returning to England, he joined Hayes & Yeading United before moving to Scotland in 2012, initially with Dunfermline Athletic before joining Dundee United in 2014. Morris moved to Aberdeen in the summer 2016, but did not play for the club. Morris returned to Dunfermline in December 2016, then moved to Ross County in June 2018. Morris returned to England in 2021 with Morpeth Town.
Born in England, Morris is of Irish descent and received his first call up to the Northern Ireland squad in 2016, having previously played for the Republic of Ireland under-21 team.
Club career Early career Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, Morris started his football career at Walker Central before joining Premier League side Newcastle United in 2004. After signing for the Magpies in July 2006, he progressed through the club’s youth system. Morris was given a twelve-month extension to his scholarship in 2008.
On 19 July 2008, Morris made his first team appearance for Newcastle United in a friendly match against Hartlepool United, where he came on as a 72nd-minute substitute, in a 4–1 win. After the match, Morris and teammate Darren Lough were described by coach Adam Sadler as "the next big thing", Despite being called up to the first team, however, he was never made a single first team appearance for the next two years. At the end of the 2009–10 season, Morris was released by the club.
Following his release from Newcastle, Morris had an unsuccessful trial with Gateshead, before joining Blyth Spartans on 13 August 2010.<be> After making five appearances for Blyth, Morris left the club to join the Glenn Hoddle Academy in Spain.
While at the Glenn Hoddle Academy, Morris also played for Spanish Fourth Division side Jerez Industrial CF, where he gained full-time, senior football experience. After leaving Jerez Industrial CF, he said about his football career: " I had just finished a spell at the Glenn Hoddle academy and found myself fed up of trials and trekking all over globe trying to find a way back into full time football. I decided to find a team where I could enjoy just playing football again. I wasn’t getting anything out of it and my love for the game began to diminish as all the sacrifices just weren’t worth it." In November 2011, Morris joined Hayes & Yeading United, making three appearances for the club before being released in January 2012.
Dunfermline Athletic Following unsuccessful trials in England, Portugal and Greece, Morris had considered giving up professional football before he went on trial at Dunfermline Athletic. He played as a trialist and started the whole game, in a 3–0 win against Montrose in the second round of the Scottish League Cup on 29 August 2012. Two days later on 31 August 2012, Morris signed for Dunfermline Athletic in the Scottish First Division .
The next day on 1 September 2012, Morris made his league debut for the club, starting the whole game, and gave away a penalty for handball, which was saved by Paul Gallacher, a 3–1 win against Raith Rovers. This was followed up by keeping a clean sheet in the next three league matches against Dumbarton, Livingston and Hamilton Academical. Since joining Dunfermline Athletic, he went on to be a first team regular, playing in the centre–back position. On 8 December 2012, he received a straight red card after a foul on Stefan Scougall in the 19th minute, in a 2–1 loss against Livingston. After serving a two match suspension, Morris scored his first goal on his return, in a 4–2 loss against Greenock Morton on 29 December 2012. After missing one match due to illness, he returned to the starting line–up, in a 2–1 win against Hamilton Academical on 2 February 2013. On 23 February 2013, Morris scored his second goal for the club, in a 4–1 loss against Greenock Morton. By late–March, he suffered an injury that saw him out for three matches. On 6 April 2013, Morris made his return from injury, where he set up one of the goals, in a 3–2 loss against Hamilton Academical. But Morris’ return was short–lived when he missed one match. On 20 April 2013, Morris made his return to the starting line–up and helped Dunfermline Athletic, in a 1–0 win against Cowdenbeath. The season was marked with financial problems, which led to the club entering administration. Upon learning Dunfermline Athletic’s administration, he wrote on Twitter of his frustrations over wage delays. The club were relegated following a defeat in the play-offs, where Morris was absent for all four matches due to a hamstring injury. At the end of the 2012–13 season, he made thirty appearances and scoring two times in all competitions. Despite the relegation, Morris was named in the PFA Scotland Team of the Year for the First Division. He was also named the club's player of the season.
Ahead of the 2013–14 season, Morris rejected rumours that he had left Dunfermline Athletic by appearing in the opening friendly against Hearts. On 27 July 2013, Morris scored his first goal of the season, in a 3–1 win against Cowdenbeath in the first round of the Scottish Challenge Cup. After missing the opening game of the season, he returned to the starting line–up and scored the club's first goal in Scottish League One, in a 3–2 loss against Arbroath. On 27 August 2013, Morris was a fault when he scored an own-goal, in a 2–1 loss against Falkirk in the second round of the Scottish League Cup. Morris continued to be a regular in the first team, playing in the centre–back position. On 16 November 2013, he played a role in a match against Airdrieonians, setting up two goals, in a 3–0 win. However, Morris suffered an Achilles tendon injury that kept him out for a month. But on 18 January 2014, he made his return to the starting line–up against Airdrieonians and played 72 minutes before being substituted, due to a hamstring injury, as Dunfermline Athletic loss 1–0. After missing two matches, Morris made his return to the starting line–up, in a 4–0 loss against Rangers in the last-16 of the Scottish Cup on 7 February 2014. He later regained his first team place, playing in the centre–back position towards the end of the 2013–14 season. Morris helped the club to finish second place in Scottish League One, qualifying for the Scottish Championship play-offs and then winning against Stranraer on aggregate. Unfortunately, he was unable to help Dunfermline Athletic promoted to the Scottish Championship and remained in League One after losing 4–1 on aggregate to Cowdenbeath in the play-off final, in what turns out to be his final appearance for the club. For his performance, Morris was named PFA Scotland Scottish League One Team of the Year. At the end of the 2013–14 season, he made thirty–seven appearances and scoring two times in all competitions.
With his contract expiring at the end of the 2013–14 season, Morris was offered a new contract with the club. On 12 March 2014, he rejected a new contract offered, much to a disappointment of manager Jim Jefferies. Upon learning that Morris rejected a new contract, Dundee United took interest in signing him.
Dundee United Morris signed a two-year contract with Scottish Premiership side Dundee United on 17 June 2014.
He made his debut for the club, starting the whole game, in a 3–0 win against Aberdeen in the opening game of the season. After the match, manager Jackie McNamara praised his performance, describing it as “solid”. Since joining Dundee United, Morris became a first team regular, playing in the centre–back position alongside Jarosław Fojut. His first goal for the club came on 21 September 2014, as Dundee United won 4–1 against city rivals Dundee in the Dundee derby. After missing one match due to suspension, he made his return, coming on as a second-half substitute, in a 2–0 loss against Aberdeen on 13 December 2014. However, in a match against St Johnstone on 27 December 2014, Morris suffered an Achilles injury and suffered in the 8th minute, in a 2–1 loss. Morris’ injury soon kept him out for several weeks. On 24 January 2015, he made his return to the first team from injury, starting the whole game, in a 3–1 win over Motherwell. In a follow–up match against Aberdeen in the semi-final of the Scottish League Cup, Morris scored his second goal of the season, in a 2–1 win to send the club through to the final. However in a match against Kilmarnock on 14 February 2015, he suffered a knee injury and was substituted at half–time, in a 3–2 loss. After the match, Morris was out for four matches. On 15 March 2015, he recovered in time to start in the League Cup Final against Celtic, as Dundee United lost 2–0. However, his return was short–lived when Morris sustained a hamstring injury which kept him out for three weeks, On 11 April 2015, he made his return from injury, starting the whole game, in a 1–0 win against Hamilton Academical. Following his return from injury, Morris regained his first team place, where he started for the next six matches. However, Morris suffered another injury, ruling him out for the rest of the season. Despite his injuries, Morris made 30 appearances and scored twice in all competitions.
Ahead of the 2015–16 season, Morris suffered a thigh injury and was out for two months. On 12 September 2015, he made his return from injury, starting the whole game, in a 2–1 loss against Kilmarnock. On 22 September 2015, Morris scored his first goal of the season, in a 3–1 win against Dunfermline Athletic in the last 16 of the Scottish League Cup. However, his return was short–lived when he suffered a knee injury and was substituted in the 7th minute, in a 3–0 loss against Partick Thistle on 3 October 2015. After the match, Morris was out for two months with the injury. On 12 December 2015, he made his return from injury, starting the whole game, in a 1–0 loss against Partick Thistle. However, his return was short–lived when Morris suffered a medial knee ligament injury and was substituted at half–time, in a 3–2 loss against Hearts on 30 December 2015. After the match, he was out for three months. On 11 March 2016, Morris made his return from injury, starting the whole game, in a 2–1 loss against Motherwell. However, Dundee United’s poor form have led to finding themselves in a relegation zone and even after returning from injury, the club’s poor form continued. Eventually, Dundee United were relegated to the Scottish Championship after losing 2–1 to city rivals Dundee on 2 May 2016. On 6 May 2016, he made his return to the starting line–up, only for him to be sent–off for a second bookable offence, in a 3–2 win against Inverness Caledonian Thistle. At the end of the 2015–16 season, Morris made fifteen appearances and scoring once in all competitions.
Shortly after Dundee United’s relegation, he was released by the club upon expiry of his contract.
Aberdeen On 15 June 2016, Morris signed a one-year contract with Scottish Premiership side Aberdeen.
However, he was unable to establish himself in the first team and failed to dispatch a place from Shay Logan, as well as, his facing own injury concern. As a result, Morris made no appearances for the side, and was released on 30 December 2016.
Dunfermline Athletic (second spell) After leaving Aberdeen, Morris re-signed for Dunfermline Athletic on 31 December 2016 on a deal until the end of the 2016–17 season.