Simon Morton at Sheffield

18th July 2002

LOCAL HOME GROWN TALENT TO GET CHANCE IN FIRST TEAM

Sheffield Eagles coach, Mark Aston, has announced today that there is a good chance that two more local lads could make their first team debuts on Sunday at Rochdale Hornets. The two lads are Simon Morton and Nick Turnbull.

Simon Morton, aged 19, went to Westfield School and was a member of the Sheffield Schools Rugby League Team which played at Wembley in 199*. He played for Hillsborough Hawks ARLFC for several years, was a member of the old Sheffield Eagles Academy team (joined when only 15 years of age), went to Huddersfield Giants when the ill-fated merger took place, before returning to Sheffield, when he heard that the Eagles had formed an academy team, and signed for the newly formed Eagles Academy. Aston then made Morton the Sheffield Eagles Academy captain. Morton is a second-row forward, who is hard working non-stop tackling player who can also score tries. Simon has also played for England U19s and England Students just recently.

Nick Turnbull, also 19 years old, is another hard working player who has recently signed a two and half year contract with the Eagles and plays at centre in the Eagles Academy Team.

25th July 2002

LOCAL FOLKS GET OPPORTUNITY TO SEE LOCAL TALENT

Sheffield Eagles, who play Batley Bulldogs at Don Valley tomorrow evening (Friday 26th July) at 7.30pm in the Northern Ford Premiership, look likely to have three "home grown" youngsters putting on first team shirts. Mark Aston, Sheffield Eagles coach, has told the Eagles web-site that: "There is a very good chance that Nick Turnbull and Simon Morton will make their home "debuts" tomorrow after putting in excellent displays against Rochdale Hornets in their first outing in the tough first team match last Sunday. Mitch (Stringer) is also ready for another 1st team appearence and Sheffielders have got an excellent opportunity to see these young lads. They are the "future of the club", they are "home grown" and the start of something I've aimed for, A Sheffield Team of Sheffield lads." He continued:"Andy Raleigh, who hails from Huddersfield has been having a runout with the Academy team may also get his chance to impress in the Batley match. Raleigh is another of the young crop of students who is full of potential and could make a big impact on the pro game in the future. " "The young lads have worked hard, deserve their chance, and some of the more senior squad members are having to wake up to the fact that there is now strong competition for the shirts." "What we would like to see now is the people of Sheffield recognising the growth of the sport in South Yorkshire and come along and support not only the Eagles, but the local lads."

Simon Morton speaks out as captain of the Academy Team - 23rd July 2002

Re: Workington
"It’s bad news to lose a team from the Academy set-up. We were disappointed on the day not to play the game, but now we have lost the chance to play them away as well. It’s all been very stop-start and what we really need is to play week-in-week-out if we are going to continue to improve. We had had a long break anyway and were beginning to gel so it’s even more of a shame."
Re: NFP Call-ups
"The Academy players who have made it into the first team have done really well. It’s a big step up for them and I think they’ve handled the pressure very well. It also acts as a spur to the rest of us and proves that if what can be achieved if we work hard. It’s the next step up the ladder for me and I can’t wait to get my chance."
Re: Club Spirit
"The Academy team generally trains separately from the NFP team but on occasions we do train together and that helps us to feel part of the club. Now we have our own kit and tracksuits that helps too. We feel part of a professional set-up and proud to be wearing the eagles logo."
Re: Hairstyles
"I’ve had a few comments about actually having hair now! I was just ready for a change having had a skinhead for so long. I don’t intend doing a Beckham and changing it for each game though!"

Press Release June 2003

LOCAL LAD HEADS FOR AUSTRALIA

As the Eagles welcome on board one international in the shape of PNG star Tom O’Reilly, they also wave goodbye (albeit temporarily) to GB international Simon Morton as he flies off to Australia for a three-week tour as part of the 2003 Great Britain Universities Squad.
The tour sees the GB side take on James Cook and Central Queensland Universities plus a South East Open team as warm up games before two Test games against the Australian Universities team. Although Morton has represented England at student level, this will be his first call up for Great Britain and it’s a prospect he’s relishing.
"I’ve played 3 or 4 games for the England side," said the modest young Eagle. "The England coach put me forward for the GB team and I’ve been part of the training squad for the last year, but I’m just delighted to get chosen for the tour. It was a bit of a surprise as I was unable to take part in the Home Nations competition, which was meant to finalise the squad, but luckily the GB coaching team felt I’d still shown enough to be chosen."
It’s been a busy and tough commitment for the 21 year old who has had to balance his GB training with his contractual commitments to the Eagles. In addition, Morton has had to raise £1,000 of his own money to help fund the trip.
"I’ve been quite lucky with how things have worked out," confesses Simon. "Plus Tubbs has been very supportive. As I’m contracted to Sheffield, I had to ask permission to commit to the GB team and I’m really grateful that Tubbs and the club are allowing me the freedom to make the most of what might be a once in a lifetime opportunity."
As always his family will also be supporting Simon with both his parents and younger brother Luke also making the trip down under. "They are always at games cheering me on and it will be great to have them out there, though I’m not sure how much of each other we will actually get to see!" laughs Simon. "As well as the five games, we have a pretty heavy training programme."
But it won’t be all work and no play. The squad can look forward to seeing a few sights and also taking several Aussie game including the final State of Origin game.
"None of the squad see this trip as a holiday," Morton was keen to point out. "We have a few minor trips arranged, but we’re going out there to do a professional job out on the field. The test games are what we are really looking forward to, and then personally the chance to watch the deciding Origin game live, will be top of my highlights."
Eagles fans will no doubt be keeping a close eye out for the results of the games and hoping to see Morton’s name on the team sheet (and hopefully try scorer’s list!) before he returns.

"Once I get back, then my main aim will be to try and break into the first team," admits Morton. "Mitch (Stringer) and Nick (Turnbull) have come through the academy ranks and made their impact in the National League team. I’ve got serious competition as Andy Raleigh and Craig Brown have been playing so well, but I’ll keep working hard and hopefully my chance will come."

Mark Aston on Simon Morton:
"When a player gets the chance to represent his country at any level. It’s a great achievement. Simon’s a great kid who is very professional in his approach to the game with a good attitude. He should go out there and enjoy himself. He works very hard and now he has his reward and hopefully this GB opportunity will make up for the fact he hasn’t been able to break into the first team just yet , but he still has time on his side for that."
BACKGROUND INFO: Simon Morton, aged 21, went to Wisewood School and was a member of the Sheffield Schools Rugby League Team which played at Wembley in 1993 (curtain-raiser before the Challenge Cup Final) when he was 10 and at Malin Bridge School, where he was first recruited to Rugby League by Marion Anniss. He played for Hillsborough Hawks ARLFC for several years, was a member of the old Sheffield Eagles Academy team (joined when only 15 years of age), went to Huddersfield Giants when the ill-fated merger took place, before returning to Sheffield, when he heard that the Eagles had formed an academy team, and signed for the newly formed Eagles Academy. Aston then made Morton the Sheffield Eagles Academy captain. Morton is a second-row forward, who is hard working non-stop tackling player who can also score tries. Simon has also played for England U19s and England Students just recently.

27th January 2006 [sheffieldnewspapers.co.uk]

Two years of hell

MORE that most, Simon Morton knows the risks a rugby league player takes. He's got the scars to prove it - particularly the one that runs down his right thigh and needed more than 30 stitches. The nightmare began with a fairly routine tackle in a game for Sheffield Eagles nearly two years ago. The injury led to surgeons having to battle to save his leg, following a game against Doncaster, at Don Valley stadium early in 2004. With the second anniversary coming up, Simon is hoping to be in the Eagles line-up when they face the newly-renamed Lakers, on Sunday. A blow to the thigh led to compartment syndrome - where bleeding into the muscle builds up and stops oxygenated blood going into the muscle, causing tissue and nerve damage. Luckily for Simon, the danger was spotted 24 hours after the game by Eagles physio Ange Green. "I was in the most pain I have ever been in my life, after the game and all the night," said Simon. "I couldn't walk on the leg and I didn't sleep, but I had to go to the university the next day to do something to my dissertation - something I shouldn't have done because I was on my leg all day. "My leg swelled to three times its normal size. I went to training and Ange spotted it and rushed me off to hospital. I owe her a lot. "The doctors cut from my hip to my knee all the way down and I've still got a lovely scar to show two years on - I think there were 33 stitches." Simon came back in 2005 but faced a battle to rebuild his strength and confidence. "It took me a lot longer than I expected psychologically - it was at the back of my mind and when I wasn't hitting form I began to attribute it to the fact that I was injured in such a bad way," said the 23-year-old. "I began to question whether I would actually get back, but hopefully I'm close to where I was strength wise. "This season it's a case of fingers crossed. The objectives - to get promoted, nothing else, to get a first-team place and to stay injury-free. Hillsborough-born Simon is one of a growing group of 'locals' in the squad having come through the Eagles Academy and the Great British students side. He has a degree from Hallam University and is now a lecturer in sports psychology and scientific principles of sport at Norton College. There's a fight to gain a regular place following a rush of new players in the Eagles squad - many experienced forwards. He said: "It's good for us, good competition, it pushes you to make yourself better." Doncaster Lakers face the Eagles for the South Yorkshire Cup, at Don Valley Stadium on Sunday, kick-off 3.15pm.