Pitchero Non League

....down at the end of the season after three and a half years in the job.

It’s been a roller coaster period in charge for Morrison, which began in November 2008 when he arrived at Valley Road with less than 48 hours to build a team for his first match in charge against Congleton Town.

Morrison recalls: “All the players and management team had left and I had to build a team from scratch. We lost that first match 2-1, which left Flixton rooted to the bottom of the table nine points from safety, with less than half a season to go.

“My objective was to keep the club in the NWCL Premier Division which I achieved on the final day of the season with a 2-1 victory over Winsford United and that left us eighteenth in the table”.

Since then, Morrison has steadied the ship and brought through a succession of young players through tirelessly scouring all levels of football in the Manchester area and beyond, and during his time at Valley Road, Lloyd has lost three players to professional contracts.

“We had Astley Mulholland, who won NWCL Premier Division player of the year last year, who signed for Altrincham and then went on to FC United of Manchester. We also had Daniel Gardner, who is now playing for Droylsden and John Bennett who now plays for Vauxhall Motors. All three of these players played for us within the last eighteen months.”

Despite his decision to step down, Morrison is committed to ensuring that his side will finish the season on a high.

“Year on year since I took over, the squad and league position has improved dramatically, and with this group of players we have now, we are more than a match for any team in this league. As a team, the least we aim to achieve this season is to finish seventh in the league, which would be Flixton's highest position in eight years. When you look at what other clubs within the same league are spending compared to us, this really does put this group of players’ achievements into perspective.”

Once the season is over, Morrison will then take a closer look at the what his footballing future holds for him next season.

“It’s been a great experience at Flixton, but it is time to move on", he said. "I’m looking forward to progressing and looking for new and exciting challenges elsewhere. I am open-minded about what I am looking for, but I am determined to find a position with a club whose ambitions match my own. I already have one or two irons in the fire, and will be assessing the options available to me over the coming weeks.”

Flixton chairman Lenny Wood said: “Lloyd has done a terrific job while he has been here. He created a great spirit in the squad, who all want to play for him, and that’s been shown by the performances on the pitch.

“The club is very grateful for the time and effort he has put in, and we wish him well for the future.”

Tags: News | Flixton

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