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Remembering Mike Morgan, 1948-2026: Football journalist for Sun, Star, Express and Mirror was ‘one of the best’

Tributes are being paid from across the football media industry to Mike Morgan, who has died at the age of 78; the Essex-born reporter was based in Yorkshire and covered the region’s clubs for more than two decades…

By The SJA

Mike Morgan
Mike Morgan with David Watson, Barnsley’s goalkeeper in 1998. Image by Martyn Harrison (with thanks to The Sun for providing)

Mike Morgan has been remembered as “one of the best” football journalists of his generation following the sad news that he has died at the age of 78.

Morgan was Sheffield’s longest-serving football writer and covered the fortunes of clubs across the Yorkshire region as a reporter for several national newspapers, and then as a freelancer. He retired from sports journalism in 2023.

He was born in Essex and built his reputation in the North and East Midlands. His reliable presence in the press boxes of Yorkshire clubs in particular helped to make him a trusted colleague.

During his career, he reported for the Daily Express, Daily Star, The Sun, and the Daily Mirror.

Morgan was described by his Sun colleague Alan Biggs as an “old-fashioned operator in the best possible way” in a tribute published on the website of the Football Writers’ Association (FWA).

Former FWA chairman Alex Montgomery remembered Morgan’s ability to form close bonds with managers and players across the sport.

He wrote: “It was a pleasure to speak with him over the years and benefit from his unique knowledge of football’s greatest names.”

Morgan was friends with some of football’s best-known and biggest personalities, including Ron Atkinson, Tony Currie, Allan Clarke, Dave Bassett, Chris Wilder, and Trevor Francis.

It was said that managers and players would often phone him directly with news, a sign of the respect he had inside and outside of the game.

Alongside his enviable contact book, the tributes being paid to Morgan show the high esteem in which he was held by his industry colleagues.

In a post on X, BBC broadcaster Adam Pope wrote: “This is terribly sad news. Mike was always generous with his time & a pleasure to know.” Presenter and broadcaster Stuart Linnell MBE posted to say that Morgan was “one of the best.”

Beyond his work as a staff reporter, Morgan was known for supporting fellow journalists, offering guidance and encouragement to those who were breaking into print and radio.

Following the announcement of his death by the FWA, tributes have flooded in from across the industry.

The SJA sends its deepest condolences to Mike’s many friends in the industry, and to Mike’s family.

If you are interested in sharing memories of Mike via publication on the SJA website, please email us – we welcome your contributions.

Further reading…

Mike Morgan 1948-2026. Tributes from Alan Biggs and Alex Montgomery (FWA)

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