Morris has point to prove

HAD things worked out differently, Lee Morris could still have been playing in the Premiership or the Championship, as he did for the likes of Derby County, Leicester City and Sheffield United.

Instead, injuries have not been kind to the 29-year-old and put paid to any hopes he had of staying in the big time for any length of time.

There was no doubting Morris's potential when he came through the ranks at Sheffield United as a youngster at a time when David Holdsworth was the Blades' captain.

Morris was selected to represent England U-21s and underlined that potential with some excellent performances at club level.

A £3m move to Derby County followed and regular matches against the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal.

But those highs were destined not to last, as a move across the East Midlands to Leicester saw him sustain the first of two serious cruciate ligament injuries.

Still, Morris has done his best not to let that get him down and in between his time on the sidelines, he went on to play for Yeovil, helping them to a Leahue One play-off semi-final victory over Forest in 2006-2007.

Last season he answered a call from Nigel Clough to play for Burton Albion – and duly helped the Brewers to the Blue Square Premier title.

This summer he moved on to Hereford United, but he has not found things to his liking at Edgar Street.

Happy to move on, Morris is back under the managership of a friendly face in former Blades colleague Holdsworth and still feels he has plenty to offer the game.

"It was at Leicester City that I first did my cruciate and that kept me out for a couple of years, which was obviously frustrating," he said.

"After that I move on to Yeovil, which was a good season and we got to the play-off final (before losing to his hometown club Blackpool).

"But the season after that I did my cruciate for a second time and I was out for the season again – that was tough.

"But I'm hoping that is all behind me now and I certainly enjoyed last season at Burton in the Blue Square Premier.

"When I knew David was interested in taking me to Mansfield I was desperate to come.

"If you are sent out on loan then it is usually for a reason and it was not going well at Hereford, but these things happen.

"I have always looked out for my old team-mates and how they are doing.

"You can see David has done well since he has brought his own players in during the summer.

"Mansfield are strong this year and have a good chance of doing well.

"Burton started very well last year, just as Oxford are running away with it so far this.

"But Burton got reeled in near the end and that could happen to Oxford – it is certainly no foregone conclusion yet."

Morris respected the impact Clough junior – now at Derby County – had during his time at the Pirelli Stadium.

Playing in a confident, largely winning team, he bagged seven goals in 16 starts and 12 substitute appearances for the Brewers.

It is an experience that should come in handy during his loan spell at Field Mill, that runs until January.

Morris said: "We had Nigel Clough as manager, who was top drawer and him leaving part of the way through the season really affected us.

"We managed to scrape over the line and win the title, but he had been there ten years so it was really hard for everyone at the club to take.

"For a club like Burton to go into the League was a fantastic reward for them, particularly the fans."

Morris knows he will have to fight hard for a place in the Mansfield team, especially when Kyle Perry and Jake Speight recover from their injuries.

But he is eager to make an impression – and can offer versatility too.

"I'm an attack-minded player and hopefully I can get my shots in and get among the goals," he said.

"I have spent a lot of my career on the left wing because there are not that many of those players around.

"I prefer being down the middle, but I can do a job in either role if needed.

"In football, there is always pressure to perform. If you are in the team, you have to perform to stay in it. If you aren't, then you have to do well and make an impression in training to get back in."

Determination can count for a lot at non-League level and the way Morris has come back from setbacks in the past proves he has it by the bucket load.