'I don’t feel any different to when I first joined' - Crawley Town keeper Glenn Morris has a a lot more to give

Don’t worry Reds fans - Glenn Morris is going nowhere.
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The 37-year-old is still the first name on Crawley Town’s team sheet - and he is hoping it will be for a few more years.

The Cat, as he is affectionately known by the fans, played his 500th professional game when the Reds played Sutton United on October 16.

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The game didn’t pan out as Morris would have liked, but before the game he was presented with a shirt with 500 on the back - and, in a nice touch, it was Matt Gray, along with John Yems who presented the shirt.

Crawley's number 1 Glenn MorrisCrawley's number 1 Glenn Morris
Crawley's number 1 Glenn Morris
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Morris told us: “I was brought in as third choice goalie and goalkeeper coach. Matt Gray was the assistant manager then, who I knew. He called me up and said ‘do you fancy this?’.

“It was literally just as I got released from Gillingham so I wasn’t thinking too much about that part of my career.

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“I spoke to him on the phone and he said ‘just come and meet the manager [Dermot Drummy] and have a chat and see how you feel’.

“And it just felt right, I felt it was the right club for me at the right time. I didn’t expect it to go the way it’s gone to be honest.

“I didn’t think I was going to get there [500 professional games]. But football is a funny old game and you never know what’s going to happen. I knew I could still do a job but I wasn’t really thinking down that road at that point.”

And what is it about Crawley Town that has let Morris flourish well into his 30s?

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“It’s where I have felt most comfortable and at home. I have enjoyed every minute of being here,” he said.

“The club has bought into me, the fans and everyone. I have played freely here as well and I think that has shown on the pitch.”

The big question is how much longer can he go on for?

“You better ask the manager,” he joked. “I feel good, I don’t feel any different to when I first joined, in my body and everything else.

“I am not looking at the age or the number, I am still looking to train and to play.

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“Why not carry on? When we come back from the summer I am normally one of the fittest. I don’t feel like hanging up the boots any time soon.”

And when his playing career does come to end - don’t worry, there is no hint of it happening soon - he would like to follow in the footsteps of Dannie Bulman and Lewis Young in helping the club progress off the field.

“I would love that. I haven’t had any conversations about it. But who knows? I am not thinking too far ahead of myself and concentrating on the here and now and that will come. What happens will happen.”

Morris has seen a few management changes since he has been at Crawley, so how does playing under Yems compare to Drummy, Harry Kewell and Gabrielle Cioffi?

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Morris said: “He brings his experience, and a lot of honesty with what he says. He’s fantastic to have around the club and he knows the area and the people and he’s getting the best out of us.

“I know we are in a sticky patch now but we are doing better every year and progressing as a club.”

And he believes the current squad is as good as he has played with.

”I think it’s right up there,” he said. “We have some really talented players.

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“It’s a good bunch, everyone gets on and it’s a nice group to be around. Sometimes we have moments like this but it will pass pretty quickly.”

While he is still playing, Morris is still considered one of the best, if not THE best, keeper in League Two.

But he doesn’t take any notice and only one thing matters to him.

“I don’t feel any pressure,” he said. “It’s thrown out there quite a lot. Best this, best that.

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“But as a long as I am doing my job for the team that’s all that really matters.”

And Morris continues to do that for the Reds and he is hoping they can be around the play-offs come the end of the season.

“Personally, I want to play every game if possible and perform as well as I can.

“As a team, first and foremost it’s survival but it would be nice to get in around those play off positions but I know that’s a big ask for us, but why not?”