Morton follows Vest

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33672, 23 October 1974, Page 34

Morton follows Vest

New Brighton has lost a second key member of last season’s Rothmans National Soccer League team to Australia. The striker, K. Morton, has followed the club’s former playercoach, A. Vest, to live in Perth. Vest recently resigned his position to become full-time coach with the Western Australian Soccer Federation. However, the transfer of Morton is likely to cause another protracted dispute unless the Australian club he joins pays the fee that Brighton will ask. Ironically, Morton has already been through the

same procedure, when he followed Vest to Brighton from Gisborrie City last January. He had played only 20 minutes for Gisborne as a substitute in the last game of the 1973 national league season, and was under contract to the Poverty Bay club on his move to Brighton. The Brighton president, Mr B. A. Lapthorn, said yesterday that Morton had told the club that he wanted to return to England to settle some private affairs and had asked for his clearance so that he could play there before returning to Brighton next season. “We agreed to release Morton —but on a $5OO bond,” Mr Lapthorn said. “The next we heard was that he had gone to Australia.

“We will not release his clearance until his transfer fee has been paid.” Morton was Brighton’s top scorer in the national league last season, with 11 goals. It was also the fourth highest in the competition. Two other members of Brighton’s 1974 team may be missing next season. The defenders, J. Souter and R. Almond, are making trips to Britain. Souter will not return for 18 months and Almond’s future moves are uncertain.