The last time Lewis Morgan reached double figures in a single season, he was the driving force behind St Mirren’s title-winning, promotion-securing 2017/18 campaign, scoring for fun against the likes of Morton, Dumbarton and Queen of the South in the Scottish Championship.
It’s taken five years for the twice-capped Scotland international to trouble the Golden Boot standings again. And while Morgan looks set to miss out on that particular accolade, that does not mean he will go home empty handed following an outstanding debut campaign at New York Red Bulls.
“Lewis Morgan has been selected as the Player of the Year by our supporters,” NYRB confirmed via their official Twitter feed over the weekend.
Lewis Morgan is thriving in the MLS after Celtic exit
After scoring 17 goals and providing a further three assists, that POTY gong is a fitting reward for a player who has hit the net more often this term than across his last five seasons combined.
Morgan found the target just seven times in MLS action for Inter Miami. That is still seven more than he mustered in the green-and-white of Celtic. Despite playing as a number nine on occasions under Neil Lennon at Parkhead.
One wonders what Morgan could have achieved in Glasgow had the Hoops not sold him for just £400,000 some 18 months before the transformative appointment of a coach in Ange Postecoglou who has breathed fresh life into many an ailing Celtic career; from Anthony Ralston to Greg Taylor.
“The manager has come and done brilliantly,” Morgan told Glasgow Live a couple of months ago.
“The team is playing a really good, attractive style of football. I have self-belief and think I could have been a success.
“Quite a lot of my time (at Celtic) was maybe filling in at different positions. I am sure all the forward players at Celtic now love playing under Postecoglou, with his style of play. I am sure if I was there, and had a sustained run, I could have made a success of it.”
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
