Ravel Morrison spent three years at West Ham – but his time at the club wasn’t without incident, with the midfielder once on the receiving end of a furious dressing down from club vice-chair Karren Brady
Ex-West Ham star Ravel Morrison has discussed the huge telling-off he received from Hammers‘ vice-chairman Karren Brady. Morrison joined the Irons in 2012 for a three-year stint which was mostly spent out on loan.
Under Sam Allardyce, the midfielder showcased glimpses of his raw talent that had led many to label him as one of the country’s most naturally gifted footballers. Now 32, Morrison’s career has been a mix of brilliant individual moments and off-pitch mayhem.
Talking on the Undr The Cosh podcast, the former Derby County player recounted how he found himself in hot water with Brady for driving to training without a full UK licence.
“So, obviously, I drove to training on a provisional license, and Karren Brady went mad. She went mad. I didn’t do that again,” Morrison said. “Someone must have told her. Like, I had to apologise, pick up the keys, get someone to pick me up from the car.”
When quizzed if he’d bought said car before getting a proper licence, Morrison said: “A provisional license. I didn’t live that far from the training ground, so I thought I could just [drive to training] quick… but I didn’t get away with it with Karren.”
Morrison revealed the reason he hadn’t taken his test is that he struggles to navigate the theory section, claiming he wasn’t “the brightest”. However, he said he does have a Jamaican and Mexican licence – but not an English one.
The one-time Manchester United prodigy often found himself in the limelight just as much for his extraordinary goals as well as controversial incidents off the field. Yet speaking to The Athletic in June, Morrison argued that the root cause of his issues was often simple errors such as oversleeping and missing training, challenging the more damaging rumours tied to his reputation.
“I just couldn’t wake up sometimes,” he said. “They were easy mistakes to make – stupid mistakes, yeah – but it’s not like I was out drinking in town every weekend and having fights. It was only once in a blue moon when I would be late.
“What I’ve found is that if you get a reputation early on, it can stick with you through life. Or it does with me, anyway.”
Morrison has struggled to settle in a career that has taken him to 15 different clubs since 2010. As well as spells in the UK with the likes of Birmingham City, Queens Park Rangers and Cardiff City, Morrison has been all over the world.
He has played in Italy with Lazio, Mexico with Atlas, and also had stints with Swedish club Ostersund, Dutch outfit ADO Den Haag and MLS side DC United. However, he does have regrets.
“If I could go back in time I would change 90% of my life,” Morrison said on Rio Ferdinand’s Vibe with Five podcast in 2021. “But you have to look forward, you can’t think about the past too much.”
Morrison departed the Hammers in 2015 after making 24 appearances and scoring five goals, but has fondly recalled his stint in east London as an “enjoyable” one. “If I had the opportunity I’d have stayed with West Ham all the way through,” he said in February 2021.
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
