Ebenezer Cobb Morley

Apparently there's a statue to William McGregor, the founder of the football league, outside Villa Park. It's probably a reflection of the diffident personality of Hull people, but where's our statue of Ebenezer? Not only would a statue outside the KCOM be a nice tribute, it would also significantly raise the profile of City as a club. If he was a Geordie or a Manc we wouldn't be hearing the end of it.

 

I raised that suggestion with the local Civic Society several years ago, and pretty much got a sniff and change of subject as a response.

 

If he'd have written a book on bee keeping they'd have been all over it. I had the same response from the same group when I suggested similar for Alan Hardaker.

 

What’s a bloke who does removals got to do with it

 

Secretary of the Football League when England won the World Cup. Founder of the Football League Cup and was considered a visionary when he was running the Football League and was awarded the OBE for his services to football.. Also played for Hull City reserves. Local lad done good.

 

I've raised the question of recognising the remaining South Stand of our Anlaby Road ground with the civic society and the alternative heritage people who put up the alternative blue plaques and got no response from either. Don't give up on our history though.

 

How much do statues cost? (A very lazy Google said from about $10K for a life sized bronze commission)

Could it be crowd funded by football fans?

 

I've tried that too. Same response. Also put the idea to Geoff Beilby when he was chair of the Trust and he said he was working with people of that very subject. Heard nothing since.

 

I'm not sure the civic society is the right route tbh (well it clearly isn't)

If the land is owned by the Council wouldn't they be a better route to raise it?

 

I got a good response from the club when I pointed out the 115th anniversary of our first game on Anlaby Road from Daniel Briggs, Hull City PR and Social Media who was very interested and receptive and put out a tweet on the anniversary to be fair.

 

A local lad set a fund up a few Years back to do it. Received a bit of publicity at the time, heard nowt since.

 

There was going to be an information board near the KC pointing out where the old ground was and the history of it according to Mr Beilby.
You see these type of boards all over the city, except here and possibly a similar one where Boothferry Park used to stand.

 

Raising the money? No problem. Getting agreement on where to put it would be harder by a country mile!

 

We could get one of those annoying human statue types to step in until the council sort it out. He could take it in turns to be Ebenezer Morley one day and Alan Hardaker the next.

 

Not surprised. Like with the dinosaurs at Hull City Council, they probably want to preserve Hull's image as a 'rugby city'.

 

Corrected for you.

 

Hull City Council didn’t mind putting a statue of a racist misogynist from Coventry in the railway station, but put up a statue of a man from Hull who wrote the rules of the greatest game in the World, oh no, he’s not known by the eggchasers so they won’t bother thanks.

 

Aside from planning permission they didn't bother with Larkin. His statue was funded privately, raise the cash and I'm fairly sure they'd be happy to give planning permission for Ebenezer's statue at the KCOM.

 

Hope it looks better than this when it hopefully and rightfully happens.

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