Ex-Hartlepool United and Middlesbrough midfielder joins League Two club

Former Hartlepool United loan midfielder Morris was released by the Mariners at the end of the season after just one year at Blundell Park following his arrival last summer.

Morris joined Grimsby after a permanent move back to the Suit Direct Stadium failed to materialise, with the 27-year-old having spent the second half of the 2021-22 campaign on loan with the club.

The Hartlepool-born midfielder began his career at Middlesbrough where he progressed through the ranks, including under former Pools boss Graeme Lee who was the one to bring him to the Suit Direct Stadium.

Morris made 11 appearances for Hartlepool and was left frustrated by the decision from the club not to turn his loan move into a permanent switch, with a two-year deal said to have been agreed in principle as part of his loan move from Burton Albion.

“I had a permanent deal at Hartlepool where all summer that’s where I thought I was going to be for the foreseeable, but for different reasons it didn’t come off,” Morris revealed in an interview with BBC Humberside last summer.

"I knew that I didn’t have a future at Burton so I would be looking elsewhere.

“I think the manager that brought me in obviously got sacked and the new manager said ‘I want to bring in my own players.’

“To be honest, I think the way it was handled was really unprofessional, just in terms of the communication and little bits and bobs that I won’t go into, but it left a bit of a sour taste to be fair.”

The decision not to bring Morris back on a permanent basis was, ultimately, down to former manager Paul Hartley who was keen to look elsewhere.

Hartley had told The Mail: “There was an initial discussion, but I just wanted to get my feet under the table to be quite honest and I’m looking at what I can improve on and what kind of players I can bring in.”

Morris was again linked with a return to the Suit Direct Stadium in the January transfer window, despite having made 14 league appearances for Grimsby during the first half of the campaign.

When quizzed by The Mail, former boss Keith Curle confirmed he had spoken with the midfielder.

"Bryn was here before wasn’t he? But I don't fully understand if Bryn has been made available,” said Curle.

"I did have a conversation with him about how he was doing at the football club and whether he was enjoying it.”

Morris would remain at Grimsby beyond January and would, in the end, make 42 appearances for Paul Hurst’s side across all competitions last season.

But the Mariners confirmed Morris’ release at the end of the campaign with the midfielder recently completing a move to Rodney Parade on a two-year deal.

“Bryn is a great addition,” said Newport boss Graham Coughlan.

“He has a lot of experience and will give us additional ball control in the middle of the park.

“He has a great engine which will fit into how we play. He is also a great character who displays strong leadership qualities, so I’m really looking forward to working with him.”