The Knowledge | Tom Morris, a man of many firsts - including our first top flight goal - against Sunderland

Tom Morris holds a unique place in our history.

Signed from Gainsborough Trinity - then in the old Second Division - on 1 May, 1899, Morris, a half-back comfortable in defence or attack, made over 500 appearances for us, including 101 in the Football League and FA Cup.

The only link between our historic 1901 FA Cup winning side and the team which entered the Football League seven years later, Morris is a man of many firsts - he featured in our first match at White Hart Lane, our first - and only - Southern League title side, our first FA Cup Final and FA Cup Final win, our first Football League match in 1908 and scored our first goal in the top flight - in a 3-1 loss against Sunday's opponents Sunderland at Roker Park on 1 September, 1909.

One of only three Englishmen in our successful 1901 FA Cup team, Morris played 38 FA Cup matches in our colours - a club record equalled by Jimmy Dimmock in 1931 but not surpassed until Cyril Knowles did so in 1973.

During the First World War, Tom served with the Royal Engineers, wounded four times. Employed on reconstruction work at White Hart Lane in 1919, he remained on our groundstaff until 1939. He passed away at Uxbridge on 25 April,1942.