Former Cardiff City footballer Jonathan Morgan, who made more than 70 appearances for the club, including FA Cup, Welsh Cup and European Cup Winners Cup games, has been made principal of Coleg y Cymoedd. Jonathan, who says his best moment playing for the Bluebirds was when they beat Swansea one nil on Boxing Day 1990, believes skills he gained through his football career have helped him forge a new one in education.
"Playing for Cardiff City I was living the dream," he said, "I am a lifelong Cardiff City fan and got my first season ticket aged seven so it was a dream to be playing for my home team.
Jonathan left school at 15 and joined Cardiff City a few days later after his 16th birthday on a two year apprenticeship also studying in college one day a week. He signed a one year professional contract with the club in 1988 and a two year professional contract in 1989.
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Making his debut against Queens Park Rangers on September 28 1989 the Cardiff-born player got his first goal for the Bluebirds in a 1-1 draw against Birmingham a month later on October 31. Playing in centre midfield Jonathan also scored in Cardiff's 5-2 win against Fulham in November 1989 and in a 1-1 draw with Crewe in December that year.
When an ankle injury brought his professional football career to an end at the age of 22 the young sportsman was devastated but had to move on. With a clutch of O levels he became the first in his family to go to university when Cardiff Metropolitan University took him as a mature student without A levels.
From the age of 22 to 26, Jonathan played semi-professional football and got a first class degree in recreation and leisure management, followed by a masters in sport and leisure Studies and a PGCE. Three decades on, after an education career in England and Wales, he hopes his experiences will help students realise there are alternatives and more than one route to success.
"In school I wasn't academic but playing football gave me personal goals and I learned through football that if you're adaptable, committed and disciplined anything is possible. "
Football was not as well paid during his career as it is now, but Jonathan loved every minute. At his time with Cardiff FC there were only a handful of people in the backroom and training was at Sophia Gardens.
Playing under manager Frank Burrows his team mates included Nathan Blake, Jason Perry, Cohen Griffith and Alan Curtis.
"My highlights would be coming on as a sub in my debut away against QPR and also playing Swansea away on Boxing Day 1990 and winning 1-0. Leigh Barnard scored after two minutes."
When Jonathan's professional football career ended he wanted to stay in sport and loved teaching. After his PGCE he left Wales to teach in Welwyn Garden City before returning to Coleg Ystrad Mynach (now Coleg y Cymoedd) in 2002.
"I love education and its a fantastic career to have. I think I can inspire people who have had setbacks. I have the ability to empathise. Having my injury was an "oh my God" moment, but you know that in football you have a short shelf life career.
"Being a PE teacher was the only other thing I wanted to do but going to university was a challenge because no one else in my family had ever been."
Jonathan who has served as Coleg y Cymoedd’s vice principal and chief operating officer for the past three years, succeeds Karen Phillips who retires this month. He takes over as college with a £50m turnover, ore than 10,000 students and four campuses in Nantgarw, Ystrad Mynach, Aberdare & Rhondda
As vice principal and chief operating officer he oversaw major infrastructure projects, including the £3.9 million refurbishment of the Rhondda campus in 2021 and the further £8.3m refurbishment of the Ystrad Mynach campus that took place this year.
He also guided the college’s response through the pandemic and now wants a focus on bringing back more face-to-face teaching for learners. But he knows teaching digitally is still important to and the college plans to lend learners more than 2,000 laptops to study with.
“I had an unconventional start to my career, leaving school at 15 to start a football apprenticeship with Cardiff City. I was so lucky to have the opportunity to follow my dreams and play professional football for my hometown club before turning to education so I recognise that every learners starts their academic journey differently. This is why I believe it is essential to allow Welsh learners the chance to find the education and training paths that best suit their needs including apprenticeships and vocational routes.
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