John Harris (footballer)
Encyclopedia
John Harris was a Scottish
footballer nicknamed "Gentleman John".
centre-forward and Newcastle United
player Neil Harris
.
He played for Swindon Town before moving to Swansea Town in 1934 when the side was managed by his father. In 1939, he played for both Tottenham Hotspur
and Wolverhampton Wanderers
. Like most players in his era, his Football League appearance tally is much lower than it would have been had war not broken out but he continued to play for several years afterwards.
Between 1939 and 1943, he made 121 guest appearances for Southampton
, scoring 15 goals.
He joined Chelsea on loan from Wolves during the Second World War and in September 1945 signed permanently for £5,000. A tough-tackling but skillful centre-half
, Harris was a regular in the Chelsea side throughout his career and was club captain until Roy Bentley
took over the role. He was a member of Chelsea's 1954-55
First Division
-winning side, making 31 appearances that season. In eleven years, he made 364 appearances and scored 14 goals.
before retiring to concentrate on management. He took over from Joe Mercer
as manager of Sheffield United
on 20 April 1959 and finished the season third, seven points behind second placed Fulham
. His first full season finished in fourth place.
Harris was a quiet dignified man and, moulded his players into a highly efficient team without fuss, always shunning the limelight. To him, the team was more important than the manager. This attitude produced a harmonious dressing room and, as a result, effective and attractive performances on the field of play.
Finally in 1961, his Sheffield United team won promotion from the Second Division
as runners-up to Ipswich Town
, mainly due to his purchase of Welsh international winger Len Allchurch
for £12,500 from Swansea
. Under Harris, United enjoyed numerous runs in the FA Cup
(reaching the semi-finals in 1961 for the first time since 1936) and the League Cup
.
Despite financial problems, he led United to fifth place in the first season back in the top division, and over the next few years relied on a steady flow of youngsters graduating from the Northern Intermediate league team to replace players sold in order to remain in profit.
After years of mid-table finishes, he was "promoted" to General Manager in August 1968 after the team had been relegated the previous season, replaced by Arthur Rowley
. However, Rowley was sacked within a year and Harris returned as manager in August 1969.
In the ensuing years, he made astute and highly effective signings with players such as Tony Currie, Alan Woodward
, Len Badger
, Geoff Salmons
, Eddie Colquhoun
, Bill Dearden
and Gil Reece
all signing for the Blades, and resulted in Sheffield United winning promotion from the Second Division in 1970-71
.
Harris understood the principle of getting the right man for the job and, this was typified by his signing of Trevor Hockey
to boost United's
promotion challenge in 1971.
Sheffield United started the 1971-72 season
in great form and, under the guidance of Harris they stayed top of the First Division
with an unbeaten run of eleven games from the start of the season.
Harris resigned in December 1973 to become the club's Senior Executive. In June 1977 he finally left United and was soon acting as scout for Sheffield Wednesday. He later became a lay preacher.
He died in 1988, aged 71 in Sheffield.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
footballer nicknamed "Gentleman John".
Playing career
Harris was born to be a footballer, being the son of former Scottish internationalScotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
centre-forward and Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
player Neil Harris
Neil Harris (footballer born 1894)
Neil Harris was a Scottish footballer who played as a centre forward. In his later years he managed sides in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.-Playing career:...
.
He played for Swindon Town before moving to Swansea Town in 1934 when the side was managed by his father. In 1939, he played for both Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
and Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
. Like most players in his era, his Football League appearance tally is much lower than it would have been had war not broken out but he continued to play for several years afterwards.
Between 1939 and 1943, he made 121 guest appearances for Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
, scoring 15 goals.
He joined Chelsea on loan from Wolves during the Second World War and in September 1945 signed permanently for £5,000. A tough-tackling but skillful centre-half
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
, Harris was a regular in the Chelsea side throughout his career and was club captain until Roy Bentley
Roy Bentley
Roy Thomas Frank Bentley is a retired English football player who played most notably for Chelsea and the England national side. He later became a manager...
took over the role. He was a member of Chelsea's 1954-55
1954-55 in English football
The 1954–1955 season was the 75th season of competitive football in England, from August 1954 to May 1955:-Overview:* Chelsea win the League Championship for the first time.* Newcastle United win the FA Cup....
First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
-winning side, making 31 appearances that season. In eleven years, he made 364 appearances and scored 14 goals.
Managerial career
He left Chelsea in April 1956 to become player-manager of Chester CityChester City F.C.
Chester City Football Club was an English football team from Chester. The club was founded as Chester F.C., and joined the Football League in 1931, spending most of their time in the lower divisions. They changed their name to Chester City in 1983. Chester won their first league title in 2004, the...
before retiring to concentrate on management. He took over from Joe Mercer
Joe Mercer
Joseph 'Joe' Mercer, OBE was an English football player and manager.-Playing career:Mercer was born in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, the son of a former Nottingham Forest and Tranmere Rovers footballer, also named Joe. Joe Mercer senior died, following health problems resulting from a gas attack...
as manager of Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
on 20 April 1959 and finished the season third, seven points behind second placed Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
. His first full season finished in fourth place.
Harris was a quiet dignified man and, moulded his players into a highly efficient team without fuss, always shunning the limelight. To him, the team was more important than the manager. This attitude produced a harmonious dressing room and, as a result, effective and attractive performances on the field of play.
Finally in 1961, his Sheffield United team won promotion from the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
as runners-up to Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
, mainly due to his purchase of Welsh international winger Len Allchurch
Len Allchurch
Leonard "Len" Allchurch is a Welsh former professional footballer. He was born in Swansea and is the brother of the late Ivor Allchurch.-Club career:...
for £12,500 from Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
. Under Harris, United enjoyed numerous runs in the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
(reaching the semi-finals in 1961 for the first time since 1936) and the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
.
Despite financial problems, he led United to fifth place in the first season back in the top division, and over the next few years relied on a steady flow of youngsters graduating from the Northern Intermediate league team to replace players sold in order to remain in profit.
After years of mid-table finishes, he was "promoted" to General Manager in August 1968 after the team had been relegated the previous season, replaced by Arthur Rowley
Arthur Rowley
George Arthur Rowley, , nicknamed "The Gunner" because of his explosive left-foot shot, was an English football player and cricketer. He holds the record for the most goals in the history of English league football, scoring 434 from 619 league games. He was the younger brother of Manchester United...
. However, Rowley was sacked within a year and Harris returned as manager in August 1969.
In the ensuing years, he made astute and highly effective signings with players such as Tony Currie, Alan Woodward
Alan Woodward
Alan Woodward was a professional footballer who played in the position of outside right for Sheffield United over a 16 year period between 1962-1978....
, Len Badger
Len Badger
Leonard Badger was an English football player who played for Sheffield United between 1962-1976 in the position of right-back.Badger was born and brought up in the Tinsley Park area of Sheffield...
, Geoff Salmons
Geoff Salmons
Geoffrey Salmons was a footballer who played for Sheffield United as a Midfielder.-Career:Salmons joined Sheffield United as a schoolboy and made his league debut at West Bromwich Albion on 30 September 1967...
, Eddie Colquhoun
Eddie Colquhoun
Edmund Peter Skirving Colquhoun was a footballer who played for Sheffield United and Scotland. He played in the position of Centre back....
, Bill Dearden
Bill Dearden
William Dearden is an English football manager, most recently at Mansfield Town prior to his departure in March 2008. Dearden also managed the Stags between 1999 and 2002, as well as managing Notts County, and having a four-day spell as joint caretaker manager of Port Vale in 1999...
and Gil Reece
Gil Reece
Gilbert Ivor Reece was a Welsh international footballer.Reece was working as a plumber when he joined Cardiff City as a part-timer in May 1961 and made his way into the reserve side before spending a period on loan at Ton Pentre...
all signing for the Blades, and resulted in Sheffield United winning promotion from the Second Division in 1970-71
1970-71 in English football
The 1970–71 season was the 91st season of competitive football in England.-First Division:Arsenal won the league championship at the end of a season which would soon be followed by their FA Cup final tie with Liverpool. Arsenal secured the league title at White Hart Lane, the home of bitter rivals...
.
Harris understood the principle of getting the right man for the job and, this was typified by his signing of Trevor Hockey
Trevor Hockey
Trevor Hockey was a professional footballer. His professional career spanned 16 years, seven clubs and almost 600 appearances, plus nine international caps for Wales.-Playing career:...
to boost United's
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
promotion challenge in 1971.
Sheffield United started the 1971-72 season
1971-72 in English football
The 1971–72 season was the 92nd season of competitive football in England.-FA Cup:Leeds United overcame holders Arsenal to win the 1972 FA Cup Final...
in great form and, under the guidance of Harris they stayed top of the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
with an unbeaten run of eleven games from the start of the season.
Harris resigned in December 1973 to become the club's Senior Executive. In June 1977 he finally left United and was soon acting as scout for Sheffield Wednesday. He later became a lay preacher.
He died in 1988, aged 71 in Sheffield.