Harry Leese

Harold Leese (1886–?) was an English footballer who played for Bradford City, Crewe Alexandra, Port Vale and Stoke.[1] He helped Stoke to win two minor league titles.

Harry Leese
Leese in a Port Vale team photo.
Personal information
Full name Harold Leese[1]
Date of birth 1886[1]
Place of birth Goldenhill, Staffordshire, England[1]
Date of death ?
Position(s) Full-back / Half-back
Youth career
Smallthorne
Goldenhill Villa
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1906 Stoke 0 (0)
Golden Hill
1908–1909 Bradford City 1 (0)
1909–1913 Stoke 109 (28)
1913–1919 Port Vale 37 (4)
Crewe Alexandra
Goldenhill Wanderers
Total 146+ (32+)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

Leese was born in Staffordshire and played non-League football with local sides Smallthorne and Goldenhill Villa, before he was signed up to league club Stoke. After playing for Golden Hill, he had a spell with Bradford City between July 1908 and May 1909,[2] making one league appearance,[3] before returning to Stoke in 1909. He scored 19 goals in 50 appearances in the 1909–10 season, and helped the club to win the Southern League Division Two A. He scored nine goals in 53 matches in the 1910–11 season, as the "Potters" won the Birmingham & District League title and finished second in the Southern League Division Two. He scored once in 14 games in the 1911–12 season, and featured six times in the 1912–13 campaign before departing the Victoria Ground. He moved to local rivals Port Vale in May 1913.[4] He played regular football between September and December 1914, but then left to help his country fight World War II.[4] He made two appearances whilst on leave, returning permanently upon his demobilization in April 1919. He left at the end of the 1918–19 campaign as he was unable to agree terms with the club, and so was not a part of the club when it gained re-election to the Football League in October 1919.[4] Instead he joined nearby Crewe Alexandra, and later played for Goldenhill Wanderers.[4]

Career statistics

Source:[5]

Club Season Division League FA Cup Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Bradford City1908–09First Division100010
Stoke1909–10Birmingham & District League / Southern League Division Two4018614619
1910–11Birmingham & District League / Southern League Division Two50930539
1911–12Southern League Division One14100141
1912–13Southern League Division One501060
Total 1092810111929
Port Vale1913–14Central League22020240
1913–14Central League15430184
Total 37450424
Career Total 1473215116233

References

  1. Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
  2. Frost, Terry (1988). Bradford City A Complete Record 1903-1988. Breedon Books Sport. p. 400. ISBN 0-907969-38-0.
  3. Frost, Terry (1988). Bradford City A Complete Record 1903-1988. Breedon Books Sport. p. 384. ISBN 0-907969-38-0.
  4. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 172. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  5. Harry Leese at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
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