Dick Harker

Richard Harker commonly referred to as Dick Harker (20 May 1883 – 9 April 1917) was a professional footballer who played for Newcastle United, Crystal Palace, Hibernian, Heart of Midlothian and Darlington.[1]

Dick Harker
Personal information
Full name Richard Harker
Date of birth (1883-05-20)May 20, 1883
Place of birth Wardley Colliery, Gateshead, England
Date of death 9 April 1917(1917-04-09) (aged 33)
Place of death Arras, France
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Position(s) Inside forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1904–1905 Newcastle United 0 (0)
1905–1907 Crystal Palace 51 (12)
1907–1909 Hibernian 68 (29)
1909–1911 Heart of Midlothian 67 (20)
1911–1912 Crystal Palace 15 (7)
1912–1914 Darlington 52 (22)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

Dick Harker signed amateur terms with Newcastle United in 1903 after a trial, and turned professional in 1904, appearing for Newcastle reserves in a championship winning season in the Northern League. During this season Harker scored 16 goals in 17 games.[1] In 1905 he transferred to the new Crystal Palace F.C. where he was one of the 16 players manager John Robson brought from the North East. At Palace he played inside right and featured in their debut fixtures, although he failed to finish the first match the club played in the Southern League against Southampton Reserves due to an injury.[2][3] He played in the F.A. Cup defeat of Newcastle United in 1907, featuring in Palace's cup run that season.[3][4] After transferring to Hibernian for the 1907–1908 season he finished his first season as their top scorer. After moving to Heart of Midlothian he was their top scorer for the 1910–1911 season. In his second spell at Palace he scored a hat-trick against West Ham in a 6–1 victory on the 30th September 1911.[3][4] He won the North Eastern League with Darlington in 1913.

Death

He enlisted at the outbreak of the First World War, serving in the Northumberland Fusiliers where he was ultimately part of the 20th Tyneside Scottish Battalion.[5] He was listed as killed in action in the Battle of Arras on the 9 April 1917 in France.[6][7][4][8] Having no known grave, he is commemorated on the Arras Memorial.[5][7]

He was one of the eight former Palace players killed during the war memorialised by the club in November 2018, planting eight saplings at their Beckenham training ground.[9]

References
  1. kjehan (9 April 1917). "Richard Harker (Dick Harker) @ PlayUpLiverpool.com". "Play Up, Liverpool". Archived from the original on 6 April 2023. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  2. Purkiss, Mike (1990). Crystal Palace : a complete record 1905-1989. Derby: Breedon Books Sport. ISBN 0-907969-54-2. OCLC 315404950.
  3. Matthews, Tony, ed. (1998). We All Follow The Palace. Juma. ISBN 1-872204-55-4.
  4. King, Ian (2012). Crystal Palace: The Complete Record 1905-2011. Derby Books Publishing Company Limited. ISBN 978-1-78091-221-9.
  5. "Richard Harker". cwgc.org. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  6. "Your WW1 Heroes Gallery 7". Chronicle Live. Archived from the original on 29 June 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  7. "Richard Harker". Football and the First World War. Archived from the original on 17 May 2022. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  8. "Newcastle United: Lest We Forget". Newcastle United Football Club. Archived from the original on 6 April 2023. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  9. "Palace Commemorate Former Players Lost in the First World War with Tree Planting, Amongst Other Remembrance Activity - News". Crystal Palace F.C. Archived from the original on 7 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
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