William Harrison (footballer, born 1858)

William Harrison (1858-1890) was an English footballer who played as a forward for Redcar, Middlesbrough, The Wednesday and Blackburn Olympic.[1]

William Harrison
William Harrison.jpg
Harrison in 1882
Personal information
Full name William Harrison[1]
Date of birth 1858 (1858)[1]
Place of birth Lancaster,[1] England
Date of death (1890-04-17)17 April 1890 [2]
Place of death Smithfield, Orange Free State, South Africa[1]
Position(s) Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1878-1885 Redcar
1880 Middlesbrough
1883 The Wednesday
1884 Blackburn Olympic
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Life and career

Harrison was born in 1858 in Lancaster.[1] He worked as an elementary school inspector and moved to Redcar in the 1870s to find work alongside his brother Thomas.

He helped to establish the town's first football club, Redcar and Coatham where he became captain.

By 1882, Harrison was regarded as one of the best forwards in the North of England, with Charles Alcock's Football Annual listing him as one of the "chief English players of 1881-82."[3] Thanks to his growing reputation, the same year Harrison was selected to represent the North in the annual North vs South football match at Kennington Oval, used as a trial match to select the England squad.[4]

References
  1. Neal, Tom. The Famous Yorkshiremen: The Forgotten History of Redcar's Footballing Pioneers. Old Bird Publishing. ISBN 9781399906999.
  2. "Death of Mr. W. Harrison". Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  3. "The Chief English Players of 1881-82". Football Annual. London. 5 May 1923.
  4. "North vs South". Retrieved 7 September 2023.
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