George Harkus
Encyclopedia
George Cecil Harkus MBE
(25 September 1898 – 28 September 1950) was an English
professional footballer who played as a half back for Southampton
in the 1920s before serving with distinction in the Royal Air Force
during the Second World War.
and played his youth football with Nuns Moor in Newcastle, before moving to Edinburgh
where he played for Edinburgh Emmett. He then returned to Tyneside
to join Scotswood. In May 1921 he joined Aston Villa
as an amateur, signing as a professional in February 1922. He made four First Division
appearances for Villa before being sold to Southampton
for £250 in May 1923.
at left-half in a 6–0 victory over Barnsley
. By the end of his first season on the south coast he had played 14 games and had appeared on either side of the half-backs line. In the following season
he only missed two league matches as Saints' poor league form led to the resignation of manager Jimmy McIntyre
. Caretaker manager George Goss
led them on a run in the FA Cup
, defeating Liverpool
in round 4, to reach the semi-final at Stamford Bridge
, where they were defeated 2–0 by Sheffield United
on 28 March 1925.
After a run of four defeats at the start of the 1925–26 season
, Harkus was dropped in favour of Stan Woodhouse
. In October, Saints appointed Arthur Chadwick
as manager, who re-instated Harkus in the team at the expense of Campbell in November; he retained the left-back place for the rest of the season. In the 1926–27 season
, Chadwick settled on his favoured line-up with eleven players featuring in at least 35 of the 42 league games; this included a half back line-up of Bert Shelley
, Harkus (in the centre) and Woodhouse on the left, in front of full-backs Michael Keeping
and Ted Hough
. Described by Holley & Chalk as "a man of dynamic personality" and "tremendously energetic and enthusiastic, he was a natural captain who put so much into a game that, when the 90 minutes were up, he was often all in." Harkus featured strongly in Saints' run to their second FA Cup semi-final in two years, this time losing 2–1 to Arsenal
at Stamford Bridge
on 26 March 1927.
Although Harkus never received full international honours he came close, joining an F.A.
tour of Canada in 1926, along with team-mates Michael Keeping
and Bill Rawlings
.
In the 1927–28 season, Harkus continued as team captain and missed only one match as Saints again finished in the lower half of the table. For the next two seasons his appearances were more irregular as age and injuries caught up with him. In the summer of 1930 he decided to quit; Southampton were reluctant to release him from his registration and placed a transfer fee of £750 on his head. In his initial seven year period with Southampton he made 233 appearances (with five goals); all his league matches were in the Second Division in a period during which the Saints struggled financially and were generally forced to sell their better players to survive.
with Olympique Lyonnais
, before returning to England. After an unsuccessful trial with Oldham Athletic, he settled in New Milton
where he ran the Wheatsheaf Public House
, and turned out for the Hampshire League
team New Milton Town.
, Johnny McIlwaine
and Bert Jepson
amongst the injured. Manager George Kay
called on Harkus's services for two matches, against Wolverhampton Wanderers
and Bradford
both of which resulted in defeats.
as a player-coach, but was seriously injured in a reserve team match against Barrow, preventing him making any first-team appearances. He did, however, join Boston United
for the 1933–34 season making 16 appearances in the Midland League.
in London
. On the outbreak of the Second World War, he joined the Royal Air Force
and, serving in the Middle East
, he attained the rank of flight lieutenant
. In the birthday honours list for 1949, Harkus was awarded the M.B.E.
for "keeping up the morale in the forces whilst stationed in the Middle East".
He remained in the R.A.F. after the war and continued his links with football. He had recently been appointed to their selection committee before his death at Southampton
on 28 September 1950, shortly after his 52nd birthday, following an illness.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(25 September 1898 – 28 September 1950) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
professional footballer who played as a half back 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...
in the 1920s before serving with distinction in the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
during the Second World War.
Early days
Harkus was born in Newcastle upon TyneNewcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
and played his youth football with Nuns Moor in Newcastle, before moving to Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
where he played for Edinburgh Emmett. He then returned to Tyneside
Tyneside
Tyneside is a conurbation in North East England, defined by the Office of National Statistics, which is home to over 80% of the population of Tyne and Wear. It includes the city of Newcastle upon Tyne and the Metropolitan Boroughs of Gateshead, North Tyneside and South Tyneside — all settlements on...
to join Scotswood. In May 1921 he joined Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
as an amateur, signing as a professional in February 1922. He made four 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....
appearances for Villa before being sold to 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...
for £250 in May 1923.
Southampton
He made his first team debut for the "Saints" at The Dell on 19 January 1924 replacing Alec CampbellAlec Campbell (footballer)
Alistair Kenyon Campbell was a professional footballer who played nearly 200 games for Southampton in the first quarter of the twentieth century, before briefly becoming manager at Chesterfield....
at left-half in a 6–0 victory over Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
. By the end of his first season on the south coast he had played 14 games and had appeared on either side of the half-backs line. In the following season
1924-25 in English football
The 1924–25 season was the 50th season of competitive football in England.-Honours:Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour...
he only missed two league matches as Saints' poor league form led to the resignation of manager Jimmy McIntyre
Jimmy McIntyre
James Alfred "Jimmy" McIntyre was an English footballer who became manager at Southampton, Coventry City and Fulham.-Playing career:...
. Caretaker manager George Goss
George Goss
George Goss is a former naval officer and football manager, who was manager of Southampton F.C. for the 1936-37 season.Goss served in the Royal Navy during World War I, and played football for the naval side. On leaving the navy, he joined the staff of Southampton F.C...
led them on a run 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...
, defeating Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
in round 4, to reach the semi-final at Stamford Bridge
Stamford Bridge (stadium)
Stamford Bridge is a football stadium in Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, West London, and is the home of Chelsea Football Club. The stadium is located within the Moore Park Estate also known as Walham Green and is often referred to as simply The Bridge...
, where they were defeated 2–0 by 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 28 March 1925.
After a run of four defeats at the start of the 1925–26 season
1925-26 in English football
The 1925–26 season was the 51st season of competitive football in England. This marked the year that Huddersfield Town won the League three years running, making them the first team in Football League history to do so.-Honours:-First Division:...
, Harkus was dropped in favour of Stan Woodhouse
Stan Woodhouse
Stanley "Stan" Woodhouse was an English footballer who played initially as an inside forward and later as a half back with Bury and Southampton in the 1920s and 1930s.-Playing career:...
. In October, Saints appointed Arthur Chadwick
Arthur Chadwick
Arthur Chadwick was a professional footballer whose playing career included spells at Portsmouth and Southampton, before going on to be manager at Exeter City, Reading and Southampton...
as manager, who re-instated Harkus in the team at the expense of Campbell in November; he retained the left-back place for the rest of the season. In the 1926–27 season
1926-27 in English football
The 1926–27 season was the 52nd season of competitive football in England.-Events:This was the season in which George Camsell scored an astounding 59 goals in 37 league appearances for Middlesbrough-Honours:...
, Chadwick settled on his favoured line-up with eleven players featuring in at least 35 of the 42 league games; this included a half back line-up of Bert Shelley
Bert Shelley
Frederick Albert "Bert" Shelley was an English footballer, who played as a half back for Southampton, for whom he made nearly 450 appearances, before becoming a coach at Southampton...
, Harkus (in the centre) and Woodhouse on the left, in front of full-backs Michael Keeping
Michael Keeping
Alexander Edwin Michael "Mike" Keeping was an English footballer and manager. He coached Real Madrid C.F. from January 1948 to October 1950.-Southampton:...
and Ted Hough
Ted Hough
Edward "Ted" Hough was an English footballer who spent most of his career with Southampton playing as a centre-half and later as a full-back.-Southampton:...
. Described by Holley & Chalk as "a man of dynamic personality" and "tremendously energetic and enthusiastic, he was a natural captain who put so much into a game that, when the 90 minutes were up, he was often all in." Harkus featured strongly in Saints' run to their second FA Cup semi-final in two years, this time losing 2–1 to Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
at Stamford Bridge
Stamford Bridge (stadium)
Stamford Bridge is a football stadium in Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, West London, and is the home of Chelsea Football Club. The stadium is located within the Moore Park Estate also known as Walham Green and is often referred to as simply The Bridge...
on 26 March 1927.
Although Harkus never received full international honours he came close, joining an F.A.
The Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
tour of Canada in 1926, along with team-mates Michael Keeping
Michael Keeping
Alexander Edwin Michael "Mike" Keeping was an English footballer and manager. He coached Real Madrid C.F. from January 1948 to October 1950.-Southampton:...
and Bill Rawlings
Bill Rawlings
William Ernest "Bill" Rawlings was an English footballer.-Playing career:Rawlings' career started in 1918 with Southampton, he stayed ten years with the club, from 1918 to 1928. His 193 goals places him third on the club's list of all-time goalscorers, behind Mick Channon and Matthew Le Tissier...
.
In the 1927–28 season, Harkus continued as team captain and missed only one match as Saints again finished in the lower half of the table. For the next two seasons his appearances were more irregular as age and injuries caught up with him. In the summer of 1930 he decided to quit; Southampton were reluctant to release him from his registration and placed a transfer fee of £750 on his head. In his initial seven year period with Southampton he made 233 appearances (with five goals); all his league matches were in the Second Division in a period during which the Saints struggled financially and were generally forced to sell their better players to survive.
Sojourn abroad
Harkus spent the rest of 1930 in FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
with Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais is a French association football club based in Lyon. They play in France's highest football division, Ligue 1. The club was formed as Lyon Olympique Universitaire in 1899, according to many supporters and sport historians, but was nationally established as a club in 1950. The...
, before returning to England. After an unsuccessful trial with Oldham Athletic, he settled in New Milton
New Milton
New Milton is a market town in south west Hampshire, England. The town has a high street and holds a market every Wednesday. Situated on the edge of the New Forest, the town is about 6 miles west of Lymington town centre and 12 miles east of Bournemouth town centre.-History:New Milton dates back...
where he ran the Wheatsheaf Public House
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
, and turned out for the Hampshire League
Hampshire League
Hampshire League is a name used for two distinct football competitions based in Hampshire, England. There are two leagues; Hampshire Premier Football League named 'Puma Engineering Hampshire Premier Football League' for sponsor purposes and the division below which is the Hampshire League 2004 or...
team New Milton Town.
Return to Southampton
In February 1932, Southampton were facing an injury crisis with Alec CampbellAlec Campbell (footballer)
Alistair Kenyon Campbell was a professional footballer who played nearly 200 games for Southampton in the first quarter of the twentieth century, before briefly becoming manager at Chesterfield....
, Johnny McIlwaine
Johnny McIlwaine
John "Johnny" McIlwaine was a Scottish footballer who played as a centre half for Portsmouth, where he captained the team in the 1929 FA Cup Final, before moving to south coast rivals Southampton...
and Bert Jepson
Bert Jepson
Albert Edward Jepson was an English footballer who played as an outside right for Southampton and Brighton & Hove Albion in the 1920s and 1930s.-Huddersfield Town:...
amongst the injured. Manager George Kay
George Kay
George Kay was an English football player and manager of Luton Town, Southampton and Liverpool.The highlight of his playing career was when he captained West Ham United in the first FA Cup final to be played at Wembley, the so-called White Horse Final.He was manager of Liverpool for 15 years and...
called on Harkus's services for two matches, against 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...
and Bradford
Bradford Park Avenue A.F.C.
Bradford Association Football Club, previously also known as Bradford and since its reformation in the 1970s now referred to as Bradford Park Avenue, is a football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England...
both of which resulted in defeats.
Later career
He then moved to Lancashire to join SouthportSouthport F.C.
Southport Football Club are an English football club, based in Southport, Merseyside. They are currently in the Conference National, and play their home matches at Haig Avenue, which has a capacity of 6,008...
as a player-coach, but was seriously injured in a reserve team match against Barrow, preventing him making any first-team appearances. He did, however, join Boston United
Boston United F.C.
Boston United Football Club are an association football club based in Boston, Lincolnshire, England. They currently play in the Conference North. The club is known as 'the Pilgrims' in reference to the Pilgrim Fathers, who fled from Boston to the USA and founded Boston, Massachusetts. The club's...
for the 1933–34 season making 16 appearances in the Midland League.
Military career
After retiring from football, Harkus took up employment with the Ministry of LabourMinistry of Labour
The Ministry of Labour was a British civil service department established by the New Ministries and Secretaries Act 1916. It was renamed the Employment Department in 1988, and finally abolished in 1995...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. On the outbreak of the Second World War, he joined the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
and, serving in the Middle East
Western Desert Campaign
The Western Desert Campaign, also known as the Desert War, was the initial stage of the North African Campaign during the Second World War. The campaign was heavily influenced by the availability of supplies and transport. The ability of the Allied forces, operating from besieged Malta, to...
, he attained the rank of flight lieutenant
Flight Lieutenant
Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"...
. In the birthday honours list for 1949, Harkus was awarded the M.B.E.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
for "keeping up the morale in the forces whilst stationed in the Middle East".
He remained in the R.A.F. after the war and continued his links with football. He had recently been appointed to their selection committee before his death at Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
on 28 September 1950, shortly after his 52nd birthday, following an illness.