Harry Chambers
Encyclopedia
Henry 'Harry' Chambers was an English
international
footballer
who, most notably, played for Liverpool
.
, England
, Harry played for North Shields Athletic, Kings Park (on loan), Belfast Distillery (wartime guest) and Glentoran (wartime guest) before he was signed, from North Shields, for the Reds by manager Tom Watson
in April 1915, unfortunately, he signed just before the suspension of league football due to the outbreak of the First World War and had wait 4 years to make his debut until the 30 August 1919 in a First Division
match at Valley Parade
, a game Liverpool won 3-1 against Bradford and in which Chambers opened his Anfield
goalscoring account.
After scoring on his debut he went on to establish himself as the undisputed goal king of Anfield in the immediate post-war years. Topping the club's goalscoring charts for the next five seasons, his shooting prowess was instrumental in Liverpool winning back-to-back League Championships in 1922 and 1923, he scored 41 times in 72 appearances during this spell averaging a goal every 1¾ games. In total he scored 151 goals in 338 appearances for Liverpool including a memorable hat-trick
in a 5-1 win over Everton
at Anfield in October 1922.
The left-footer nicknamed 'Smiler' was selected by England on 8 occasions scoring 5 goals, his international debut came on the 14 March 1921 in a 0-0 British Championship
draw with Wales
at Ninian Park
, Cardiff
, his first goal for his country came in a 2-0 friendly victory over Belgium at the Oscar Bossaert Stadion, Molenbeek-Saint-Jean
, Brussels
on the 21 May 1921, Chambers best game for his country came on the 22 October 1921 in a British Championship match at The Hawthorns
, West Bromwich
, it was against Ireland
and he scored both goals in the 2-0 victory.
Harry was allowed to leave and in April 1928, aged 32, he left for W.B.A
where the forward who scored a goal every 2¼ games for the Reds was converted to a centre-half! Before he retired from the professional game he went on to represent Hereford
. Even after retiring Chambers couldn't stay away from the game he loved and continued to play for Shropshire team Oakengates right up until his death in 1949 aged 52.
†Although Chambers signed in 1915 he was unable to make his debut until the opening day of the 1919/20 season due to outbreak of World War I
of 1914/18.
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
international
International
----International mostly means something that involves more than one country. The term international as a word means involvement of, interaction between or encompassing more than one nation, or generally beyond national boundaries...
footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
who, most notably, played for 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...
.
Life and playing career
Born in Willinton Quay, NorthumberlandNorthumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, England
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...
, Harry played for North Shields Athletic, Kings Park (on loan), Belfast Distillery (wartime guest) and Glentoran (wartime guest) before he was signed, from North Shields, for the Reds by manager Tom Watson
Tom Watson (football)
Tom Watson was an English football manager who managed Sunderland A.F.C. and Liverpool F.C. around the turn of the 20th century....
in April 1915, unfortunately, he signed just before the suspension of league football due to the outbreak of the First World War and had wait 4 years to make his debut until the 30 August 1919 in a 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....
match at Valley Parade
Valley Parade
Valley Parade, also known as the Coral Windows Stadium through sponsorship rights, is an all-seater football stadium in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. It was built in 1886, and was the home of Manningham Rugby Football Club until 1903, when they changed code from rugby football to association...
, a game Liverpool won 3-1 against Bradford and in which Chambers opened his Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
goalscoring account.
After scoring on his debut he went on to establish himself as the undisputed goal king of Anfield in the immediate post-war years. Topping the club's goalscoring charts for the next five seasons, his shooting prowess was instrumental in Liverpool winning back-to-back League Championships in 1922 and 1923, he scored 41 times in 72 appearances during this spell averaging a goal every 1¾ games. In total he scored 151 goals in 338 appearances for Liverpool including a memorable hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
in a 5-1 win over Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
at Anfield in October 1922.
The left-footer nicknamed 'Smiler' was selected by England on 8 occasions scoring 5 goals, his international debut came on the 14 March 1921 in a 0-0 British Championship
British Championship
The British Championship is the most prestigious ice hockey cup competition in the United Kingdom, and also the longest established ice hockey competition. It has been run under various formats and titles since 1930 and contested annually since 1966...
draw with Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
at Ninian Park
Ninian Park
Ninian Park was a football stadium in Leckwith, Cardiff, Wales. Until 2009, it was the home ground of Cardiff City F.C., who compete in the English Football League Championship...
, Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, his first goal for his country came in a 2-0 friendly victory over Belgium at the Oscar Bossaert Stadion, Molenbeek-Saint-Jean
Molenbeek-Saint-Jean
Sint-Jans-Molenbeek or Molenbeek-Saint-Jean is one of the nineteen municipalities located in the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium.-Rural beginnings:...
, Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
on the 21 May 1921, Chambers best game for his country came on the 22 October 1921 in a British Championship match at The Hawthorns
The Hawthorns
The Hawthorns is an all-seater football stadium in West Bromwich, Sandwell, England, with a capacity of 26,484. It has been the home of West Bromwich Albion F.C. since 1900, when it became the sixth ground to be used by the club. The ground was the last Football League ground to be built in the...
, West Bromwich
West Bromwich
West Bromwich is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell, in the West Midlands, England. It is north west of Birmingham lying on the A41 London-to-Birkenhead road. West Bromwich is part of the Black Country...
, it was against Ireland
Northern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
and he scored both goals in the 2-0 victory.
Harry was allowed to leave and in April 1928, aged 32, he left for W.B.A
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
where the forward who scored a goal every 2¼ games for the Reds was converted to a centre-half! Before he retired from the professional game he went on to represent Hereford
Hereford United F.C.
Hereford United Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Hereford. Founded in 1924, they are competing in Football League Two in the 2011–12 season. Hereford have played at Edgar Street for their entire history and are nicknamed 'The Whites' or 'The Lilywhites',...
. Even after retiring Chambers couldn't stay away from the game he loved and continued to play for Shropshire team Oakengates right up until his death in 1949 aged 52.
Career details
- Liverpool F.C (1915–1928) † 338 appearances, 151 goals - Two First Division Championships winners medals (1922 and 1923)
†Although Chambers signed in 1915 he was unable to make his debut until the opening day of the 1919/20 season due to outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
of 1914/18.
- England (1921–1923) 8 caps, 5 goals