Harry Edwards (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Henry Ross "Harry" Edwards (1870 – after 1899) was an English
professional footballer who played in the Football League
for Small Heath
.
Edwards was born in Coventry
, Warwickshire
. An inside forward
, he attracted the attention of the Small Heath club, whose scout went to watch him playing for Singer's
; they signed him, together with his more impressive teammate Frank Mobley
, who went on to score 64 goals in four seasons for Small Heath. Edwards played in the first five games of the 1892–93 season – Small Heath's first season in the Football League
– and scored on his debut, in a 5–1 defeat of Port Vale
, but could not compete with Billy Walton
and the prolific Fred Wheldon. He played for Leicester Fosse
in the Midland League
and for Derby County
, without appearing in their Football League side, before moving to Southern League
club Wolverton L&NWR
. Edwards settled well at Wolverton, playing as an attacking centre half
, and stayed for three seasons before moving to fellow Southern League club Watford
.
Edwards' younger brother Bill
was also a professional footballer who played for Small Heath.
Edwards died in his native Coventry.
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 in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
for Small Heath
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
.
Edwards was born in Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
, Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
. An inside forward
Inside forward
In football, the position of inside forward was popularly used in the late nineteenth and first half of the 20th centuries. The inside forwards would support the centre forwards, running and making space in the opposition defence, and, as the passing game developed, supporting him with passes...
, he attracted the attention of the Small Heath club, whose scout went to watch him playing for Singer's
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
; they signed him, together with his more impressive teammate Frank Mobley
Frank Mobley
Frank Mobley was an English professional footballer who played as a centre-forward. He scored 64 goals in 103 appearances in all competitions for Small Heath, and was their leading scorer in three successive seasons at the club, from 1893–94 – when he was also overall top scorer in the Second...
, who went on to score 64 goals in four seasons for Small Heath. Edwards played in the first five games of the 1892–93 season – Small Heath's first season in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
– and scored on his debut, in a 5–1 defeat of Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
, but could not compete with Billy Walton
Billy Walton
William Howard T. "Billy" Walton was an English footballer who played for Small Heath for fourteen years. He made 232 appearances and scored 70 goals in all competitions.-Biography:...
and the prolific Fred Wheldon. He played for Leicester Fosse
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
in the Midland League
Midland Football League
There have been at least two different football competitions in England which used the name Midland Football League.One existed until 1982 before merging with the Yorkshire League to form the Northern Counties League....
and for Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
, without appearing in their Football League side, before moving to Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
club Wolverton L&NWR
Wolverton A.F.C.
Wolverton Association Football Club, often known simply as Wolverton, was an English football team representing the town of Wolverton . The club's motto was "In Omnia Paratus" . The club was wound up in 1992...
. Edwards settled well at Wolverton, playing as an attacking centre half
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
, and stayed for three seasons before moving to fellow Southern League club Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
.
Edwards' younger brother Bill
Bill Edwards (footballer)
William H. "Bill" Edwards was an English professional footballer who played in the Football League for Small Heath.Edwards was born in Coventry, Warwickshire...
was also a professional footballer who played for Small Heath.
Edwards died in his native Coventry.