Harry Potts
Encyclopedia
Harold "Harry" Potts was an English
football
player and manager.
, County Durham
, as was another well-known name in football, Bob Paisley
. The duo spent much of their childhood playing various sports, but it was football that Potts loved most. A promising young footballer as well as a good scholar, he was forced to choose between sport and studies, and he chose football as his career.
in 1939, which came before he could make his début for the club. He served for the British Army
mainly in India
as a P.T. instructor. Although playing for the club a few times in wartime fixtures, his first league action for Burnley came after its conclusion. He took time to return to the form that saw him regarded as a promising youngster, but he eventually became a success as a Burnley player.
He made his Burnley first-team début on 31 August 1946, in a position then referred to as "inside-left", which would now be considered as one of the striker
positions. He wore the number 10 shirt associated with that position, and played in all but two of Burnley's 42 games in Division Two
that season, becoming the club's leading goalscorer with fifteen goals. The Clarets finished second in the table and were promoted. They also reached the FA Cup Final
at Wembley. Potts played all nine of Burnley's cup games, including the final, which Charlton Athletic
won 1–0.
In the following season, the challenge of top-flight
football did not seem to slow his progression. Burnley finished third, and Potts scored 14 goals in the 38-game season. Burnley settled into a mid-table position over the next few years, and Potts added to his tally of goals. He eventually got 47 from 165 matches, before moving to Everton
in October 1950. His next Burnley match would have been a trip to his native Sunderland
. In his stead, future Burnley star Jimmy McIlroy
would make his début at inside-left.
Everton were relegated in his first season with the Liverpool
-based club. They were promoted in 1954 and then spent two top-flight seasons in mid-table. He ended his career as a player at Everton in 1956, having scored 15 in 59 League games for the club.
as chief scout, Potts took the more senior position of manager, albeit at a less prestigious club, Shrewsbury
. He spent just over half a season at the Shropshire
club before Burnley lured him back to become their manager in February 1958.
Burnley finished 1957–58
in sixth position and in his first full season in charge (1958–59
) Burnley finished 7th. Potts made his first cash signing for the club, left back Alex Elder
. His second cash signing was made eight years later.
1959–60
brought Burnley's their second league championship success (their first came in 1921). The following season the club represented England in the European Cup
, reaching the quarter-finals. In 1962 Burnley were runners-up in both the FA Cup and First Division
.
In 1963, when forced to sell Jimmy McIlroy
to raise funds for the club, Potts's relationship with Burnley fans suffered. This dissipated, and Potts stayed on to steer the Clarets to European competition again, in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup (now the UEFA Cup
) in 1966–67
.
21 February 1970, saw Burnley thrash Nottingham Forest
5–0 at Turf Moor
. It was to be Potts’s last game as manager. He moved into a more executive position of General Manager. This was an unwanted and unhappy move for Potts, and he left Burnley just over two years later.
In December 1972
, Potts became manager of Division Two side Blackpool
. He guided the Seasiders to a seventh-placed finish in the league, while his former club, Burnley, won the championship. His first full season in charge, 1973–74
, almost ended in success. After leading Sunderland 1–0 with only seven minutes to go in their final match of the season, the team lost 2–1 and missed out on the third promotion place, which was filled by Carlisle United
. He was named the division's Manager of the Month for December, and was presented with the award prior to Blackpool's home game with Luton Town
on 22 December.
Potts bought wisely but expensively, most notably on players such as John Evanson
, Wyn Davies
, and Paul Hart
. The club demanded an instant return of results, and Potts walked a tightrope for the remainder of his Bloomfield Road
career.
By the end of the 1975–76
campaign, chants of "Potts out" began to be heard, and with the team managing to finish only tenth, the board sacked him in May. One of the highlights of his time at the seaside occurred earlier in 1976, when Blackpool beat his former club Burnley in the third round of the FA Cup, a result which expedited the departure of Jimmy Adamson
as the Clarets' manager. Adamson was Burnley captain when Potts led the club to the Championship in 1960.
Potts was re-hired by Burnley, becoming their chief scout in 1976. After a poor start to the season, the Burnley manager Joe Brown
was sacked in February (1977) and Potts became manager for the second time.
1977 saw Burnley avoid relegation by five points. 1977–78
saw them finish mid-table and so did 1978–79
, a season which saw them win the Anglo-Scottish Cup
. The following season (1979–80
) began badly, and Potts was sacked after 11 winless games. Burnley were relegated to Division Three
at the end of the season.
His name is remembered daily in Burnley
, as the street on which the stadium is situated has been renamed "Harry Potts Way".
Everton
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...
football
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...
player and manager.
Early life
Born in Hetton-le-HoleHetton-le-Hole
Hetton-le-Hole is a town and civil parish situated in the City of Sunderland in Tyne and Wear, England. It is on the A182 between Houghton-le-Spring and Easington Lane. It is located on the southwest corner of Sunderland on the A182, off A690 close to the A1. It has a population of 14,402 but this...
, County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
, as was another well-known name in football, Bob Paisley
Bob Paisley
Robert "Bob" Paisley OBE was an English football half back turned manager. His association with Liverpool was to span nearly half a century including his contribution to the club, first as a player, then as a physiotherapist and coach, and finally as manager.In nine years as manager between 1974...
. The duo spent much of their childhood playing various sports, but it was football that Potts loved most. A promising young footballer as well as a good scholar, he was forced to choose between sport and studies, and he chose football as his career.
Playing career
Potts joined Burnley, who had one of the first youth-development systems in football; however, his own development was interrupted by the outbreak of the Second World WarWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in 1939, which came before he could make his début for the club. He served for the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
mainly in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
as a P.T. instructor. Although playing for the club a few times in wartime fixtures, his first league action for Burnley came after its conclusion. He took time to return to the form that saw him regarded as a promising youngster, but he eventually became a success as a Burnley player.
He made his Burnley first-team début on 31 August 1946, in a position then referred to as "inside-left", which would now be considered as one of the striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
positions. He wore the number 10 shirt associated with that position, and played in all but two of Burnley's 42 games in Division Two
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
that season, becoming the club's leading goalscorer with fifteen goals. The Clarets finished second in the table and were promoted. They also reached the FA Cup Final
FA Cup Final
The FA Cup Final, commonly referred to in England as just the Cup Final, is the last match in the Football Association Challenge Cup. With an official attendance of 89,826 at the 2007 FA Cup Final, it is the fourth best attended domestic club championship event in the world and the second most...
at Wembley. Potts played all nine of Burnley's cup games, including the final, which Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
won 1–0.
In the following season, the challenge of top-flight
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....
football did not seem to slow his progression. Burnley finished third, and Potts scored 14 goals in the 38-game season. Burnley settled into a mid-table position over the next few years, and Potts added to his tally of goals. He eventually got 47 from 165 matches, before moving to 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...
in October 1950. His next Burnley match would have been a trip to his native Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
. In his stead, future Burnley star Jimmy McIlroy
Jimmy McIlroy
James "Jimmy" McIlroy MBE is a former football player, regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of Burnley Football Club.-At Burnley:...
would make his début at inside-left.
Everton were relegated in his first season with the Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
-based club. They were promoted in 1954 and then spent two top-flight seasons in mid-table. He ended his career as a player at Everton in 1956, having scored 15 in 59 League games for the club.
Managerial career
After Potts left Everton, he was offered a coaching job at Leeds United but turned it down. After working for WolvesWolverhampton 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...
as chief scout, Potts took the more senior position of manager, albeit at a less prestigious club, Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury Town F.C.
Shrewsbury Town Football Club is an English Association football club based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, who play in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club was formed in 1886 and has played in all the bottom three divisions in various guises since being elected into the Football...
. He spent just over half a season at the Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
club before Burnley lured him back to become their manager in February 1958.
Burnley finished 1957–58
1957-58 in English football
The 1957–58 season was the 78th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:In this season, Sunderland was relegated for the first time in their history.This was the last season in which Division 3 was split, North and South...
in sixth position and in his first full season in charge (1958–59
1958-59 in English football
The 1958–59 season was the 79th season of competitive football in England.-Diary of the season:August 1958: The Football League season begins with the new national Third and Fourth divisions that have been created from the old Third Division North and Third Division South.September 1958: Manchester...
) Burnley finished 7th. Potts made his first cash signing for the club, left back Alex Elder
Alex Elder
Alexander "Alex" Russell Elder is a retired Northern Irish football left back, who played for Burnley.He was said to plays a very mature game for someone with so little experience of top-class football...
. His second cash signing was made eight years later.
1959–60
1959-60 in English football
The 1959–60 season was the 80th season of competitive football in England.-Diary of the season:17 November 1959: Phil Taylor resigns as manager of Liverpool after three years as manager, with all three of his seasons in charge ending with a narrow failure to win promotion to the First...
brought Burnley's their second league championship success (their first came in 1921). The following season the club represented England in the European Cup
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
, reaching the quarter-finals. In 1962 Burnley were runners-up in both the FA Cup and 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....
.
In 1963, when forced to sell Jimmy McIlroy
Jimmy McIlroy
James "Jimmy" McIlroy MBE is a former football player, regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of Burnley Football Club.-At Burnley:...
to raise funds for the club, Potts's relationship with Burnley fans suffered. This dissipated, and Potts stayed on to steer the Clarets to European competition again, in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup (now the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
) in 1966–67
1966-67 in English football
The 1966–67 season was the 87th season of competitive football in England.-Events:Queens Park Rangers won the Football League Cup on the first occasion it was played at Wembley, coming from 2-0 down at half-time to beat West Bromwich Albion 3-2....
.
21 February 1970, saw Burnley thrash Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
5–0 at Turf Moor
Turf Moor
Turf Moor is a football stadium in Burnley, Lancashire. It is the home ground of Burnley Football Club, which has played there since moving from its Calder Vale ground in 1883. The stadium, which is situated on Harry Potts Way, named so after the club's longest serving Manager, has a capacity of...
. It was to be Potts’s last game as manager. He moved into a more executive position of General Manager. This was an unwanted and unhappy move for Potts, and he left Burnley just over two years later.
In December 1972
1972-73 in English football
The 1972–73 season was the 93rd season of competitive football in England.-Overview:The Football League announced that a three-up, three-down system would operate between the top two divisions from the following season, rather than the traditional two-up, two-down system...
, Potts became manager of Division Two side Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
. He guided the Seasiders to a seventh-placed finish in the league, while his former club, Burnley, won the championship. His first full season in charge, 1973–74
Blackpool F.C. season 1973-74
The 1973-74 season was Blackpool F.C.s 67th season in the Football League. They competed in the 22-team Division Two, then the second tier of English football, finishing fifth.This was Harry Potts' first full season in charge....
, almost ended in success. After leading Sunderland 1–0 with only seven minutes to go in their final match of the season, the team lost 2–1 and missed out on the third promotion place, which was filled by Carlisle United
Carlisle United F.C.
Carlisle United F.C. is an English football club based in Carlisle, Cumbria, where they play at Brunton Park. Formed in 1904, the club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system....
. He was named the division's Manager of the Month for December, and was presented with the award prior to Blackpool's home game with Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
on 22 December.
Potts bought wisely but expensively, most notably on players such as John Evanson
John Evanson
John Evanson is an English former professional footballer who played for Oxford United, Blackpool, Miami Toros, Fulham, A.F.C. Bournemouth and Poole Town. During his spell at Oxford, he played 154 league games.-Blackpool:...
, Wyn Davies
Wyn Davies
Ronald Wyn Davies is a Welsh former professional footballer who made over 550 Football League appearances in the 1960s and 1970s, and who was also capped by Wales.-Domestic career:...
, and Paul Hart
Paul Hart
Paul Hart is an English football manager and former football defender, who is currently Academy Director at Charlton Athletic. The son of Johnny Hart, a football inside forward and manager, Hart had five-year spells with both Blackpool and Leeds United, while also playing for Nottingham Forest and...
. The club demanded an instant return of results, and Potts walked a tightrope for the remainder of his Bloomfield Road
Bloomfield Road
Bloomfield Road is an all-seater football stadium in the English town of Blackpool, Lancashire. It has been the permanent home of Blackpool F.C. since 1901 and is named after the road on which the stadium's main entrance used to stand. The stadium has been in a process of redevelopment since 2000...
career.
By the end of the 1975–76
Blackpool F.C. season 1975-76
The 1975-76 season was Blackpool F.C.s 69th season in the Football League. They competed in the 22-team Division Two, then the second tier of English football, finishing tenth, with a symmetrical record of fourteen wins, fourteen draws and fourteen losses.Mickey Walsh was the club's top scorer for...
campaign, chants of "Potts out" began to be heard, and with the team managing to finish only tenth, the board sacked him in May. One of the highlights of his time at the seaside occurred earlier in 1976, when Blackpool beat his former club Burnley in the third round of the FA Cup, a result which expedited the departure of Jimmy Adamson
Jimmy Adamson
James "Jimmy" Adamson was an English professional footballer and football manager. He was born in Ashington, Northumberland...
as the Clarets' manager. Adamson was Burnley captain when Potts led the club to the Championship in 1960.
Potts was re-hired by Burnley, becoming their chief scout in 1976. After a poor start to the season, the Burnley manager Joe Brown
Joe Brown (footballer born 1929)
Joseph "Joe" Brown is an English former footballer and manager.-Playing:Brown started his career with First Division Middlesbrough, where he came through from the juniors team. He joined Burnley in August 1952, but his time at the club was restricted to just six appearances because of a serious...
was sacked in February (1977) and Potts became manager for the second time.
1977 saw Burnley avoid relegation by five points. 1977–78
1977-78 in English football
The 1977–1978 season was the 98th season of competitive football in England, from August 1977 to May 1978:-First Division:Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest side took on the First Division by storm, by winning the League Cup on 22 March and confirming themselves as league champions the following month...
saw them finish mid-table and so did 1978–79
1978-79 in English football
-FA Cup:Manchester United had seemingly pulled off a remarkable comeback against Arsenal in the 1979 FA Cup Final to make the score 2–2 after being two goals down, but a last-minute goal from Alan Sunderland saw Arsenal lift the trophy with a 3–2 scoreline...
, a season which saw them win the Anglo-Scottish Cup
Anglo-Scottish Cup
The Anglo-Scottish Cup was a tournament arranged for teams in the English and Scottish football leagues during the summer for several years during the 1970s...
. The following season (1979–80
1979-80 in English football
The 1979–80 season was the 100th season of competitive football in England.- FA Cup :Second Division West Ham United, managed by John Lyall, won the FA Cup, beating Arsenal 1–0 with a Trevor Brooking goal...
) began badly, and Potts was sacked after 11 winless games. Burnley were relegated to Division Three
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
at the end of the season.
Death
Potts died on 16 January 1996, aged 75, after a long illness. Before his illness got too restrictive, he was often seen watching Burnley as a fan. Burnley F.C. remembered him on his funeral day, as the 1959–60 Championship-winning side, plus many of his former players and colleagues (not to mention Burnley supporters) gathered at the Turf Moor stadium to pay their respect as his cortège stopped outside the stadium. The streets had been blocked to traffic for this occasion.His name is remembered daily in Burnley
Burnley
Burnley is a market town in the Burnley borough of Lancashire, England, with a population of around 73,500. It lies north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River Brun....
, as the street on which the stadium is situated has been renamed "Harry Potts Way".
As a player
Burnley- Second DivisionFootball League Second DivisionFrom 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
runners-up (promoted): 1946–471946-47 in English footballThe 1946–47 season was the 67th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:The 1946–47 season was the first to feature a full football programme since the 1938–39 campaign. Eighty-eight teams competed over four divisions. Liverpool went top of the First Division with a 2–1 away win over...
Everton
- Second DivisionFootball League Second DivisionFrom 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
runners-up (promoted): 1953–541953-54 in English footballThe 1953–54 season was the 74th season of competitive football in England.-National team:The Marvellous Magyars shocked football by defeating England 6–3 at Wembley Stadium.-Honours:...
As a manager
Burnley- First DivisionFootball League First DivisionThe 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....
championship: 1959–601959-60 in English footballThe 1959–60 season was the 80th season of competitive football in England.-Diary of the season:17 November 1959: Phil Taylor resigns as manager of Liverpool after three years as manager, with all three of his seasons in charge ending with a narrow failure to win promotion to the First... - Anglo-Scottish CupAnglo-Scottish CupThe Anglo-Scottish Cup was a tournament arranged for teams in the English and Scottish football leagues during the summer for several years during the 1970s...
winners: 1978–791978-79 in English football-FA Cup:Manchester United had seemingly pulled off a remarkable comeback against Arsenal in the 1979 FA Cup Final to make the score 2–2 after being two goals down, but a last-minute goal from Alan Sunderland saw Arsenal lift the trophy with a 3–2 scoreline... - FA CupFA CupThe 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...
finalists: 1962