Albert Harris (football manager)
Encyclopedia
Albert Harris was an English
amateur footballer who served as both director
and manager
of Bradford City
.
Harris was a keen sportsman, who was a free-scoring amateur centre-forward
once scoring 89 goals in one season, a speedway
rider at Thrum Hall
and president of Bradford Conservative Games League.
In February 1949 he was elected honorary treasurer of the newly formed Bradford City A.F.C. Shareholders and Supporters Association and was later co-opted on to the Bradford City
board. As a former footballer he helped assistant manager George Jowett during the 1949-50
season while manager David Steele
was ill with heart trouble in Bradford Royal Infirmary
.
When Steele's contract was bought out in February 1952 three months before it was due to end, Harris was appointed interim manager while the board of directors chose a new manager. He handled team affairs for just three months taking them to 15th in Division Three (North)
. He handed over to Ivor Powell
and reverted to his director's duties.
Harris resigned from the board in October 1956 but was coaxed out of retirement less than two years later to become vice-chairman. In October 1962 he succeeded Herbert Munro, who resigned through ill-health, as chairman of the club. He remained in the role for just over three years but continued as a board member. He was also elected a life member of Bradford City.
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...
amateur footballer who served as both director
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
and manager
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
of Bradford City
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
.
Harris was a keen sportsman, who was a free-scoring amateur centre-forward
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...
once scoring 89 goals in one season, a speedway
Motorcycle speedway
Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. Speedway motorcycles use only one gear and have no brakes and racing takes place on a flat oval track usually...
rider at Thrum Hall
Thrum Hall
Thrum Hall was a rugby league stadium on Hanson Lane in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England. It was the home of Halifax RLFC.-Stadium:The site, measuring 55,000 square yards and included a cricket pitch, greyhound track and bowling greens...
and president of Bradford Conservative Games League.
In February 1949 he was elected honorary treasurer of the newly formed Bradford City A.F.C. Shareholders and Supporters Association and was later co-opted on to the Bradford City
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
board. As a former footballer he helped assistant manager George Jowett during the 1949-50
1949-50 in English football
The 1949–50 season was the 70th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Portsmouth retained the First Division title by one of the narrowest margins in history ahead of Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C....
season while manager David Steele
David Steele (footballer)
David Morton Steele was a Scottish professional footballer and manager.-Playing career:Born in Carluke, Scotland, Steele was a wing half who started his football career as a part-timer first with Armadale then St. Mirren while he worked as a miner before the First World War...
was ill with heart trouble in Bradford Royal Infirmary
Bradford Royal Infirmary
Bradford Royal infirmary is a large teaching hospital in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, and is operated by Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS trust. The infirmary is affiliated with Leeds School of Medicine....
.
When Steele's contract was bought out in February 1952 three months before it was due to end, Harris was appointed interim manager while the board of directors chose a new manager. He handled team affairs for just three months taking them to 15th in Division Three (North)
Football League Third Division North
The Third Division North of The Football League was a tier in the English association football league system from 1921 to 1958. It ran parallel to Third Division South with clubs elected to the League or relegated from a higher division allocated to one or the other according to geographical position...
. He handed over to Ivor Powell
Ivor Powell
Ivor Verdun Powell MBE is a Welsh former footballer who gained eight Welsh caps and later became a manager. He was born in Gilfach, Bargoed....
and reverted to his director's duties.
Harris resigned from the board in October 1956 but was coaxed out of retirement less than two years later to become vice-chairman. In October 1962 he succeeded Herbert Munro, who resigned through ill-health, as chairman of the club. He remained in the role for just over three years but continued as a board member. He was also elected a life member of Bradford City.