Jimmy Harris (footballer)
Encyclopedia
James "Jimmy" Harris is a former English
professional footballer who played as a forward
for Everton
and Birmingham City
in the First Division
. The strengths of his game were his pace and a clear eye for goal.
, in 1955 and finished his debut season as the club's top scorer with 21 goals in all competitions.
He was also capped for England U-23
that season, scoring in a 3–1 win against Scotland U-23
at Hillsborough
in February 1956.
When moved to outside-right on Hickson's return in 1957 he was able to use his pace and still kept scoring. The following season, 1957–58
, he scored a hat-trick
away at Tottenham Hotspur
only for Everton to lose 10–4.
In 1960, having scored 72 goals in 207 appearances in all competitions for Everton, Harris was sold to Birmingham City
for a fee of £20,000.
He was the club's top scorer in each of his first two seasons at Birmingham City, and in four years scored 53 goals in 113 games in all competitions.
He played in their Inter-Cities Fairs Cup 1960-61
campaign when they reached the final against A.S. Roma
, and was largely responsible for them getting that far. In the semi-final against Inter Milan
he scored three times, including the first goal of the 2–1 win at the San Siro
,
the only time Inter had lost at home to an English club until Arsenal
repeated the feat over forty years later.
He also won his only major medal when he played on the winning side in the 1963 Football League Cup Final
.
After leaving Birmingham he moved on to Oldham Athletic
and home-town club Tranmere Rovers
before retiring in 1967.
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 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...
for 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...
and Birmingham City
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...
in the 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....
. The strengths of his game were his pace and a clear eye for goal.
Biography
Harris made his debut for Everton, replacing Dave HicksonDave Hickson
David "Dave" Hickson is an ex-football player, who played for Everton, Aston Villa, Huddersfield Town, Liverpool and Tranmere Rovers.-Club career:...
, in 1955 and finished his debut season as the club's top scorer with 21 goals in all competitions.
He was also capped for England U-23
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...
that season, scoring in a 3–1 win against Scotland U-23
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
at Hillsborough
Hillsborough Stadium
Hillsborough Stadium is the home of Sheffield Wednesday football club, Sheffield, England. Football has been played at the ground since it was opened on 2 September 1899, when Wednesday moved from their original ground at Olive Grove. Today it is a 39,812 capacity all-seater stadium, making it the...
in February 1956.
When moved to outside-right on Hickson's return in 1957 he was able to use his pace and still kept scoring. The following season, 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...
, he scored a 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...
away at Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
only for Everton to lose 10–4.
In 1960, having scored 72 goals in 207 appearances in all competitions for Everton, Harris was sold to Birmingham City
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...
for a fee of £20,000.
He was the club's top scorer in each of his first two seasons at Birmingham City, and in four years scored 53 goals in 113 games in all competitions.
He played in their Inter-Cities Fairs Cup 1960-61
Inter-Cities Fairs Cup 1960-61
The third Inter-Cities Fairs Cup was the first to be played over a single season, namely the 1960–61 season. Birmingham City once again reached the final, but lost again over two legs, this time to Roma...
campaign when they reached the final against A.S. Roma
A.S. Roma
Associazione Sportiva Roma, commonly referred to as simply Roma, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. Founded by a merger in 1927, Roma have participated in the top-tier of Italian football for all of their existence but one season in the early 50s...
, and was largely responsible for them getting that far. In the semi-final against Inter Milan
F.C. Internazionale Milano
Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always...
he scored three times, including the first goal of the 2–1 win at the San Siro
San Siro
The Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, originally and commonly referred to as the San Siro because of its location, officially given its current name on 3 March 1980, is a football stadium located in the San Siro district in Milan, Italy. It is the home of both A.C. Milan and F.C. Internazionale Milano...
,
the only time Inter had lost at home to an English club until 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...
repeated the feat over forty years later.
He also won his only major medal when he played on the winning side in the 1963 Football League Cup Final
1963 Football League Cup Final
The 1963 Football League Cup Final, the third to be staged since the competition's inception, was contested between local rivals Birmingham City and Aston Villa over two legs. Aston Villa had won the inaugural competition in 1960–61, and had beaten Birmingham 4–0 in their most recent...
.
After leaving Birmingham he moved on to Oldham Athletic
Oldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
and home-town club Tranmere Rovers
Tranmere Rovers F.C.
Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English team based in Birkenhead, Wirral. The club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system...
before retiring in 1967.
Honours
- with Everton
- Club's top scorer 1956.
- with Birmingham City
- Inter-Cities Fairs CupInter-Cities Fairs CupThe Inter-Cities Fairs Cup was a European football competition played between 1955 and 1971. The competition was the idea of Swiss pools supremo Ernst Thommen, Ottorino Barassi from Italy, and the English Football Association general secretary Stanley Rous, all of whom later became senior officials...
runners-up 1961. - Club's top scorer 1961, 1962.
- Football League CupFootball League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
winner 1963.
- Inter-Cities Fairs Cup