John Harley (footballer)
Encyclopedia
John Harley (5 May 1886 - 15 May 1960) was a Scottish-born
Uruguay
an footballer.
, Scotland
in 1886. By 1906 he had become a railway engineer working in Springburn
, near Glasgow. In that year he moved to South America to work on railways along the Río de la Plata
. Initially he worked in Argentina where he worked for the Bahía Blanca and North Western Railway
and the Buenos Aires Western Railway
.
On arriving in Uruguay in 1909 Harley worked for the Central Uruguay Railway. He worked for the railway for 37 years until his retirement.
before being recruited by Uruguayan club Central Uruguay Railway Cricket Club
(later Peñarol
). Harley was spotted by C.U.R.C.C. when they played a friendly match against Ferro Carril Oeste
in 1908.
Harley played with C.U.R.C.C./Peñarol from 1909 until his retirement from football in 1920. He captained C.U.R.C.C./Peñarol for ten seasons.
in September 1909. He played the last of his 17 matches for the national team in October 1916.
After retiring as a player Harley managed Peñarol.
and Rampla Juniors
at the Estadio Centenario
. Over 40,000 spectators, including many former colleagues and members of successful Uruguayan teams, turned out to honour Harley's contribution to Uruguayan football.
Harley died in 1960 in Uruguay, and was buried in The British Cemetery
in Montevideo.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
an footballer.
Early life
Harley was born in GlasgowGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in 1886. By 1906 he had become a railway engineer working in Springburn
Springburn
Springburn is an inner city district in the north of the Scottish city of Glasgow, home to various working and middle-class households.Springburn developed from a small rural hamlet at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Its industrial expansion began with the establishment of a chemical...
, near Glasgow. In that year he moved to South America to work on railways along the Río de la Plata
Río de la Plata
The Río de la Plata —sometimes rendered River Plate in British English and the Commonwealth, and occasionally rendered [La] Plata River in other English-speaking countries—is the river and estuary formed by the confluence of the Uruguay River and the Paraná River on the border between Argentina and...
. Initially he worked in Argentina where he worked for the Bahía Blanca and North Western Railway
Bahía Blanca and North Western Railway
The Bahía Blanca and North Western Railway was a British-owned railway company that operated in Argentina, where it was known as the Ferrocarril Bahia Blanca al Noroeste....
and the Buenos Aires Western Railway
Buenos Aires Western Railway
The Buenos Aires Western Railway was one of the Big Four broad gauge British-owned companies that built and operated railway networks in Argentina...
.
On arriving in Uruguay in 1909 Harley worked for the Central Uruguay Railway. He worked for the railway for 37 years until his retirement.
Club career
In Argentina Harley played for Ferro Carril OesteFerro Carril Oeste
Club Ferro Carril Oeste, known simply as Ferro Carril Oeste or Ferro, is a sports club from the neighbourhood of Caballito, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The club was founded on July 28, 1904 by 95 railway workers from the Buenos Aires Western Railway...
before being recruited by Uruguayan club Central Uruguay Railway Cricket Club
Central Uruguay Railway Cricket Club
Central Uruguay Railway Cricket Club was a Cricket and association football club from Uruguay. It was abbreviated as CURCC, but unofficially known as Peñarol because of the neighbourhood of Montevideo, the Uruguayan capital, where it was established on September 28, 1891. CURCC was the result of...
(later Peñarol
C.A. Peñarol
Club Atlético Peñarol also known as Carboneros, Aurinegros and familiarly as Manya, is an Uruguayan sports club based in the Peñarol barrio, Montevideo, best known for its professional football team. The team plays their home matches in Estadio Centenario, the largest stadium in the country, but...
). Harley was spotted by C.U.R.C.C. when they played a friendly match against Ferro Carril Oeste
Ferro Carril Oeste
Club Ferro Carril Oeste, known simply as Ferro Carril Oeste or Ferro, is a sports club from the neighbourhood of Caballito, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The club was founded on July 28, 1904 by 95 railway workers from the Buenos Aires Western Railway...
in 1908.
Harley played with C.U.R.C.C./Peñarol from 1909 until his retirement from football in 1920. He captained C.U.R.C.C./Peñarol for ten seasons.
International career
Harley played his first match for UruguayUruguay national football team
The Uruguayan national football team represents Uruguay in international association football and is controlled by the Uruguayan Football Association, the governing body for football in Uruguay. The current head coach is Óscar Tabárez...
in September 1909. He played the last of his 17 matches for the national team in October 1916.
Management career
Harley acted as a player/manager of the Uruguay national team from 1909 until at least 1910.After retiring as a player Harley managed Peñarol.
Legacy
Harley's time with Peñarol as a player and manager is considered significant for the fact that he changed the Uruguayan style of football from a focus on long ball to a game that featured short passing. This style of play is considered to have contributed to Peñarol and Uruguay achieving significant success up to the 1920s.Later life and death
In 1951 Harley was honoured with a match between PeñarolC.A. Peñarol
Club Atlético Peñarol also known as Carboneros, Aurinegros and familiarly as Manya, is an Uruguayan sports club based in the Peñarol barrio, Montevideo, best known for its professional football team. The team plays their home matches in Estadio Centenario, the largest stadium in the country, but...
and Rampla Juniors
Rampla Juniors
Rampla Juniors Fútbol Club, usually known simply as Rampla Juniors is an Uruguayan football club based in Montevideo.-Origin and colours:...
at the Estadio Centenario
Estadio Centenario
Estadio Centenario is a stadium in Parque Batlle, Montevideo, Uruguay, used primarily for football. The stadium was built between 1929 and 1930 to host the 1930 FIFA World Cup, as well as to commemorate the centennial of Uruguay's first constitution...
. Over 40,000 spectators, including many former colleagues and members of successful Uruguayan teams, turned out to honour Harley's contribution to Uruguayan football.
Harley died in 1960 in Uruguay, and was buried in The British Cemetery
The British Cemetery Montevideo or cementerio británico
- History of the British Cemetery :This land, now on Central Avenue, was known as the ‘'Cementerio de los Ingleses’' as during the British Invasions of 1807 a battle took place on the 20 January 1807, known as "", against forces of Vazquez Feijoo and where several British soldiers were killed....
in Montevideo.