Harper Bernard Image 1 Scunthorpe United 1940

Description

Gawber, Barnsley, Yorkshire born centre half Bernard Harper began his football career with Barugh Green in 1930 and played for West Ward in 1931, from where he was signed by Third Division (North) club Barnsley in 1932, making his Football League debut at Walsall in January 1933. Harper made 7 further appearances before the season end for The Tykes, establishing a regular place in the first team from November 1933 and making 31 appearances during the campaign as Barnsley won the Third Division (North) Championship.

Harper continued as a mainstay during the next four seasons as Barnsley finished in the lower half of the division three times before their eventual relegation in 1938, despite which he remained at Oakwell and missed only one match in their 1938-39 campaign as Barnsley again won the Third Division (North) Championship at the first time of asking. He played their first three matches of the new 1939-40 season before it was abandoned due to the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939, and he subsequently joined Scunthorpe & Lindsey United later that year, but he had retired by the time peacetime football resumed in 1946.

NB in the photograph Harper (right) challenges Charlton Athletic’s Don Welsh in an Army representative match in January 1940.