Makepeace Harry Image 4 Everton 1908

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Middlesbrough born left half Harry Makepeace moved to Merseyside in the mid-1890’s and played in Liverpool schools football, initially for Queens Road FC of Stoneycroft, and then Bootle Amateurs. He signed for First Division Everton in 1902, making his debut in an FA Cup tie against Manchester United in February 1903 and eventually becoming club captain, being a regular member of the Everton first eleven through to the outbreak of the First World War.

He won the FA Cup with Everton in 1906 when they beat Newcastle United 1-0 in the Final at The Crystal Palace, and played in the Final again the following season although this time Everton lost 2-1 to Sheffield Wednesday. Three times a runner up in the League Championship, he played 23 League games in 1914-15 as they won the Championship in the final season of peacetime football. In total he scored 23 goals in 336 appearances for The Toffees during one of their more consistently successful eras.

He was first selected for England in April 1906 playing in a 2-1 defeat to Scotland at Hampden Park, and he was recalled for the same fixture in April 1910, although England again lost, this time 2-0. In 1912 he was again called up for the Home Championship series and despite being withdrawn from the team that beat Ireland, he played in a 2-0 victory over Wales in March 1912 and a 1-1 draw with Scotland, again at Hampden Park, a few weeks later. In addition to his four England caps he represented The Football League on five occasions.

After the First World War, in which he served in the army and the RAF, Makepeace retired from football in January 1919 and coached in the Netherlands. He returned to Goodison Park as coach of Everton in July 1921 staying until June 1925. In the 1930’s, he coached Marine in Crosby.

Of course, in addition to his football career, Makepeace is one of only 12 double internationals to have played football and cricket for England, one of the others being his Everton and Lancashire team mate of many years, Jack Sharp. His first class career with Lancashire lasted from 1906 to 1930, including 43 centuries within his 25,745 runs, averaging 36.15, including 43 centuries, the highest of which was 203 against Worcestershire at Worcester in 1923, with 140 half centuries. In the same summer he scored 200 not out against Northamptonshire at Liverpool.

An excellent cover-point and a batsman who, strong in defence, relied chiefly upon placing the ball and seldom put much power into his strokes, he carried his bat four times through a Lancashire innings. He shared in five partnerships of over 200 for the county, the largest of which was 270 for the first wicket with Charlie Hallows against Worcestershire at Worcester in 1922. In the match with Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge in 1912 he and A. H. Hornby engaged in a century opening stand in each innings, making 141 and 196.

As a member of J. W. H. T. Douglas’s M.C.C. Team in Australia in 1920-21, Makepeace played in four Tests for England in the 1920-21 Ashes series in Australia, hitting 117 and 54 in his final Test match at Melbourne and also one further half century, with a Test match average of 34.87.

He was awarded a benefit in 1922 which realised £2,110. Already a veteran he continued to play at a high level and scored more than 1,000 runs in a season 10 times, his best being in 1926 when his aggregate reached 2,340, beating his 1923 aggregate by 30 runs, and he averaged 48.75 when already 45 years old. In 1929 it was said of him that “He has excelled among the county’s richest run-getters”.

After his retirement at the end of the 1930 season, by when he had played 499 first class matches, he coached Lancashire from November 1930 until his retirement in September 1951, ending a 46 year association with the county, who made him an honorary life member. “I count Makepeace amongst the immortals of Lancashire and Yorkshire cricket,” wrote Neville Cardus.