Boxley Harry Image 1 Bristol Rovers 1922

Description

Cradley Heath, Staffordshire born wing half Harry Boxley began his football career with Treharris in 1910 and played for Stourbridge in 1911, Shrewsbury Town in 1912 and Wellington Town towards the end of the First World War joining them in 1918, but after the return of peacetime football he joined First Division Derby County in May 1919 and made his Football League debut against Manchester City in November 1919. He made 7 appearances for Derby that season but joined Bristol Rovers the following May for their inaugural season as a League club, playing in their first League fixture in a defeat at Millwall that August.

He stayed three seasons at Eastville scoring 8 goals in 48 games for The Pirates, all of which were scored while deputising at centre forward for them between January and April 1921. However a move to Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic in 1923 saw him fail to make any first team appearances for The Cherries and he moved back into local Midlands non league football with the likes of Darlaston in 1925 and Oswestry in 1926 before returning to play for Stourbridge in 1927 until his eventual retirement.

He was the youngest of three footballing brothers. Fred Boxley was Wolves’ principal goalkeeper between 1910 and 1912, and David Boxley played for Stoke including in League football in the season immediately following the First World War. One of the brothers’ sons, Jack Boxley, also born in Cradley Heath, was a successful footballer with Bristol City and Coventry City during the 1950’s.