Davies Harry Image 2 Stoke City 1935

Description

Gainsborough, Lincolnshire born inside forward Harry Davies had a 17 year career mainly with Stoke City, for whom he signed professional in 1922, having played junior football for Bamford’s Athletic. His father, also Harry, had played for Doncaster Rovers, Gainsborough Trinity, Hull City and Wolverhampton Wanderers. Harry Jr made his Football League debut in Division One against West Bromwich Albion in September 1922, and played 24 games as Stoke were relegated.

Three seasons later they were relegated again but immediately won the Third Division (North) Championship in 1927 with Davies scoring 15 goals. A further two seasons at Stoke followed before he was transferred to Huddersfield Town in May 1929 after 75 goals in 236 appearances for The Potters. In his first season with Town Davies top scored with 10 goals and played in the 1930 FA Cup Final as Huddersfield lost 2-0 to Arsenal. However he fell out of favour at Leeds Road and Stoke re-signed him in February 1932 after 17 goals in 57 games for The Terriers.

In his first full season back at The Victoria Ground, Stoke City won the 1933 Second Division Championship and Davies became Club Captain after Bob McGrory. He became only the second Stoke player after Charlie Wilson to pass 100 goals for the club, but with age catching up on him, he transferred to Port Vale in February 1938 after 101 goals in 411 games across his two spells with The Potters. Initially playing in the Third Division (North), Vale switched to the (South) division in 1938-39, and when Davies scored against Walsall in October 1938 he completed the feat of having scored in all five English competitions. He retired in April 1939 after 5 goals in 49 games for The Valiants.

Stanley Matthews said of Davies: “Harry possessed a lot of ability and in addition to his goal contribution was very much a creative player whose incisive passing opened up many a defence. He was, in short, a bit of a class act.”