Harvey Bill Image 1 Birmingham City 1922

Description

Netley, Hampshire born outside right Bill Harvey began his football career with Yorkshire Amateurs in 1914 and served in the West Yorkshire Regiment during the First World War, playing Army football. He played for South Shields in 1918, and after the end of the conflict he joined Sheffield Wednesday, making his Football League debut at Manchester City in October 1919. The following month he scored two goals as England Amateurs beat Ireland 5-0 at The Baseball Ground, Derby, in England’s first post war Amateur international, his only cap before he signed professional. He scored once in 20 appearances for Wednesday during his debut season but after their relegation at the end of the season he was unable to get back into the first team, partly because he spent time playing cricket in South Africa, before he joined Birmingham City in July 1921.

He made his debut for Birmingham against Burnley in August 1921 and held a regular place until February 1922, but having lost his place he didn’t reclaim it until March 1923, after which he was a first team regular until November 1924, when he lost his place, and he played only once more for Birmingham the following February before leaving the club for Southend United in the summer of 1925 after 2 goals in 79 appearances. However he didn’t make a League appearance for The Shrimpers before retiring from playing.

He returned to Birmingham as a coach, becoming their manager in March 1927 and left the position at the end of the 1927-28 season. He returned to management with Chesterfield in June 1932 and although they were relegated from the Second Division at the end of his first season, he led them to runners up spot in the Third Division (North) in 1933-34 and to the Third Division (North) Championship in 1935-36, remaining as their manager for two further seasons, leaving The Spireites in June 1938. He then became manager of Gillingham through to the Second World War.

He also played first class cricket for Border in South Africa in the winter of 1920-21, and also for Warwickshire in 1929. In total he played 5 first class matches, batting right handed and bowling right arm medium pace. He averaged 14.5 with the bat with a best score of 28, and took 13 wickets at 22.30 with a best of 5-70.