Miller Harold “Dusty” Image 5 Chelsea 1924

Description

An inside left, St Albans born Harold “Dusty” Miller started his football career with Isthmian League St Albans City in 1921 before joining his first professional club, Third Division Charlton Athletic, making his Football League debut in December 1922 at Plymouth Argyle. Miller made 20 appearances for Charlton that season, scoring 11 times. Such was his impact at The Valley that he was called into the England squad for their Scandinavian summer tour, and having been non playing reserve against Sweden three days earlier, he won a solitary England cap which came against Sweden in Stockholm on 24th May 1923, Miller scored as England won 3-1. He also became Charlton Athletic’s first international player and one of the first third tier players to play for England, and remained in the squad during 1923, being a reserve that November when England played Belgium.

He soon moved to across London to First Division Chelsea in June 1923 for a fee of £1,500, but they were relegated from the First Division in his first season. Described at the time as “a spritely forward possessing speed, admirable ball control and a fine eye for position”, his most successful season was 1929-30, when he missed only 2 games, scored 13 goals, and helped Chelsea back to the First Division with promotion as Second Division runners up. He was also a member of Chelsea’s losing 1932 FA Cup semi final team which went down 2-1 to eventual winners Newcastle United at Leeds Road, Huddersfield. He remained at Stamford Bridge a total of 15 seasons until leaving in the summer of 1939, having made 363 appearances and scored 44 goals. He then joined Northampton Town and played in their three expunged games at the start of the 1939-40 season. During the Second World War Miller appeared for Wellingborough Town and Watford before retirement.

His brother, Herbert was an England amateur international who played for Watford, as did a further brother, Redvers “Rev” Miller.