Wilson Harry Image 2 Charlton Athletic 1921

Description

A clever winger, capable of centering the ball “in fine style”, Belfast born outside left Harry Wilson was with Distillery in 1910 and briefly Belfast Celtic in 1913 before joining the Army in September 1914. He was a Prisoner of War towards the end of the First World War but once demobbed he resumed his playing career with Dumurry in 1919. While playing in intermediate football Wilson gained Junior international recognition and also represented the Intermediate League.

A return to senior football arrived with Glenavon in the April 1920, but Wilson stayed only briefly at Mourneview. In September of that year he made the journey across the Irish Sea to join Second Division club Hull City of the English Second Division making his Football League debut almost immediately against Barnsley in a 3-0 victory. A regular for The Tigers from his arrival, his stay lasted just a season before he transfered to newly elected Third Division (South) club Charlton Athletic in July 1921 after 5 goals in 35 appearances, playing in The Addicks’ inaugural League fixture, a 1-0 win over Exeter City at The Valley in August, but his spell at Charlton was also brief, a single goal in 24 appearances during 1921-22 not enough to see him retained.

After a season with Welsh side Aberaman Athletic from June 1922, Wilson returned to Belfast to play with Linfield in June 1923. Although the major honours eluded him during his stay at Windsor Park, Wilson was selected three times for the Irish League between 1923 and 1925, and twice, as stand-in for Arsenal’s Joe Toner, for Ireland, winning his first cap against South Africa at Solitude, Belfast in September 1924 and his second and final cap against Wales at The Racecourse Ground in Wrexham in April 1925. He finished his career with Larne, joining them in the 1925 close season.