OPINION / FAN'S VIEW
STANDING VIEW
You'll see Harry around the club and everyone knows him. If you've got a little time to spare, then it is well worth having a chat as there are plenty of facinating stories that he can tell you. We were lucky enough to spend some time listening to some of the tales he has to tell... When did you first get involved with Harrogate Railway? In 1947, just after the war. There was a policeman in Starbeck, we used to play in the field and he came and said Why don’t you go join the league. We said we had no money and no kit and that was all we’d hear about it. Then a fortnight later he came and said from now on you are Railway Juniors and that was how it all started. Well in 1953 I got a very bad injury in my right and I’d been playing for the first team then and that finished me off with playing football was concerned. At that time people were leaving the railway, you know they were closing this down and they asked me to go on the committee and I was first non-railwayman to be put on. Then later on it go so bad that they had to put non-railwaymen on the committee and I made chairman. Over the years we’ve had some great results. We played Harrison Parks in the Amateur Cup and then of course Bristol City here in
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the FA Cup. We’ve had some really good times and helped a lot of junior players on their way and a lot of ladies teams. So it’s been good and I’ve really enjoyed it. 70 years but I’ve really enjoyed every minute of it. What have been the highlights for you? Well I think the highlight was the Bristol City game to be quite honest, there were something like 3,500 here that day, but it was a really cold day. For a little club like us, to get to play a club like Bristol City it was out of this world. You’ve seen many changes in the league? Oh yes, many changes. You know, now to be honest it is all money. At one time no one got a ha’penny for playing and we had good teams playing at that time as well. But I’m afraid football has changed a lot over the years. So now I’m still vice-president and I still enjoy every minute of it.
