Harry Chambers

Infobox Football biography
playername = Harry Chambers


fullname = Henry Chambers
dateofbirth = December 17, 1896
cityofbirth = Willington Quay
countryofbirth = England
dateofdeath = death date and age|1949|6|29|1896|12|17
cityofdeath = Shrewsbury
countryofdeath = England
height =
nickname = Smiler
position = Striker
youthyears = 1912-1913 1913-1915
youthclubs = Willington United Methodists North Shields Athletic
years = 1915-1928 1928-1929 1929-1933 1933-1934
clubs = Liverpool West Bromwich Albion Oakengates Town Hereford United
caps(goals) = 310 (135)
nationalyears = 1921-1923
nationalteam = England
nationalcaps(goals) = 8 (5)
manageryears = 1929-1933
managerclubs = Oakengates Town

Henry 'Harry' Chambers (17 December 1896 - 29 June 1949) was an English international footballer who, most notably, played for Liverpool.

Life and playing career

Born in Willinton Quay, Northumberland, England, Harry played for North Shields Athletic, Kings Park (on loan), Belfast Distillery (wartime guest) and Glentoran (wartime guest) before he was signed, from North Shields, for the Reds by manager Tom Watson in April 1915, unfortunately, he signed just before the suspension of league football due to the outbreak of the First World War and had wait 4 years to make his debut until the 30 August 1919 in a First Division match at Valley Parade, a game Liverpool won 3-1 against Bradford and in which Chambers opened his Anfield goalscoring account.

After scoring on his debut he went on to establish himself as the undisputed goal king of Anfield in the immediate post-war years. Topping the club's goalscoring charts for the next five seasons, his shooting prowess was instrumental in Liverpool winning back-to-back League Championships in 1922 and 1923, he scored 41 times in 72 appearances during this spell averaging a goal every 1¾ games. In total he scored 151 goals in 338 appearances for Liverpool including a memorable hat-trick in a 5-1 win over Everton at Anfield in October 1922.

The left-footer nicknamed 'Smiler' was selected by England on 8 occasions scoring 5 goals, his international debut came on the 14 March 1921 in a 0-0 British Championship draw with Wales at Ninian Park, Cardiff, his first goal for his country came in a 2-0 friendly victory over Belgium at the Oscar Bossaert Stadion, Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, Brussels on the 21 May 1921, Chambers best game for his country came on the 22 October 1921 in a British Championship match at The Hawthorns, West Bromwich, it was against Ireland and he scored both goals in the 2-0 victory.

Harry was allowed to leave and in April 1928, aged 32, he left for W.B.A where the forward who scored a goal every 2¼ games for the Reds was converted to a centre-half! Before he retired from the professional game he went on to represent Hereford. Even after retiring Chambers couldn't stay away from the game he loved and continued to play for Shropshire team Oakengates right up until his death in 1949 aged 52.

Career details

*Liverpool F.C (1915 - 1928) † 338 appearances, 151 goals - Two First Division Championships winners medals (1922 and 1923)†Although Chambers signed in 1915 he was unable to make his debut until the opening day of the 1919/20 season due to outbreak of the Great War of 1914/18.
*England (1921 - 1923) 8 caps, 5 goals

External links

* [http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/team/past_players/players/chambers/ Official player profile at Liverpoolfc.tv]
* [http://www.lfchistory.net/player_profile.asp?player_id=572 Player profile at LFChistory.net]