Jimmy Harris: August 1933-April 2022
FOOTBALLER Jimmy Harris was born in Birkenhead and joined Everton as a junior in 1948, turning professional three years later. Making his league debut in 1955, replacing the injured Dave Hickson, he started off superbly well, finishing the season as top marksman with 21 goals in all competitions.
He was also capped by England at U23 level, scoring in a 3–1 win over Scotland at Hillsborough.
In 1957, when Hickson returned to the Everton side, Harris moved from centreforward to outside right where he was able to use his exceptional pace… and he kept on scoring! Indeed, in October 1958, he netted a hattrick in an away First Division game at Tottenham Hotspur – all to no avail as Everton lost 10–4!
In December 1960, having netted 72 goals in 207 appearances for Everton, Harris was sold to Birmingham City for £20,000 and was the Midland club's top scorer in each of his first two seasons at St Andrew’s. In fact, during his four years with the Blues, he struck 53 goals in 115 games.
He helped Birmingham reach the 1961 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup final when they lost 4-2 on aggregate to AS Roma. Earlier he had scored three goals in the two-legged semi-final victory over Inter Milan, one coming in a win at the San Siro stadium. In fact, this was the first time Inter had lost at home to an English club, and it would be another 42 years before that feat was repeated, by Arsenal who won 2-0 in a Champions League encounter in November 2003
Twelve months after the disappointment of losing to Roma, Harris finally won the only club medal of his career, when Birmingham beat neighbours Aston Villa in the two-legged League Cup final of 1963.
On leaving Birmingham in July 1964, Harris moved to Oldham Athletic; he switched to Tranmere in August 1966 and signed for non-league club Rhyl Athletic two months later.
Struggling with injuries, he subsequently signed for St Patrick's Athletic early in 1967 and after briefly serving Ellesmere Port as playermanager he quit football in May 1968 to become steward at the Preston Golf Club in his native Birkenhead. He was 88 when he died earlier this month.