The Encylopedia of British Football

West Ham United

Fred Harrison

Born: Winchester (1880)

Signed: 1910

Position: Centre Forward

Appearances: 62

Goals: 23

Left:

Internation Caps:

Died: 1969

Fred Harrison played for local sides, Fitzhugh Rovers and Bitterne Guild before being discovered by Joe Turner, who played in the Southern League with Southampton. Turner persuaded his club to sign Harrison. Harrison scored 17 goals in only 13 matches in the 1902-03 season. The following year he helped Southampton win the Southern League title by scoring 27 goals in 32 games. In 1907 Harrison was transferred to Fulham for a fee of £1,000. At the time Fulham were in the Second Division of the Football League. Despite scoring 47 goals in 120 games, Harrison was unable to get the club promoted to the First Division. Harrison then joined West Ham United and scored on his debut on 14th April 1911 against Southampton. He formed a great partnership with Danny Shea and together they scored 40 goals in the 1911-12 season. George Hilsdon replaced him in the front-line and in the 1912-13 season he was switched to play at centre half. In 1913 Harrison moved to Bristol City and returned to his former position of centre forward he scored 5 goals in 15 games. On the outbreak of the First World War Harrison joined the British Army. Like his former teammate, George Hilsdon, Harrison was badly gassed on the Western Front. After the war Harrison ran his own plastering business in Southampton. Fred Harrison died in 1969.