Frew: James Harty (Jimmy)

1920-1924 (Player Details)

Left Back

Born: Kinghorn, Fife: 21-05-1892

Debut v Port Vale (h): 04-09-1920

5’9” 11st 4lb (1920)

After starting with Kilsyth Emmet and Alloa Athletic, Frew came to prominence in May 1913, joining Hearts from Newcastle City. He scored twice in his first game for Hearts on 27th April 1914, when they won 4-2 in a Testimonial match against Everton at Easter Road, as Tynecastle was having repairs done to its stand. He was unable to add to that brace in the rest of his football career. His second game was in a 4-0 win at Pittodrie in another friendly, this time with Aberdeen on 4th May 1914. He made his Scottish League debut, against Champions from the previous season, Celtic, in the first game of the new season on 15th August 1914, as Hearts triumphed 2-0 at Tynecastle, when the local newspaper noted that he was "A clever tackler". When War broke out, he enlisted in the 1st Lowland, Edinburgh Royal Garrison Artillery, as a farrier, rising to the rank of sergeant. He played in a “Grand Military International” at Goodison Park in May 1916 when England beat Scotland 4-3. He played five games in the 1914-15 season and followed that up by twelve more in the following season. He managed three more games in peacetime before he tried his luck south of the border. Frew signed for Leeds in June 1920 at a fee of £200. Surprisingly local player, Arthur Tillotson, was given the Left Back position for the first game ever by Leeds United on 28th August 1920 at Port Vale. However he only played the first two games of the inaugaral season before Frew made his debut in United's first League victory as they beat Port Vale 3-1 at Elland Road and he went on make the position his own and formed a fine full back partnership with Bert Duffield in United’s early years. Bob Speak and then Bill Menzies supplanted him in the Leeds team and he joined Bradford City in June 1924, where he played forty-eight games. His playing days were ended prematurely by injury in December 1926. He became chief coach to the West Riding F.A. and ran a sports outfitters shop at "Harehills Corner"in Harehills, Leeds, which was the official supplier to Leeds United for many years. He died in Leeds on 27th April 1967, aged seventy-four.