Harper: Bernard

WW2 Guest: 1942-1943 (Leeds United War-time Guest Player Details)

Centre Half

Born: Gawber, Barnsley: 23-11-1911

Debut: v Huddersfield Town (h): 25-12-1942

Height & Weight: Unknown

Harper played with local teams Gawber Sunday School, Barugh Green and West Ward FC before joining his hometown club Third Division North Barnsley in the 1932-33 season in which he made eight League appearances. His second season saw him play twenty nine games as the Tykes became Champions of the Third Division North and were promoted to the Second Division. He was a regular in the team but they struggled in the lower reaches of the Second Division in most seasons until they were relegated in 1937-38 as Harper missed just three games. They bounced straight back as Champions in the following season as he missed only one game and as they looked forward to resuming life in the Second Division the Second World War came and fixtures were suspended. Harper had played two hundred and seventeen League games and scored twice and had played in twelve F.A. Cup tiesand one other game. In the Second World War he played mainly for Barnsley but he guested for Leeds United and played three games. His debut came in the final game of the 1942-43 Football League Northern Section (First Championship) campaign in a 3-3 draw at Elland Road with Huddersfield Town on Xmas Day 1942 and the other two were in consecutive games in the final two fixtures of the Second Championship campaign of the same season in a 2-0 home win over Bradford Park Avenue followed by a 2-5 loss in the reverse fixture a week later. He played for England in a War-time International in 2nd December 1939, when he played at Centre Half in a 2-1 win over Scotland at St James’ Park, Newcastle. Amongst his team mates that day were Joe Mercer, Stanley Matthews, Horatio Carter and Tommy Lawton. He served in the Army in the Second World War but when available still featured regularly for Barnsley, making nineteen appearances in 1939-40, twenty-seven in 1940-41, twelve in 1941-42, thirty in 1942-43 and fourteen in 1943-44, a further one hundred and two games for the Oakwell club. After he was demobbed he signed for Scunthorpe and Lindsey United as Player-Manager but never played in the Football League when the it recommenced after the Second World War. Scunthorpe were in the Midland League when Harper took over as Player-Manager on 1st August 1946. He stayed for two years and played eighty-seven League and Cup games, almost exclusively wearing the number six shirt, from where he was able to muster his troops and use his huge frame to good effect. It was under Harper's leadership that Scunthorpe signed Timmy Bowers for the forward line and Jack Brownsword in defence. United were relatively successful during Harper's time, and he steered the club beyond the qualifying round of the F.A. Cup competition on two occasions. In 1946, they beat York City at Bootham Crescent, the only time, as a Non-League outfit, that a Football League team was beaten away from home. Additionally, the Irons made improvements in their League position. However, at the end of his two-year contract, on 31st May 1948, Bernard Harper parted company with the club. He died in 1994.