Harvey: John

WW2 Guest: 1941-1942 (Leeds United War-time Guest Player Details)

Left Half

Born: Wallyford, East Lothian: Unknown

Debut: v Middlesbrough (a): 15-11-41

Height & Weight: Unknown

Little is known about the personal details of John Harvey, but he started his football career with for Musselburgh Imperial, then played with Ormiston Primrose, before joining Heart of Midlothian during the 1932-33 season. He did not make the first team and was loaned to Bo'ness in the following season but soon returned to Tynecastle. He played once in the 1933-34 season and twice in 1934-35, before forcing his way into the first team on a more regular basis, scoring twice in twenty-seven games in the 1935-36 season, sixteen games in 1936-37 and nine in 1937-38, his final season with Hearts. On Saturday 23 April 1938, in front of 79,000 spectators, Kilmarnock had clashed with East Fife in the Scottish Cup Final and it resulted in a 1-1 draw. Andy Herd, the East Fife left half had sustained a knee injury which prevented him from being available for the replay. John Harvey signed for Second Division East Fife on Tuesday 26 April 1938 and made his one-and-only appearance for the Black and Gold in the final replay, picking up a Scottish Cup winner’s medal in the process. Even in the replay, which was played at Hampden Park on 27th April 1938, the teams were tied at 2-2 after 90 minutes, but in extra time East Fife stepped up a gear against their First Division opponents and goals from Larry Millar and Danny McKellerell ensured that the Scottish Cup came to the Kingdom of Fife for the first-ever time. The Scottish F.A. gave their approval for Andy Herd to receive a winners' medal. He joined Kilmarnock and scored twice in thirty-four appearances at Rugby Park in the 1938-39 season, before Scottish League football was suspended for the duration of the Second World War. He played a couple of games as a guest for Hearts in 1941-42. He only played as a guest in one game for Leeds United. It came in the 2-1 win in the 1941-42 Football League Northern Section (First Championship) game with Middlesbrough at Ayresome Park, when he played at Left Half. He played nine games for Kilmarnock in the 1945-46 season before taking up an appointment with Hearts as Assistant Trainer to John Torbet who had succeeded George McCrae, who had resigned, as Trainer in March 1946. In May 1952 he took over as Trainer from George Torbet. Donald McLeod became his Assistant. In September 1966 Harvey became Manager of the club, after Tommy Walker had left, with John Cumming taking over the duties of Trainer. It was not a job that Harvey especially wanted, but he stuck to the task until November 1970 when he made way for in younger man in the form of Bobby Seith. It is not thought that Harvey played professionally in the Football League.