Neil Harris (Scottish Footballer)

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Neil Harris (born in Tollcross on October 30, 1894) (died 1941) was a Scottish centre forward football player who played for Vale of Clyde F.C., Partick Thistle, Belfast Distillery, Fulham F.C., Newcastle United, Notts County, Oldham Athletic, Third Lanark, Burton Town and Swindon Town. He went on to manage Swansea Town and Swindon Town

He played 174 league games for Newcastle, scoring 87 times.

[edit] Swindon Town Career

After Ted Vizard's departure, Neil Harris left Swansea Town to become manager at Swindon in June 1939. Due to the impending war, he was originally only offered a year's contract, but after negotiation, this was extended to end in March 1941.

Just three games into his first season in charge, the Football League programme was abandoned, and Harris remained in charge for the club's season in the South West Regional League. During this season, players were often called up for military duties in the build-up to a game, and every club in the league used "guests" to make up the starting eleven - sometimes players even played under aliases to avoid detection by their officers. Before one game at Bristol City, Harris, now 45, was forced to come out of retirement himself to make up the numbers. He borrowed a pair of boots which were too small, and lost two toenails as the Town lost 5-2.

By the end of the season, it was decided that the club could no longer continue whilst the war did, and Harris was relieved of his duties in August 1940, with the intention of him returning to the hotseat when the war ended. Harris died later that year.