| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Harold Prince | ||
| Date of birth | 4 December 1921 | ||
| Place of birth | Stoke-on-Trent, England | ||
| Playing position | Goalkeeper | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Bucknall | |||
| Port Vale | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1941–1943 | Port Vale | 0 | (0) |
| 1943–1944 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | ||
| 1944–1949 | Port Vale | 23 | (0) |
| Stafford Rangers | |||
| Total | 23+ | (0+) | |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). |
|||
Harold (Harry) Prince (born 4 December 1921) is an English former footballer.
Prince played for Bucknall before graduating through the Port Vale youth side to sign professional forms with the Vale in September 1941. With World War II raging, he transferred to Wolverhampton Wanderers in July 1943 without having played a game. He returned to the Vale in August 1944, making his debut in a 3–0 home win over Birmingham City in a Football League North match on 26 August 1944. He became the first choice stopper until stubbing a foot whilst taking a goal kick in a 2–1 defeat at Crewe Alexandra on 30 December 1944. In a display of poor sportsmanship Crewe went ahead and scored as Prince lay injured on the ground. He recovered, but lost his first team spot in October 1945, at which point he was used a reserve keeper. In one rare appearance, on 18 April 1949, in a 1–1 draw at Bristol City he managed to concede a forty-yard 'punt' that sailed over his head. It was most probably a major factor in the decision to release him from his contract later that month. He had played fifty competitive games for the club, a good amount of experience to take into the non-leagues with Stafford Rangers.[1]