Pat Harrower

Patrick "Pat" Harrower (19 January 1860 – ?)^[1] was a Scottish international rugby union fullback who played club rugby for London Scottish F.C. and international rugby for Scotland. Harrower is also notable as an association football referee, and he officiated the 1905 FA Cup Final.

Rugby career

Harrower was born in Broughty Ferry in Dundee in 1860, but by the time of the 1891 census, he and his family had moved to Middlesex in England. Harrower had probably left Scotland several years before this date, as when he was selected for international duty in 1885, he was playing for Scottish exiles team, London Scottish. His one and only international appearance was for Scotland, against Wales in the 1885 Home Nations Championship standing in for the team's regular fullback, James Veitch. The match ended in a 0-0 draw, with the Welsh team accused of trying to kill the game by their players continually lying on the ball. The next game, Veitch returned to the squad and Harrower never represented his country again.

Refereeing career

Harrower's refereeing career reached its peak when he officiated the 1905 FA Cup Final between Aston Villa and Newcastle. He refereed several international games, with three recorded friendlies between 1906 and 1908, all three games being played between Belgium and the Netherlands.^[2]

Bibliography

• Godwin, Terry (1984). The International Rugby Championship 1883-1983. London: Willows Books. ISBN 0-00-218060-X. 
• Griffiths, John (1987). The Phoenix Book of International Rugby Records. London: Phoenix House. ISBN 0-460-07003-7. 

References