IN the middle of the centre row of our picture of Darlington’s Rise Carr football team in 1920 is H Catterick.
We told last week how little Mark Hooper, on the right end of the front row, went on to play for the Quakers before coming a Sheffield Wednesday legend in the big time, and Harry Catterick has a footballing story that also needs to be told.
He grew up in Carters Row in the shadow of Bank Top station in a real football family. His oldest brother, George, was “senior trainer” of the mighty Quakers for about 20 years before and after the Second World War.
Another brother, Arthur, showed such footballing skill that clubs like Bury and Bolton tried to sign him, but he preferred to stay in Darlington, working at the Rise Carr Rolling Mills and turning out for local teams.
And then there was Harry. He was already married with a son – also called Harry who was born on November 26, 1919 – when this picture was taken of the Rise Carr team which had won practically every town trophy in 1920.
Instead of staying local, he moved to play for Chilton Colliery Recreational FC and made history as a member of the first south west Durham side to beat Football League opposition in the FA Cup. In the Second Round in December 1925, at Chilton, the Recreation drew 1-1 with Rochdale.
The replay at Spotland was dramatic: Chilton went ahead but Rochdale equalised five minutes before half time and then centre-half Catterick was sent off. A man down, Chilton clung on until the 82nd minute when they broke away and scored the winner.
This may be a Chilton Colliery side from the early 1920s, with Harry Catterick's unmistakable features in the centre of the middle row
Despite only playing half the game, Harry must have impressed because in 1926, he signed for Stockport County in the Third Division North. He moved his family over and when he’d finished playing, he became County’s coach while doubling as the steward of the local Conservative Club.
Young Harry therefore grew up in Stockport, moving up through County’s youth teams until he was signed as an 18-year-old by Everton in 1937. Unfortunately, the Second World War intervened, wasting the best years of his career, and he didn’t make his league debut until August 1946, aged 26.
Harry Catterick with the FA Cup that he won with Everton in 1966
He had five good seasons at Everton and two more at Crewe Alexandra before taking on the club’s managerial role. He then managed Rochdale and Sheffield Wednesday until in 1961 he took charge of Everton, leading to the club’s most successful decade: the Division One title in 1963 and 1970 and the FA Cup in 1966.
His success was built on his famous midfield trio of Alan Ball, Colin Harvey and Howard Kendall, and although Liverpool’s Bill Shankly is probably the best known manager of this period, Catterick was more successful.
Harry Catterick's midfield Holy Trinity of, from left, Alan Ball, Howard Kendall and Colin Harvey
His health, though, cut short his term in the Goodison Park hot seat, and he died aged 65 in 1985 of a heart attack after a match.
- With thanks to Rosalind Leybourne, who is the niece of Harry Catterick Snr.
- Do you have any connection to any of the players on the Rise Carr photograph?
Rise Carr Football Club, who won the Darlington Charity Cup in 1919 and 1920, and who won the Darlington District League Championship in 1920. At back: W Earl (trainer). Back: G Brennan (treasurer), E Martin (secretary), J Andrews, H Thomas, G Page, A Cain, W Barker (committee), W Blewitt (committee). MIddle: G Burniston, D Hooper, A Reed, H Catterick, J Woodhouse, D Clark (chairman), W Thorpe (committee). Front: W Dinsdale, E Saint, W Neil, B Brennan, M Hooper
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