Harry Lovatt (c.1904 – 1984) was an English footballer. A much-travelled forward, he played for Port Vale, Preston North End, Crewe Alexandra, Bradford City, Wrexham, Scarborough, Leicester City, Notts County, Northampton Town, Macclesfield Town, Stafford Rangers, and Winsford United.

Harry Lovatt
Personal information
Full name Harry Lovatt (given name Harry not Harold)
Date of birth c. 1904
Date of death 11 November 1984
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[1]
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
Wood Lane United
Red Street St Chad's
Audley
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1923–1924 Port Vale 0 (0)
1924–1925 Preston North End 0 (0)
1925–1926 Crewe Alexandra 27 (14)
1926 Bradford City 13 (3)
1926–1927 Wrexham 11 (5)
1927–1928 Scarborough
1928–1930 Leicester City 9 (9)
1930–1931 Notts County 9 (3)
1931–1932 Northampton Town 14 (7)
1932 Macclesfield Town 4 (4)
Stafford Rangers
Winsford United
Total 88+ (45+)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

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Lovatt played for local non-League clubs Wood Lane United, Red Street St Chad's and Audley in his youth. In 1923 he joined Port Vale, the next year moving on to Preston North End, but failed to make a league appearance for either club.[citation needed]

In 1925, he joined Crewe Alexandra, scoring 14 goals in 27 Third Division North games. He spent part of 1926 with Bradford City, scoring three goals in 13 Second Division games before joining Welsh club Wrexham, scoring five goals in 11 Third Division North games, including a hat-trick against Chesterfield on 15 January 1927.[2] He spent the 1927–28 season with Midland League side Scarborough, and became the club's top-scorer with 40 league and cup goals. This record won him a contract with Leicester City,[3] and he scored five goals in four First Division games in the 1928–29 season, including a hat-trick in a 6–1 win over Bolton Wanderers at Filbert Street on 4 May.[4] He scored four goals in five league games in 1929–30, but played just one game in 1930–31 before moving to Notts County in December 1930.[4]

Three goals in nine games at County followed as he helped the "Magpies" to win the Third Division South title. He moved on again in 1931, joining Northampton Town. He struck seven times in 14 Third Division South games before he left the Football League to join up with Macclesfield Town, Stafford Rangers and then Winsford United.[5]

Career statistics

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Source:[6]

Club Season Division League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Port Vale 1923–24 Second Division 0 0 0 0 0 0
Preston North End 1924–25 First Division 0 0 0 0 0 0
Crewe Alexandra 1925–26 Third Division North 27 14 4 1 31 15
Bradford City 1923–24 Second Division 9 3 0 0 9 3
1924–25 Second Division 4 0 0 0 4 0
Total 13 3 0 0 13 3
Wrexham 1926–27 Third Division North 11 5 1 0 12 5
Leicester City 1928–29 First Division 4 5 0 0 4 5
1929–30 First Division 5 4 0 0 5 4
1930–31 First Division 1 0 0 0 1 0
Total 10 9 0 0 10 9
Notts County 1930–31 Third Division South 7 1 2 0 9 1
1931–32 Second Division 2 2 0 0 2 2
Total 9 3 2 0 11 3
Northampton Town 1931–32 Third Division South 14 7 4 4 18 11
Macclesfield Town 1932–33[7] Cheshire County League 4 4 2 0 6 4

Honours

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Notts County

References

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  1. ^ "Harry Lovatt | Player Statistics | Wrexham (Wrexham AFC Archive)". wrexhamafcarchive.co.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  2. ^ "Hat-trick Heroes | Wrexham (Wrexham AFC Archive)". wrexhamafcarchive.co.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  3. ^ Dave Smith and Paul Taylor, Of Fossils and Foxes: The Official Definitive History of Leicester City Football Club (2001) (ISBN 1-899538-21-6)
  4. ^ a b "Harold Albert Lovatt". foxestalk.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2 May 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  5. ^ Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 – 1939. Tony Brown. p. 161. ISBN 1-899468-67-6.
  6. ^ Harry Lovatt at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  7. ^ "Stats". silkmenarchives.org.uk. Retrieved 12 July 2016.