Henry Forbes Low (15 August 1882 – 26 September 1920) was a Scottish professional footballer who made over 200 appearances in the Football League for Sunderland as a left half. He also played in the Scottish League for Aberdeen.

Harry Low
Personal information
Full name Henry Forbes Low[1]
Date of birth 15 August 1882
Place of birth Oldmachar, Scotland[2]
Date of death 26 September 1920(1920-09-26) (aged 38)[2]
Place of death Sunderland, England[2]
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[2]
Position(s) Wing half, forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1901–1903 Orion
1903–1907 Aberdeen 95 (19)
1907–1919 Sunderland 202 (33)
Total 297 (52)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

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A left half,[3] Low began his senior career with newly-formed Northern League club Aberdeen and was a part of their rise from the Northern League to Scottish League Division One during the early years of the 20th century.[4][5] He made 114 appearances and scored 30 goals during four seasons at Pittodrie and transferred to English First Division club Sunderland for a £400 fee in May 1907.[4] Low played eight seasons for Sunderland, before the suspension of league football in 1915 (following the outbreak of the First World War) ended his competitive career with the club.[4] During his time at Roker Park, Low made 228 appearances, scored 38 goals and was a part of the squad which won the 1912–13 First Division championship and reached the 1913 FA Cup Final.[3][4]

International career

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Low played in the Home Scots v Anglo-Scots annual international trial matches in 1909 and 1911 and was called up by Scotland for a friendly match versus Ireland in 1913,[6] but he pulled out of the squad in order to play in a 1912–13 FA Cup semi-final.[7] He was not capped at international level.[7]

Personal life

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Low was the elder brother of footballer Wilf Low and the uncle of Willie Low and Norman Low.[2][8][9] In February 1917, 2+12 years after the outbreak of the First World War, Low enlisted in the Royal Navy as an able seaman.[9] He served on HMS Dido and was honourably discharged after being wounded.[9] Low became the landlord of a pub in Monkwearmouth in 1919 and died of pneumonia in September 1920.[9] He was married with four children.[9]

Career statistics

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Aberdeen 1903–04[2] Northern League 17 5 1 0 4[b] 1 22 6
1904–05[2] Scottish Division Two 21 2 2 1 4[c] 3 27 6
1905–06[2] Scottish Division One 27 4 2 1 2[d] 3 31 8
1906–07[2] Scottish Division One 30 8 2 1 2[e] 0 34 9
Total 95 19 7 3 12 7 114 29
Sunderland 1907–08[10] First Division 30 2 1 0 0 0 31 2
1908–09[11] First Division 31 2 4 0 0 0 35 2
1909–10[12] First Division 24 12 3 2 0 0 27 14
1910–11[13] First Division 36 7 1 0 0 0 37 7
1911–12[14] First Division 8 5 2 1 0 0 10 6
1912–13[15] First Division 37 4 9 0 1[f] 0 47 4
1913–14[16] First Division 22 1 5 0 0 0 27 1
1914–15[17] First Division 14 0 0 0 1[f] 0 15 0
Total 202 33 25 3 2 0 229 36
Career total 297 52 32 6 14 7 343 65
  1. ^ Includes Scottish Cup, FA Cup
  2. ^ 3 appearances and 1 goal in Scottish Qualifying Cup, 1 appearance in Aberdeenshire Cup
  3. ^ 3 appearances and 3 goals in Scottish Qualifying Cup, 1 appearance in Fleming Charity Shield
  4. ^ 1 appearance and 3 goals in Fleming Charity Shield, 1 appearance in High Cup
  5. ^ 1 appearance in Fleming Charity Shield, 1 appearance in High Cup
  6. ^ a b Appearance in Newcastle & Sunderland Hospitals Cup

Honours

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Aberdeen

Sunderland

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939 (Third edition, with revisions ed.). Toton, Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 178. ISBN 9781905891610. OCLC 841581272.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Henry Low". Aberdeen Football Club Heritage Trust. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  3. ^ a b "Harry Low". Sunderland Association Football Club. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d "Low Harry Sunderland 1911". Vintage Footballers. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  5. ^ Aberdeen F.C. at the Football Club History Database
  6. ^ Litster, John. Record of Pre-War Scottish League Players. Norwich: PM Publications.
  7. ^ a b Mason, Rob (30 August 2017). "Club before country: how Sunderland's Harry Low sacrificed a cap to play in a Tyne-Wear derby". nechronicle. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  8. ^ The reference states they were half-brothers, but Willie was the son of William, a much older brother of Wilf and Harry – whose own father was also named William.
  9. ^ a b c d e "The Sunderland players who served in WWI". www.sunderlandecho.com. Archived from the original on 17 January 2018. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  10. ^ "1907–08 : Football League Division 1". Sunderland AFC – Statistics, History and Records – from TheStatCat. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  11. ^ "1908–09 : Football League Division 1". Sunderland AFC – Statistics, History and Records – from TheStatCat. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  12. ^ "1909–10 : Football League Division 1". Sunderland AFC – Statistics, History and Records – from TheStatCat. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  13. ^ "1910–11 : Football League Division 1". Sunderland AFC – Statistics, History and Records – from TheStatCat. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  14. ^ "1911–12 : Football League Division 1". Sunderland AFC – Statistics, History and Records – from TheStatCat. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  15. ^ a b c "1912–13 : Football League Division 1". Sunderland AFC – Statistics, History and Records – from TheStatCat. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  16. ^ "1913–14 : Football League Division 1". Sunderland AFC – Statistics, History and Records – from TheStatCat. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  17. ^ a b "1914–15 : Football League Division 1". Sunderland AFC – Statistics, History and Records – from TheStatCat. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
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