Harry Bruce (footballer, born 1905)

Henry Bruce (May 1905 – after 1939) was an English professional footballer who played in the Football League for Birmingham, Gillingham, Torquay United, Rochdale and Reading.[1] He went on to manage Swedish club Halmstads BK.

For the Australian footballer, see Harry Bruce (Australian footballer).

Harry Bruce
Personal information
Full name Henry Bruce[1]
Date of birth May 1905[1]
Place of birth Coundon, Bishop Auckland, England
Place of death Durham, England
Height 5 ft 9 1⁄4 in (1.76 m)[2]
Position(s) Defender
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1922–192? Durham City 0 (0)
– Bishop Auckland
1925–1928 Birmingham 8 (0)
1928–1929 Gillingham 30 (0)
1929–1930 Torquay United 28 (0)
1930–193? Colwyn Bay United
– Bankhead Albion
1931 Rochdale 2 (0)
1931 Darlington 0 (0)
1931 Bankhead Albion
1931–19?? Reading 7 (0)
1934-1935 Macclesfield Town 90 (2)
Teams managed
1937–1939 Halmstads BK
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Football career

Bruce was born in Coundon, near Bishop Auckland in County Durham.[1] He played for Durham City, though not in the Football League, and for Bishop Auckland before joining Birmingham in January 1925.[3] He made his debut in the First Division on 2 February 1925, deputising at right half for George Liddell in an away game at Burnley which Birmingham lost 3–2.[4] He spent three-and-a-half years at the club, providing cover for all the defensive positions, before moving on to Gillingham of the Third Division South at the end of the 1927–28 season.[3] He spent one season at Gillingham, playing 30 league games, followed by a season at Torquay United where he appeared 28 times in the league.[1][3]

From July 1930 for the next 18 months or so, Bruce spent brief spells with a variety of clubs: Colwyn Bay United, Bankhead Albion back in his native north-east, Rochdale, where he played twice in the Third Division North in the 1930–31 season, Darlington, without appearing in the Football League, Bankhead Albion again, and finally Reading, where he played seven games in the Third Division South in 1931.[1]

In 1937, he became the first non-Swedish manager of Halmstads BK, a post which he held until 1939.[5] He retired from the game in 1939 or 1940.[3]

Bruce died in Durham.[3]

References
  1. Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 40. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
  2. "Birmingham". Athletic News. Manchester. 23 August 1926. p. 10.
  3. Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 76. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9.
  4. Matthews, p. 167.
  5. "Tränarna" [Managers] (in Swedish). Halmstads BK. Archived from the original on 20 February 2009. Retrieved 10 May 2009.
    "Historia 1930–1939" (in Swedish). Halmstads BK. Archived from the original on 23 August 2010. Retrieved 10 May 2009. Förre engelske proffsspelaren Harry Bruce var tränare. (Former English professional player Harry Bruce was manager.)
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