Harry Hanford

Harold "Harry" Hanford (9 October 1907 – 1996) was a Welsh footballer who made more than 300 appearances in the Football League playing for Swansea Town, Sheffield Wednesday and Exeter City. He was capped seven times for Wales at senior international level.[1]

Harry Hanford
Personal information
Full name Harold Hanford[1]
Date of birth (1907-10-09)9 October 1907
Place of birth Blaengwynfi, Wales
Date of death (1995-11-26)26 November 1995
Position(s) Centre half
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Ton Pentre
– Blaengwynfi
1927–1935 Swansea Town 201 (0)
1935–1939 Sheffield Wednesday 88 (1)
1939–1940 → Swindon Town (wartime guest)
1946–1947 Exeter City 36 (0)
– Haverfordwest Athletic
National team
1933–1939 Wales 7 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

In the book by Geraint H Jenkins, 'Proud to be a Swan', Hanford is described as "a muscular, lantern-jawed stopper". Despite having been at the club for only a short time, he is a "veteran" of the Swansea City side struggling under the management of James Thomson towards the end of the 1920s. An inspirational figure in the side who, in times of economic hardship, regularly rallied the troops with the help of the "legendary" Joe Sykes and record Football League appearance holder for the Swans, Wilfred Milne.[2]

Hanford was part of the giant killing Swansea Town side that saw off First division Stoke City in the third round of the 1935 FA Cup. Swansea were having a difficult season in division two that year but, goals from S Lowery (2) Hughie Blair and Walter Bussey helped them see off Stoke at the Vetch Field.[3] Hanford played alongside Wilfred Milne, who still holds the club record for most appearances in the Football League (586). However, the Swans went on to lose to Derby County in the fourth round.[4]

References
  1. Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData (Tony Brown). p. 113. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
  2. Jenkins, Geraint (2012). Proud to be a Swan. Talybont, Aberystwyth: yLolfa. p. 39. ISBN 9781847714817.
  3. http://www.freewebs.com/captainbeecher/swanseacity.htm
  4. "Swansea City football club match record: 1935". 11v11.com. Retrieved 2 November 2020.


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