Harry Ritchie (footballer)

Henry Ritchie (18 February 1900 – 3 July 1941)[lower-alpha 1] was a Scottish footballer who played outside right for Hibernian,[4] Everton, Dundee, St Johnstone, Brechin City and Scotland.[5][6]

Harry Ritchie
Personal information
Full name Henry Ritchie
Date of birth 18 Feb 1900
Place of birth Perth, Scotland
Date of death 3 July 1941(1941-07-03) (aged 41)[lower-alpha 1]
Place of death Nottingham, England
Position(s) Outside right
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
– Perth Roselea
– Perth Violet  
1919–1928 Hibernian   284 (77)
1928–1930 Everton   28 (5)
1930–1931 Dundee  41 (13)
1931–1934 St Johnstone  67 (13)
1934–1935 Brechin City  19 (4)
1935 Arbroath  2 (0)
National team
1921–1927[2] Scottish League XI 5 (0)
1925–1928[3] Scotland 2 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Ritchie was born in Perth, the son of John Ritchie.[7] He was a member of the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve at the end of the First World War[8] before graduating via the junior football ranks to become a mainstay for Hibs throughout the 1920s, and a full Scottish international. He played in the Scottish Cup finals of both 1923 and 1924, though finished on the losing side in both.

In August 1928, English First Division side Everton brought Ritchie down to England team up again alongside his former Easter Road and current international teammate and right-wing partner Jimmy Dunn. Hopes were high that, together again, Dunn and Ritchie would rekindle the dazzling form they had displayed together at Hibs and supply further ammunition for legendary Toffees striker William Ralph 'Dixie' Dean, who had just scored his record-breaking 60 goals as Everton became League Champions for the third time in 1927/28.

Both players struggled initially at Goodison Park and, though Dunn would find his feet and go on to win League Championship and FA Cup medals with Everton, Ritchie would return to Scotland, signing for Dundee in February 1930, barely 18 months after his arrival on Merseyside.

Following the end of his football career, Ritchie worked in the dairy industry, at first back home in Perthshire, then in Nottingham, where he died at Nottingham General Hospital on 3 July 1941,[9] following an operation. He was 41 years of age. He was buried at Carlton Cemetery, Nottingham, on 7 July 1941.[10]

References
  1. Source for death details for Ritchie is an article announcing his passing, taken from the Perthshire Advertiser,[1] dated 5 July 1941. This is available to view on the British Newspaper Archive website (or via FindMyPast) and also states that he was a native of Perth and that his father is John Ritchie, rather than Andrew as listed previously. He is not Henry McGill Ritchie (1898-1967).
  1. "'Death of Harry Ritchie' (5 July 1941, page 7)". FindMyPast.co.uk. The Perthshire Advertiser. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  2. "[SFL player] Henry McGill Ritchie". London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  3. "[Scotland player] Harry Ritchie". London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  4. [Hibernian player] Ritchie, Harry, FitbaStats
  5. Smith, Paul (2013). Scotland Who's Who. Pitch Publishing. p. 246. ISBN 9781909178847.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  6. John Litster (October 2012). "A Record of pre-war Scottish League Players". Scottish Football Historian magazine. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  7. "1900 RITCHIE, HENRY (1939 England & Wales Register)". Ancestry.co.uk. National Archives, Kew. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  8. "RITCHIE, HENRY (Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Service Records Index, 1903-1922)". NationalArchives.gov.uk. National Archives.
  9. "1941 RITCHIE, HENRY (Statutory registers Deaths 7b/385)". Ancestry.co.uk. General Records Office. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  10. "BIRTHS, MARRIAGES & DEATHS; Deaths; RITCHIE, Harry (Saturday, 5 July 1941)". FindMyPast.co.uk. Nottingham Evening Post. Retrieved 8 July 2020.


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