Harry Lees

Life and career Harry Hamilton Lees was born on 11 May 1900 in Clapham, (Joyce's Players' Records (2004) lists Nottingham as place of birth.) and he himself said he was born in Clapham, which is within that district. When Lees was three, the family moved to West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, where he attended West Bridgford Higher Grade School, captained the football and cricket teams, and qualified to work in a chartered accountant's office after leaving school. He played for Woodthorpe of the Midland Amateur Alliance. A chance invitation to take part in a charity match led to a move to Ebbw Vale of the Southern League Welsh Section. He agreed to this move only because the club's manager, Ike Waterall, "promis[ed him] a business position as well as a playing position." He made his first-team debut away to Bradford City on 10 February, a 1–1 draw, and appeared twice more during the remainder of the season as Wolves were relegated to the Third Division North.

He continued as a regular starter during the 1924–25 Second Division, contributing nine goals as the team finished sixth, and remained with the club for three more seasons, although he played less frequently. drawing interest from First Division club Derby County but terms were not agreed. Lees played occasionally for the senior team in the second half of the season. Replacing the injured Wilf Chadwick for the FA Cup fifth round tie against Hull City, he scored the only goal of the game, a fortunate one that resulted from a rebound after his shot deflected off a defender as Hull players appealed for handball. He played in the first five matches of September 1927 before a leg injury forced him out, and he never regained his place.

In October 1927, Lees signed for Third Division North club Darlington. He scored 15 league goals for the remainder of the season as the team failed to regain their Second Division status. In January 1928, both he and Tom Ruddy scored hat-tricks in a 9–2 win against Lincoln City that remained Darlington's record Football League victory. He scored 5 goals in 26 matches in 1928–29 before ending his Football League career. He spent the 1930–31 season with another Birmingham League club, Stourbridge, and was reported to have scored 20 goals for them.

He was reported to have turned down offers from Football League clubs because of his involvement in the hairdressing business. The 1939 Register lists Evelyn as a ladies' hairdresser, while Lees is an unemployed clerk. He was later employed as works accountant for a company in Tipton, and retained an active interest in Wolverhampton Wanderers until illness intervened a couple of years before his death.

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