Players - Jimmy Harrower

Jimmy Harrower
Birthdate: 18 August 1935
Birthplace: Alva, Scotland
Date of death: 29 August 2006
Other clubs: Bo'ness United, Alloa Athletic, Hibernian (1954-58), Newcastle United (1961-62), Falkirk (1962-63), St. Johnstone (1963-65), Albion Rovers (1965-66)
Signed from: Hibernian
Signed for LFC: £11,000, 03.01.1958
International caps: Scotland u-23
Liverpool debut: 11.01.1958
Last appearance: 21.01.1961
Debut goal: 29.03.1958
Last goal: 07.01.1961
Contract expiry: 16.03.1961
Win ratio: 51.43% W:54 D:22 L:29
Games/goals ratio: 4.77
League games / goals: 96 / 21
Total games / goals: 105 / 22

Player Profile

A talented attacking midfielder, whose multiple array of skills at times delighted the Anfield crowd, but his inconsistency in turn irated Reds' fans. Harrower signed from Edinburgh club Hibernian in January 1958 when he was 22-years-old. Liverpool had tried to purchase him two years earlier but to no avail. He had played 12 matches in the First Division by the end of his debut season, scoring twice. He only missed five League fixtures the following season and added another six goals to his total. Bill Shankly arrived half-way through the 1959/60 season and for a while the new manager couldn't seem to decide between Harrower or Jimmy Melia for the inside-left position. But before the end of the following season, Melia was established in the side and it was clear that Harrower's future lay elsewhere. He moved on to Newcastle United in March 1961 where he only stayed ten months featuring in five League games, before returning to Scotland.

Jimmy Harrower passed away on 29 August 2006 and was fondly remembered by Liverpool fans on the forums of the The Liverpool Way and Red and White Kop: 

(Hermes) - "My dad has been going to Anfield since 1946 and was watching them home and away through those days in the Second Division. He talks about his ability to look in one corner and shoot into the other with the 'keeper going the wrong way." 

(Al daas) - "I can remember him as a superb dribbler of the ball and his temper... whenever he was brought down, Jimmy would always lash a handful of mud or sometimes snow at the offender, whatever the playing conditions were at time." 

(mickyc1973) - "I asked my dad about him he said he was great but you didn't mess with him. One match he got taken out and Geoff Twentyman went to sort this fella out, Jimmy stopped him, and a few minutes later took the fella out himself, class. He said he was like Mad Erik Meijer, in that he'd run 20 yards to get the ball in a lost cause and if he took the opposition out, tough."  

("Longtimered" on the RAWK forum.) - "Jimmy Harrower was my first favourite player - he played in one of the old inside forward position - with Jimmy Melia - another old time great - in the other one. He was a real bundle of tricks - and, I'm sure he wouldn't mind me saying, a real dirty bugger. A typical Scottish inside forward of his day. Full of tricks and flicks with a mean streak to go with it. If only he'd had a little more pace and consistency I'm sure he'd have made a longer career at Anfield. On his day though he had the crowd drooling in admiration at his skill. Favourite memory. We had a tiny youngster playing - Willie Carlin who got booted by an opponent. Jimmy ran the length of the field and planted one on him. Instant hero status!!"
Appearances per season
Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 96 6 3 0 0 105
1957-1958 12 2 0 0 0 14
1958-1959 37 1 0 0 0 38
1959-1960 26 2 0 0 0 28
1960-1961 21 1 3 0 0 25
A more detailed look at the player's appearances
Apps Minutes Opponent
6 540 Sheffield United
6 540 Brighton & Hove Albion
6 540 Lincoln City
6 540 Charlton Athletic
5 450 Ipswich Town
5 450 Stoke City
5 450 Middlesbrough
4 360 Scunthorpe United
4 360 Bristol City
4 360 Sunderland
4 360 Leyton Orient
4 360 Huddersfield Town
4 360 Rotherham United
4 360 Luton Town
3 270 Fulham
3 270 Barnsley
3 270 Portsmouth
3 270 Swansea City
2 180 Cardiff City
2 180 Derby
2 180 Plymouth Argyle
2 180 Hull City
2 180 Aston Villa
2 180 Bristol Rovers
2 180 Grimsby Town
2 180 Sheffield Wednesday
2 180 Blackburn Rovers
1 90 West Ham United
1 90 Norwich City
1 90 Coventry City
1 90 Leeds United
1 90 Southampton
1 90 Manchester United
1 90 Doncaster Rovers
1 90 Worcester City
Total Venue
55 Home
50 Away
Total Competition
96 League
6 FA Cup
3 League Cup
Total W D L Win % Manager
65 34 12 19 52.3% Phil Taylor
40 20 10 10 50% Bill Shankly
Goals per season
Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 21 1 0 0 0 22
1957-1958 2 0 0 0 0 2
1958-1959 6 0 0 0 0 6
1959-1960 5 0 0 0 0 5
1960-1961 8 1 0 0 0 9
A more detailed look at the player's goalscoring
Milestone Appearances
# Date Against Stadium Competition
1 11.01.1958 Fulham Anfield League
50 11.04.1959 Bristol Rovers Eastville St. League
100 26.12.1960 Rotherham United Anfield League
Milestone Goals
# Minute Date Against Stadium Competition
1 86 29.03.1958 Ipswich Town Anfield League
Related Quotes

"I remember Jimmy Harrower being egged on by the Kop when we were playing Swansea. Their goalkeeper got into a shoulder charging war with Jimmy until the red shirt stepped out of the way and the keeper thundered into the goalpost - almost knocking himself out. Harrower looked innocent and the Kop fell about laughing. Great moments in sport."

Reds supporter, Des from London, on Jimmy Harrower when remembering good times on the Kop

Scrapbook
Harrower is a ballerina - 7 February 1959
Harrower is a ballerina - 7 February 1959
Harrower on the cover of the Evening Express on 11 January 1958
Harrower on the cover of the Evening Express on 11 January 1958
Harrower transferred to Newcastle
Harrower transferred to Newcastle
Harrower's hat-trick - 26 November 1960
Harrower's hat-trick - 26 November 1960
Liverpool sign Harrower
Liverpool sign Harrower
The six Scots
The six Scots
Other Clubs
Club Season Club rank League apps League goals Total apps Total goals
Bo'ness United Scotland N/A N/A N/A N/A
Alloa Athletic Scotland Division 2 N/A N/A N/A N/A
Hibernian 1955-1956 Scotland Division 1 6 0 6 0
Hibernian 1956-1957 Scotland Division 1 12 6 12 6
Hibernian 1957-1958 Scotland Division 1 18 5 18 5
Newcastle United 1961-1962 First Division 5 0 6 0
Falkirk 1961-1962 Scotland Division 1 12 1 12 1
Falkirk 1962-1963 Scotland Division 1 9 2 9 2
St. Johnstone 1963-1964 Scotland Division 1 24 4 24 4
St. Johnstone 1964-1965 Scotland Division 1 18 4 18 4
Albion Rovers 1965-1966 Scotland Division 2 22 0 22 0
Total 126 22 127 22