- Birthdate: 5 February 1884
- Birthplace: Heeley, Sheffield, England
- Date of death: 25 May 1954
- Other clubs: Meersbrook Albion (1898-99),
Heeley St. Peter’s (1899-1900), Kent Road Mission (1900-02), Ranmoor Wesleyans (1902-03), Sheffield Wednesday (1903-05), Denaby United (1905-07), Rotherham Town (1907-08), Aston Villa (1912-21); Sheffield Wednesday (2 / wartime guest), Sheffield United (1921-22), Burton All Saints (1922-23), Buxton (1923-24)
- Signed from: Rotherham Town
- Signed for LFC: £250, 10.01.1908
- Liverpool debut: 18.01.1908
- Last appearance: 13.04.1912
- Debut goal: 27.03.1909
- Last goal: 07.10.1911
- Contract expiry: 12.06.1912
- Win ratio: 41.01% W:57 D:26 L:56
- Total games/goals opposite LFC: 11 / 0
- League games / goals: 133 / 4
- Total games / goals: 139 / 4
Player Profile
"Heads Up" Harrop as he was known in Liverpool was tagged as legend's Alex Raisbeck's successor in the middle of the Liverpool defence. Harrop started out as a forward, but was moved to centre-half with Rotherham Town where he was appointed captain. He was playing for Town in the Midland league when a Liverpool director went to watch Foster, who later joined Bristol City, but discovered Harrop. The club programme liked the look of him when he was still a relative newcomer to the Liverpool ranks: "Our early impressions of Harrop have been distinctly pleasing, for he uses his head to advantage in a double sense, and seems imbued with a determination to play the game intelligently and fairly." The Sunday Chronicle gave its approval on 16 January 1910: "The Liverpool club have the gift of discovering men who have the genius to play centre half-back. Who would ever have thought that the legitimate successor to Alec Raisbeck could be found at the first attempt? James Harrop has followed the great Scot with such felicitous feet and such harmonious heading that he is unquestionably building a lasting reputation. Raisbeck was fresh in complexion, with lint locks, and sturdy build. Harrop is sallow as a son of Romany, has jet-black hair, and is slim of both body and mind."
Harrop was a cool, methodical player, who quickly established himself at the heart of the club's defence for the next four years. Liverpool were in the bottom half of the first division table three out of the four seasons Harrop was a regular in the side, but managed to finish second behind Aston Villa in the 1909/10 season when his "raven locks" had replaced legend Raisbeck's "golden crown". Harrop and goalkeeper Sam Hardy left Liverpool for Aston Villa in the summer of 1912. They had formed a sound friendship and were called "The Liverpool twins". Villa had finished sixth in the First Division, while Liverpool had been close to relegation. The dynamic duo won the FA Cup in their debut season at Villa, beating Sunderland 1-0 in the final. Villa finished runners-up in the League in Harrop's first two seasons and he stayed at Villa Park until 1921 playing 170 League and cup matches and scoring four goals.
Appearances per season
A more detailed look at the player's appearances
Apps |
Minutes |
Opponent |
9 |
810 |
Aston Villa |
9 |
810 |
Preston North End |
8 |
720 |
Newcastle United |
8 |
720 |
Arsenal |
8 |
720 |
Sheffield Wednesday |
8 |
720 |
Notts County |
7 |
630 |
Bury |
7 |
630 |
Middlesbrough |
7 |
630 |
Sunderland |
7 |
630 |
Manchester United |
7 |
630 |
Blackburn Rovers |
6 |
540 |
Everton |
6 |
540 |
Bristol City |
6 |
540 |
Tottenham |
5 |
450 |
Nottingham Forest |
4 |
360 |
Bolton Wanderers |
4 |
360 |
Manchester City |
4 |
360 |
Chelsea |
4 |
360 |
Sheffield United |
4 |
360 |
Bradford City |
3 |
270 |
Oldham Athletic |
2 |
180 |
WBA |
1 |
90 |
Gainsborough Trinity |
1 |
90 |
Leyton |
1 |
90 |
Birmingham City |
1 |
90 |
Fulham |
1 |
90 |
Leicester City |
1 |
90 |
Lincoln City |
Total |
Venue |
71 |
Away |
68 |
Home |
Total |
W |
D |
L |
Win % |
Manager |
139 |
57 |
26 |
56 |
41% |
Tom Watson |
Goals per season
A more detailed look at the player's goalscoring
Milestone Appearances
# |
Date |
Against |
Stadium |
Competition |
1 |
18.01.1908 |
Bolton Wanderers |
Anfield |
League |
50 |
06.11.1909 |
Bury |
Anfield |
League |
100 |
11.03.1911 |
Middlesbrough |
Anfield |
League |
Milestone Goals
# |
Minute |
Date |
Against |
Stadium |
Competition |
1 |
0 |
27.03.1909 |
Middlesbrough |
Anfield |
League |
Related Articles
Liverpool's battle against Newcastle on 4th of December 1909 portrayed the team's fighting capabilities.
Scrapbook
Biography in Liverpool match programme on 17 April 1908
Ex-Merseysiders at Walton on 24 January 1914.
Other Clubs
Club |
Season |
Club rank |
League apps |
League goals |
Total apps |
Total goals |
Meersbrook Albion |
1898-1899 |
Abbeydale and District League |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Heeley St. Peter’s |
1899-1900 |
Heeley and District League |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Kent Road Mission |
1900-1902 |
Sheffield Sunday School League |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Ranmoor Wesleyans |
1902-1903 |
Sheffield Minor League |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Sheffield Wednesday |
1903-1905 |
England First Division |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Denaby United |
1905-1907 |
Midland League |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Rotherham Town |
1907-1908 |
Midland League |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Aston Villa |
1912-1913 |
England First Division |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Aston Villa |
1913-1914 |
England First Division |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Aston Villa |
1914-1915 |
England First Division |
32 |
2 |
34 |
2 |
Aston Villa |
1919-1920 |
England First Division |
31 |
0 |
35 |
0 |
Aston Villa |
1920-1921 |
England First Division |
20 |
0 |
23 |
0 |
Sheffield United |
1920-1921 |
England First Division |
6 |
0 |
6 |
0 |
Sheffield United |
1921-1922 |
England First Division |
8 |
0 |
8 |
0 |
Burton All Saints |
1922-1924 |
Birmingham & District League |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Total |
97 |
2 |
106 |
2 |