// Workers AI · dad joke modeWho's Harry Burrows? A hole lot of trouble.
 Burrows in 2024 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Henry Burrows[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 17 March 1941[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Haydock, England[1] | ||
| Date of death | 8 September 2026 (aged 85) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Wigan Boys | |||
| 1956–1958 | Aston Villa | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1958–1965 | Aston Villa | 147 | (53) |
| 1965–1973 | Stoke City | 245 | (68) |
| 1967 | → Cleveland Stokers (loan) | 9 | (3) |
| 1973–1975 | Plymouth Argyle | 19 | (3) |
| Total | 420 | (127) | |
| International career | |||
| 1962 | England U23 | 1 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Henry Burrows (17 March 1941 – 8 September 2026) was an English professional footballer who played as a forward in the Football League for Aston Villa, Plymouth Argyle and Stoke City.[1][2]
Career
[edit]Burrows was born in Haydock in St Helens, Lancashire on 17 March 1941.[3] He attracted the attentions of First Division clubs, Burnley, Liverpool, and Aston Villa whilst playing for Wigan Boys.[2] Burrows turned them all down including an offer from Stan Cullis at Wolverhampton Wanderers instead turning his attentions on becoming an apprentice with the National Coal Board (NCB) at Haydock colliery.[2]
Villa manager Joe Mercer persuaded Burrows to sign part-time in March 1958 and he made his debut in 1959–60 as Villa won the Second Division title.[2] He played and scored in the final of the inaugural League Cup in 1961 as Villa beat Rotherham United 3–2.[2] Burrows won an England U23 cap against Greece and finished as Villa's top goalscorer in 1961–62 and 1962–63, although the departure of Mercer ended a golden period in Villa's history.[2] The signings of new manager Dick Taylor all earned a higher basic wage then the existing Villa players which caused friction and one by one the players departed and Villa would end up languishing in the Third Division.[2]
He was a highly prized asset at Villa Park and his transfer to Stoke City for £27,000 on transfer deadline day in March 1965 was seen as a coup for Tony Waddington.[2] His infamous 'cannonball' like shot soon made him a terrace favourite at the Victoria Ground.[2] He scored 17 goals in 1966–67 as Stoke let a good start to the season come to nothing and they finished in 12th place.[2] He was joint top league goalscorer in 1967–68 with 15 goals as Stoke finished 18th. He top scored again in 1969–70 with 14 and played 45 games in 1970–71 as Stoke lost out to Arsenal in the FA Cup semi-final. Injuries led to Burrows being released on a free transfer in the summer of 1973 and signed for Plymouth Argyle.[2] He helped Argyle gain promotion to the Second Division in 1974–75 but with his knee still causing him trouble he decided to retire.[2]
Style of play
[edit]Burrows could play in all forward positions but was most regularly played as an out and out winger. He was renowned for his pace and powerful left foot shot.[citation needed]
Retirement and death
[edit]On his retirement Burrows returned to Staffordshire and ran a carpet business, a pub and a post office and occasionally turned out in charity matches.[2] He lived for a number of years in the Staffordshire village of Abbots Bromley, where he was the president of the local football club, the Abbots Bromley Stags.[citation needed]
Burrows died on 8 September 2026, aged 85. His death was met with tributes from Aston Villa and Stoke City.[4][5][6]
Career statistics
[edit]| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Aston Villa | 1959–60 | Second Division | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| 1960–61 | First Division | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | — | 17 | 5 | ||
| 1961–62 | First Division | 34 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | — | 42 | 20 | ||
| 1962–63 | First Division | 39 | 16 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 4 | — | 50 | 22 | ||
| 1963–64 | First Division | 40 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 43 | 17 | ||
| 1964–65 | First Division | 22 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 3 | — | 29 | 9 | ||
| Total | 147 | 53 | 11 | 5 | 23 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 181 | 79 | ||
| Stoke City | 1964–65 | First Division | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 10 | 3 | |
| 1965–66 | First Division | 36 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | — | 42 | 11 | ||
| 1966–67 | First Division | 42 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 44 | 17 | ||
| 1967–68 | First Division | 42 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | — | 49 | 16 | ||
| 1968–69 | First Division | 35 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | 39 | 8 | ||
| 1969–70 | First Division | 34 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 38 | 14 | ||
| 1970–71 | First Division | 34 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2[a] | 1 | 45 | 7 | |
| 1971–72 | First Division | 10 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4[b] | 0 | 16 | 1 | |
| 1972–73 | First Division | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 245 | 68 | 21 | 5 | 13 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 285 | 77 | ||
| Cleveland Stokers (loan) | 1967 | United Soccer Association | 9 | 3 | — | — | — | 9 | 3 | |||
| Plymouth Argyle | 1973–74 | Third Division | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 10 | 2 | |
| 1974–75 | Third Division | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 12 | 1 | ||
| Total | 19 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 22 | 3 | |||
| Career total | 420 | 127 | 32 | 10 | 39 | 18 | 6 | 1 | 497 | 156 | ||
- ↑ Appearances in Texaco Cup
- ↑ Appearances in Anglo-Italian Cup
Honours
[edit]Aston Villa
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Stoke City 101 Golden Greats. Desert Islands Books. 2002. ISBN 1-874287554.
- ↑ "Harry Burrows AVFC stats". Jörn Mårtensson. Retrieved 26 August 2007.
- ↑ "Tribute to Harry Burrows". Aston Villa FC. 9 September 2026. Retrieved 9 September 2026.
- ↑ Smith, Peter (9 September 2026). "Stoke City legends lead tributes to Harry Burrows and one of football's hardest ever shots". The Stoke Sentinal. Retrieved 9 September 2026.
- ↑ "Harry Burrows (1941–2026)". Stoke City F.C. 9 September 2026. Retrieved 9 September 2026.
- ↑ Harry Burrows at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
- ↑ Vernon, Leslie; Rollin, Jack (1977). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1977–78. London: Brickfield Publications Ltd. p. 505. ISBN 0354-09018-6.
External links
[edit]- Harry Burrows at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Transfer Database
- 1941 births
- 2026 deaths
- People from Abbots Bromley
- Sportspeople from the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens
- 20th-century English sportsmen
- English men's footballers
- Men's association football forwards
- England men's under-23 international footballers
- English Football League players
- United Soccer Association players
- Aston Villa F.C. players
- Stoke City F.C. players
- Cleveland Stokers players
- Plymouth Argyle F.C. players
- English expatriate men's footballers
- English expatriate sportspeople in the United States
- Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States