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Players Index Page Last Updated
12 August 2025
 
 

Harold Halse

Manchester United FC, Aston Villa FC

1 appearance, 2 debut goals

P 1 W 1 D 0 L 0 F 8: A 1
100% successful

1909-13

captain: none
minutes played:
90

Timeline

  Private Harold James Halse
Birth Friday, 1 January 1886 in Leytonstone, Essex
  registered in West Ham January-March 1886
Baptism Sunday, 20 September 1891 at St. Columba's Church in Wanstead Slip, Leytonstone
Education Attended Park House School, West Ham
 

According to the 1891 census, Harold J. is the fifth of six children, the youngest of five sons, to Frank and Emily Jane (née Yapp). They live at 50 Borthwick Road in Wanstead. His father is an Ironmongers Manager. They have one servant. Harold is not on this census return.

 

According to the 1901 census, Harold J. is still one of six children at home with his parents at 40 Romford Road in West Ham. His father is an ironmonger. They have two servants.

Marriage to Alma Young, in spring 1908 in West Ham
  registered in West Ham April-June 1908
Children Harold and Alma Halse have one daughter together. Winifred Alma (b.5 December 1909)
218767
12523

According to the 1911 census, Harold James, a Professional Footballer, is married to Alma with a daughter, Winifred. They live at 77 School Road in Stretford, Barton-upon-Irwell.
Kelly's Directory for Essex in 1917, states they are living at 59 Warren Road in Chingford.
During the war, between 1916 and 1918, Halse served on board the HMS President with the Royal Navy, left on 31 March 1918 to join the Royal Air Force, whilst his wife, Alma, was living at 59 Warren Road. He was discharged in 1920.

  According to the 1921 census, Harold J, a professional footballer for Chelsea FC, still married to Alma, and with Winifred, they board with the Harwood family at 1 New Pier Street in Walton-on-the-Naze.
Kelly's Directory for Essex confirms Harold J. as a confectioner in Walton-on-the-Naze at 96 High Street between at least 1922 and 1937.
  His father died in early 1935.
According to the 1939 register, Harold J., a surface grinder and a machinist at armament work, is living at 119 Ashen Drive in Dartford. He is still married, but Alma is at 11 Old Pier Street in Frinton.
Confirmed by Kent Electoral Rolls for 1939.
His mother died on 25 February 1944
Death Friday, 25 March 1949 in Colchester, Essex
aged 63 years 83 days registered in Colchester January-March 1949
Obituary
 
Funeral March 1949 at Walton-on-Naze Cemetery, Tendring, Essex
  His wife, Alma, died on 6 December 1967 in Perth, Western Australia
Source

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] &

Playing Career


Club(s)
Played schoolboy football in Park School, Wanstead, where he scored 125 goals in one season, Halse also captained the Park School side. His junior clubs included Newportians FC of Leyton, Park School Old Boys FC, Wanstead FC and Barking Town FC, from where Clapton Orient FC signed him in 1905. Southend United FC followed in the 1906 close season. His 95 goals in 61 Southern League division two appearances saw him, in 1907, sign for Manchester United FC. In July 1912, Halse signed for Aston Villa FC. After setting up business in London, Villa allowed Halse to leave, and although Tottenham Hotspur FC were favourites for his signature, Chelsea FC signed him on 28 May 1913, and he remained with them through the war until July 1921, when Charlton Athletic FC obtained his signature. He retired from playing in 1923.

League honours

259 appearances, 91 goals
Clapton Orient FC 1905-06 two appearances, one goal
debut (division two): 2 December 1905 Manchester United FC 4 Clapton Orient FC 0.
Manchester United FC 1908-12 109 appearances, 41 goals
debut: 28 March 1908 Manchester United FC 4 The Wednesday FC 1.
Aston Villa FC 1912-13 31 appearances, 21 goals
debut: 2 September 1912 Aston Villa FC 1 Chelsea FC 0.
Chelsea FC 1913-21 96 appearances, 23 goals
debut: 6 September 1913 Chelsea FC 1 Tottenham Hotspur FC 3.
Charlton Athletic FC 1921-22 21 appearances, five goals
debut (division three south): 27 August 1921 Charlton Athletic FC 1 Exeter City FC 0.
last (division three south): 7 October 1922 Reading FC 2 Charlton Athletic FC 1.

Club honours
Southern League Division Two winners 1906-07;
Football League Division One Champions
1907-08 (6ᵃ 4ᵍ), 1910-11 (23ᵃ 9ᵍ), runners-up 1912-13 (31ᵃ 21ᵍ), third place 1919-20 (31ᵃ 3ᵍ);
FA Charity Shield winners
1908, 1911 (scored six of the eight goals vs. Swindon Town);
FA Cup winners
1908-09 (6ᵃ 4ᵍ), 1912-13 (6ᵃ 7ᵍ), runners-up 1914-15 (8ᵃ 2ᵍ);
Individual honours Football League (five appearances)
Distinctions None
Height/Weight 5' 6", 10st. 5lbs [1909], 5' 4½" [1915]
Source

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990].

England Career

Player number One of two who became 342nd players (343) to appear for England.
Position(s) Inside-right
Only match No. 104, 1 June 1909, Austria 1 England 8, an end-of-season final Continental tour match at Hohe Warte Stadion, Döbling, Wien, aged 23 years 151 days.
Major tournaments None
Team honours None
Individual honours None
Distinctions Died a day after Dickie Downs and nine days after Harold Halse

Beyond England

No additional information. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.116.
Worked in the munitions factory in Birmingham in 1915, then according to his Royal Naval entrant, whom he joined in January 1916, he was a Commercial Traveller. He left the Navy to join the RAF in 31 March 1918. Discharged 30 April 1920. - Attestation
In 1921, Halse fronted an advertising campaign for De Witt's kidney and bladder pills (left). The advert reveals that Halse is a member of the Walton and Frinton Yacht Club. - Various Newspapers from 1921.
Halse was appointed coach and team manager of Clacton FC on 6 June 1930, to play in the Essex Premier League - Chelmsford Chronicle (6 June 1930).

By 1937, Halse was living in Eagle Avenue in Walton-on-the-Naze. His business as a tobacconist and confectioner in Walton High Street was suffering, and he was attending the Colchester Bankruptcy Court for public examination on 30 September. Due to his trade 'falling off' and to 'betting activities', his statement of affairs showed gross liabilities of £804/3/7 and a deficiency of £717/8/10. -
Chelmsford Chronicle (1 October 1937).
By April 1948, however, Halse was the landlord of the Sun Inn in Kelvedon, near Braintree. He, and another seven 1909 Cup Final winners, had been invited to the 1948 Cup Final by Manchester United FC, and to the celebration banquet afterwards. -
Essex Newsman (27 April 1948).


The Numbers
parties Appearances comp. apps minutes captain
4 1 0 90 0 none
The minutes here given can only ever be a guideline and cannot therefore be accurate, only an approximation.

Harold Halse - Match Record - All Matches - By Type of Match
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
Away - Friendly 1 1 0 0 8 1 +7 0 0 8.00 1.00 100.0 +1
All 1 1 0 0 8 1 +7 0 0 8.00 1.00 100.0 +1

Harold Halse - Match History
 Club: Manchester United F.C. - 1 full cap

F.A. International Select Committee - 1 full capx

Age 23
- 102 29 May 1909 - Hungary 2 England 4, Millenáris Sportpálya, Buda-Pesth tour AW reserve
- 103 31 May 1909 - Hungary 2 England 8, Millenáris Sportpálya, Buda-Pesth AW
1 104 1 June 1909 - Austria 1 England 8, Hohe Warte Stadion, Wien AW   ir
 Club:/i> Aston Villa F.C. - 0 full appearances  
Age 27
- 114 15 February 1913 - Ireland 2 England 1, Windsor Park, Belfast BC AL reserve