Peter Harris - The Golden Era

3. Peter Harris -The Golden era

Golden Era

At the start of the next season (1947/48) Pompey started with a home defeat to Burnley and manager Bob Jackson decided to take urgent action and completely reshuffled his forward line bringing in Peter on the right wing.  The next game saw Harris score but Pompey lost again this times at Stoke City 2-1.  Jackson stuck with his plan and was rewarded the Blues won six of their next seven games with Peter scoring another three goals.  21-year-old Peter had cemented his place and would miss only one further game that season with 40 appearances and 13 goals with Pompey finishing in eighth place in Division One.

That was the start of Pompey’s golden era and Peter was to play a leading role in it.  1948/49 would see Peter play 40 league games scoring seventeen goals. His personal highlight would have been scoring four goals in the two games with Chelsea in the Christmas programme.  He then played a key role in the win at Bolton in April 1949 which clinched the title, scoring the early opening goal and then setting up Ike Clarke for what proved to be the winner.

That was the start of Pompey’s golden era and Peter was to play a leading role in it.  1948/49 would see Peter play 40 league games scoring seventeen goals. His personal highlight would have been scoring four goals in the two games with Chelsea in the Christmas programme.  He then played a key role in the win at Bolton which clinched the title scoring the early opening goal and then setting up Ike Clarke for the winner.

This was the team that according to the national press had no stars.  Pompey fans of the time were extremely upset by this quip which appeared to be aimed the South Coast upstarts who dared crash the party of post war football which they felt should belong to the big clubs of the time (Arsenal, Wolves, Manchester United, Newcastle etc.).

In truth Pompey were a team that gelled together and had no weak links – a wonderful stopper in Ernie Butler. Two solid full backs in Phil Rookes and Harry Ferrier, a half back line to envy of Jimmy Scoular, Reg Flewin and our Jim with a forward line who scored goals for fun of Jack Froggatt (16), Duggie Reid (18), Ike Clarke(18), Len Phillips (16) and of course Peter Harris who finished as top scorer with 22.  In that first championship winning season only those five and Bert Barlow a member of the 1939 cup winning side who stood in for injuries and scored eight times.  Strange fact that Pompey were League Champions and only six players scored goals.  No defenders or half backs would score a goal, how the game has changed!

Of course thanks to the help of members and supporters alike the Pompey History Society now owns both of Peter's medals as well as our memorabilia including this badge from one of Peter's shirts given to former referee Alan Robinson.

However, despite all that few of Pompey’s stars would become regular international players with the exception of Jimmy Dickinson (48) and Jack Froggatt (13).  Jimmy Scoular won nine Scottish caps, Len Phillips three for England and Reg Flewin just one wartime cap for England with just two for Peter Harris.

The Pompey History Society have spent considerable time and resources making the story of these Championship triumphs and in addition to the book Pompey – Champions of England there is the Champions Corridor in the South Stand between the Board room and the Directors Box which is well worth a visit.  Not only does it cover every game in those two years but the social history of the time which is always of fascination to visitors.  That project was funded with a Heritage Lottery Fund grant and is a must visit for all fans who have an interest in both the club and the city.

The following season (49/50) would see Peter again feature in 40 leagues games this time scoring sixteen times including his first league hat-trick in a 5-1 win at Middlesborough.

So, in those two seasons Peter would miss just four games, all away from home and all LOST!  He missed just Sheffield United away on 19 February 1949 having picked up a knock in the Cup tie with Newport the previous week (Froggatt played on the right wing and scored the Pompey goal as they lost 3-1 and the visit to Arsenal on 4 May when with the title already in the bag as again Pompey lost this time 3-2 (Peter was absent playing for the Football League representative XI scoring in the 5-0 win in Dublin.  In 1949/50 he missed West Bromwich Albion away 22 October 1949 which was lost 3-0 (Peter had Flu with Duggie Reid) and finally on 4 February 1950 at Bolton which was lost 1-0 – Peter had been ordered to bed with Flu the previous week.

Despite winning back to back Championships Peter was not a rich man only picking up for instance in 1949/50 the minimum wage of £12 per week in the season and £10 per week in the summer plus bonuses for wins etc ‘as per the rules’.

How the game has changed?  But would Peter have been a success in the current game is the question many ask.

A favourite story as tom how good a player Peter was from a match against the mighty Wolves.  Manager Stan Cullis was so concerned about the threat of Peter he moved the great Billy Wright from Left half to Left Back to mark Harris. Len Phillips spotted the tactical switch and after a word with Peter he proceeded to tempt Wright out of position and by slipping the ball to Harris Pompey ran amok.