Bill Harper
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | William Harper | ||
| Date of birth | 19 January 1897 | ||
| Place of birth | Scotland | ||
| Date of death | 12 April 1989 (aged 92) | ||
| Place of death | Plymouth, England | ||
| Playing position | Goalkeeper | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Winchburgh Violet | |||
| 1914 | Winchburgh Thistle | ||
| 1916 | Edinburgh Emmett | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1920–1925 | Hibernian | 178 | (0) |
| 1925–1927 | Arsenal | 42 | (0) |
| 1927–1929 | Fall River Marksmen | 79 | (0) |
| 1929 | Boston Soccer Club | 4 | (0) |
| 1929 | Boston Bears | 21 | (0) |
| 1929–1930 | New Bedford Whalers | 31 | (0) |
| 1930 | Fall River Marksmen (guest) | 0 | (0) |
| 1930–1931 | Arsenal | 21 | (0) |
| 1931–1939 | Plymouth Argyle | 78 | (0) |
| Total | 454 | (0) | |
| National team | |||
| 1923–1926 | Scottish League XI | 2 | (0) |
| 1923–1926 | Scotland | 11 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
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William "Bill" Harper (19 January 1897 – 12 April 1989) was a Scottish goalkeeper who played for, among others, Hibernian, Arsenal, Fall River Marksmen and Plymouth Argyle. He also represented Scotland in 11 full internationals.
Harper was the son of William Harper Sr., a blacksmith, and Christina Brown. Differing sources claim he was born in either Tarbrax, Lanarkshire or Winchburgh, West Lothian. He initially followed his father into the blacksmith trade while also playing football for several junior teams. During the First World War he enlisted in the British Army and served with the 5th Brigade of the Scots Guards on the Western Front. Harper, an all-round sportsman, was brigade heavyweight boxing champion and captain of the Guards rugby union team when they won a brigade championship.
Harper made his Scottish Football League debut for Hibernian against Airdrie on 1 September 1920. He spent five years at Easter Road, making over 200 appearances. He also played in two consecutive Scottish Cup Finals, in 1923 and 1924, but finished on the losing side on both occasions. While with Hibs he also won nine of his 11 Scotland caps and represented the Scottish League XI on two occasions.
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