G.O.A.T. - Southport

Born in Glasgow, Harry Boyle came to England in 1930 aged 6 and as a young man made his first football impact when he joined Manchester United playing for one full season (1946/47) in the North Eastern League with Merton Colliery. They contacted him to sign full time professional the day after the impressive left back signed for Southport FC. Southport, then a Third Division North team, was his first Football League Club, for whom he played around 100 games in the 1947/48 season. He enjoyed three years playing for the Sandgrounders until his last game on April 22, 1950, his birthday. Harry was transferred to Rochdale FC (1950/51) where he was continually asked (he refused) to move to Rochdale, before signing for Bangor City the following season (1951/52), who offered him the Club Manager position but, after receiving better terms and travel payment, Harry resigned for Rochdale (1952/53) where he played on till the end of season 1955/56. Still in the Third Division North he played some 200 games at left back. After leaving Rochdale Harry played as a part time player with Runcorn and Altrincham in the then Cheshire League whilst running a corner shop in Southport.

Southport Team 1949-50 with Harry Boyle Top right next to Trainer George Mutch.

 

He led the way in this area and became a coach to the Zambian national side coaching in Bermuda, managing Marine FC. and was the chief coach to the Lancashire FA, a position he held for 21 successful years and coached youth footballers for Lancashire, at Holy Family School in Southport, and at Southport YMCA among others. He was a second cousin of the great Sir Matt Busby and that allowed a strong Manchester United side to visit Marine in a pre-season winning 1-0. 
When he retired from playing he was one of the first people to really go for coaching qualifications. Coaching was everything to him and his obsession with it perhaps came as a shock to part time players previously only used to 'training.' Some of his free kick routines were legendary and any complicated manoeuvre on the field at Marine was known to some supporters as 'a Harry Boyle.' His move to coaching led to him becoming well respected in the game, coaching in Bermuda as well as Zambia, and also managing Marine FC.

Harry was one of the most popular players to ever wear the colours of Southport FC and was a popular member of the crowd at Haig Avenue until he died in 2012. He was voted Southport's Greatest in a vote run by the Southport Visitor when they received an astonishing 2,972 votes from members of the public, with 754 people voting for Harry Boyle.