NewsLiverpool's Greatest - No.40: Harry Chambers
Years: 1919-1928
Appearances: 339
Goals: 151
Trophies: First Division (1921-22, 1922-23)
Harry Chambers’ goals-to-game ratio means he can rightly be considered as a Liverpool attacking great.
‘Smiler’, as he was known for his personality, would net on average every two appearances for the Reds from 1919 until 1928.
“Before he rose to head a ball you could hear him jerking out his instructions to his partner that he was about to deliver the goods with his head,” the Liverpool Echo wrote. “His cheeriness was infectious.”
The inside-forward’s lethal left foot helped deliver consecutive First Division titles in 1922 and 1923, producing 41 goals in his 71 league outings for a team crowned ‘The Untouchables’.
Chambers stood atop Liverpool’s scoring chart in each of the four seasons when football resumed after the First World War.
He shocked the football community when he announced his intention to leave the club in 1926, claiming to be in a ‘rut’ and fancying a change of scenery.
However, Chambers ended up staying a couple more seasons and was back being Liverpool’s top scorer in 1926-27 with 21 strikes.
He would take his overall goals total beyond the 150 mark – still the 10th-highest in Reds history – a few months before joining West Bromwich Albion.
Within that figure were five hat-tricks, including a treble from the England international during a 5-1 Anfield victory over Everton in October 1922.
“Contemporary reports about Harry Chambers were that he was a big man but very skilful,” noted journalist John Keith.
“Clearly in that mid-’20s era he played a major part in Liverpool’s history and success, so he will always be listed as one of the great figures of the club’s pre-war history.”
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