Harry Stirzaker
Harry Stirzaker, born John Henry Stirzaker on 7 February 1869 in Fleetwood, England, was a professional footballer who played as a defender. He spent his entire professional career with Blackpool, after moving from Fleetwood Rangers in 1894. He played in Blackpool’s first Football League game, a 3-1 loss at Lincoln City on 5 September 1896, and appeared in almost all of the 1896-97 season, scoring four goals. He helped form the core of Blackpool’s early League side, alongside Bob Birkett and Jack Scott, and made 154 league appearances with 14 goals for the club.
In 1897-98 he had 25 league appearances and one goal, and over the next three seasons he played 93 league games and scored nine goals (six in 1900-01). On 7 February 1900 Blackpool staged a Benefit Match against Liverpool for Stirzaker, which finished 2-2. He even stood in as an emergency goalkeeper for Blackpool’s opening game of the 1901-02 season when the regular keeper was unavailable. His final Blackpool appearance came on 13 April 1903, in a 2-1 win over Chesterfield at Bloomfield Road. Stirzaker died on 28 September 1948 in City of Knox, Victoria, Australia, aged 79.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 18:48 (CET).