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Post by OldStokie on Jan 19, 2009 23:36:09 GMT
Not sure if this has been posted on here before but I had a mail from his daughter, Carol Abbott, to let me know that Harry passed away on 31st December. He died in his sleep after being cared for at home by his family. He'd been suffering from Alzheimers for a number of years before he died. Carol has been in touch with the club and the loss will be mentioned at the Man City game where his family will be represented. I know most of the 'younger' members of this board won't know him but he was our left winger throughout the 50's. He was a great player and a prolific goalscorer. Johnny King was our centre forward at the time and he and Harry used to vye for leading scorer each season. Harry had a shot so hard, he could break the net if he hit it right. An olden day Harry Burrows. He made 349 appearances and scored 106 goals for us and was the 6th highest goalscorer of all time for Stoke. Quite rightly, he was one of the '101 Golden Greats' in Simon Lowe's excellent book of that name. Sadly, he joins a host of other former Stoke City greats who have now passed away. His Daughter, Carol, is a member of the Potters foundation and she and her husband travel up to watch Stoke whenever they can from their home down south. If you'd like to leave your condolences, I'll send her a link to this thread. Thanks guys. OS. R.I.P. Harry, and many thanks for the memories. Condolences to all his family and friends.
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Post by bayernoatcake on Jan 19, 2009 23:38:51 GMT
Sounds like a proper legend of the club OS yet I'd sadly never heard of him Sad news indeed. My best wishes and condolences are sent to his family. RIP Harry
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Post by BoothenenderGaz on Jan 19, 2009 23:40:01 GMT
My condolences to all the family and a sad day for Stokies
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Post by trend....... on Jan 19, 2009 23:43:00 GMT
RIP
afraid i have never heard of him either but confused of to why? seeing as he sounds like a bit of a legend!
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Post by serpico on Jan 19, 2009 23:44:27 GMT
RIP Harry
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Post by victoriaboothenboy on Jan 19, 2009 23:45:53 GMT
That's sad news.Harry was in the forward line in the first Stoke game I saw as a 4/5 year old. Sincere condolences to the family of a great old Stokie. The first team I ever saw was Robertson,Mountford,McCue,Cairns,Thomson,Sellars and a forward line comprising Coleman,Bowyer,King,Kelly and Harry Oscroft.
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chef
Academy Starlet
Posts: 206
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Post by chef on Jan 19, 2009 23:45:58 GMT
RIP harry
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Post by stokey-pokey pudding and pie on Jan 19, 2009 23:46:54 GMT
sad news indeed. thanks for the service harry and all the best to his family and friends
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Post by PotteringThrough on Jan 19, 2009 23:48:42 GMT
That must have been one hell of a shot!
Sad news, and an incredible record for a winger.
RIP Mr Oscroft
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Post by stokecity4eva on Jan 19, 2009 23:53:07 GMT
im another who had never heard of him until now but from what you put OS he sounds like he was a cracking player in his day.
My condolences to his family.
And aint it about time the club did something for all these ex players from decades gone by and made young stokies proud of all the great players we have had over the years.
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Post by knowles on Jan 19, 2009 23:55:25 GMT
I think it was mentioned in the Liverpool programme- a sad loss. My dad loved the guy.
Sleep well Harry.
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Post by Stephen Frys' Ring on Jan 19, 2009 23:56:06 GMT
Thanks for your time in Red & White,you served us well and shall remain in our thoughts and history books.
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Post by victoriaboothenboy on Jan 20, 2009 0:00:26 GMT
We do tend to honour our old players - especially the well known ones! but just wondering if any of the players I mentioned in the earlier post are still around. Anyone know? Old Potters may remember that Harry Oscroft went on to serve the Vale for a couple of seasons in his twilight years
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Post by campania on Jan 20, 2009 0:01:40 GMT
I speak on behalf of myself and my two other brothers to say what a massive loss to Stoke City Football Club, Harry Oscroft Was our late fathers footballing hero. He was possibly the reason that as youngsters the three of us became Stokie's. Even though we have spent most of our life's,living abroad,..God bless you Harry...........and thanks
Our late father always said,Quote....if We ever find a player as good as Harry we will be a force to be reckoned with!
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clan2
Youth Player
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Post by clan2 on Jan 20, 2009 0:01:43 GMT
Harry Oscroft a true Stoke legend
Sincere condolences to all family & friends
R.I.P Mr Oscroft
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Post by PottersPride on Jan 20, 2009 0:02:07 GMT
r.i.p
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Post by Deleted on Jan 20, 2009 0:07:02 GMT
Not sure if this has been posted on here before but I had a mail from his daughter, Carol Abbott, to let me know that Harry passed away on 31st December. He died in his sleep after being cared for at home by his family. He'd been suffering from Alzheimers for a number of years before he died. Carol has been in touch with the club and the loss will be mentioned at the Man City game where his family will be represented. I know most of the 'younger' members of this board won't know him but he was our left winger throughout the 50's. He was a great player and a prolific goalscorer. Johnny King was our centre forward at the time and he and Harry used to vye for leading scorer each season. Harry had a shot so hard, he could break the net if he hit it right. An olden day Harry Burrows. He made 349 appearances and scored 106 goals for us and was the 6th highest goalscorer of all time for Stoke. Quite rightly, he was one of the '101 Golden Greats' in Simon Lowe's excellent book of that name. Sadly, he joins a host of other former Stoke City greats who have now passed away. His Daughter, Carol, is a member of the Potters foundation and she and her husband travel up to watch Stoke whenever they can from their home down south. If you'd like to leave your condolences, I'll send her a link to this thread. Thanks guys. OS. R.I.P. Harry. Condolences to all his family and friends. RIP fella and sympathies to the family. That is an awesome picture btw, I bet the family are so proud of that
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Post by miltonstokie on Jan 20, 2009 0:11:12 GMT
Sad news R.I.P
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Post by bayernoatcake on Jan 20, 2009 0:12:11 GMT
Even old skool wingers used to wear studs in their ears ;D We know where Ronaldo got the idea now! I take it that its just an error on the photo and he didn't actually wear a stud? ???
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Post by campania on Jan 20, 2009 0:19:04 GMT
Even old skool wingers used to wear studs in their ears ;D We know where Ronaldo got the idea now! I take it that its just an error on the photo and he didn't actually where a stud? ??? That's a error on the photogragh. The sleeves rolled up make him a Stokie! OS what was the song they used to sing to Harry?
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Post by bayernoatcake on Jan 20, 2009 0:30:38 GMT
I thought it would be, it just stuck out. A classic pose that though.
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Post by luke45 on Jan 20, 2009 0:46:33 GMT
Sad News Didn't really know of Harry Oscroft myself, well before my time, met Johnny King once in the greenhoff suite against Brighton a few years ago. Sounded like a top bloke and player. My condolances go out to his friends and family. R.I.P. Harry
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Post by OldStokie on Jan 20, 2009 0:47:44 GMT
Also note the sleeves rolled up, shirt open and collar turned up. Harry was well up to do battle that day. It was in the days when the players caught the bus to the old Vic with the supporters AND paid their own fares! They played in conditions that would close park pitches these days and the old casey ball was so heavy it left you stunned when you headed it if it was wet and muddy. Seriously, today's modern prima-donnas would spend most of the season on the treatment table if they had to play as the old guys did. When I think back, I'm amazed what they managed to do and the skills they possessed to play football like they did. It really was a man's game in those days and I'm not looking through rose tinted glasses either when I say that. Yes, technically, the game has moved on but IMHO, it lacks the raw basics of what it used to be. If it's any consolation, Stoke's performances against Liverpool and Chelsea away were a sort of throwback to that era. Guts and determination. Plus, these old guys had skills to add to those sort of performances. I reckon the one player in our current team who would have revelled in the old days is Abde Faye. That should give the young uns on here a sort of analogy of what they were.
OS.
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Post by Valiant on Jan 20, 2009 0:49:38 GMT
RIP.
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Post by eddy_under_fire'sviews on Jan 20, 2009 1:01:57 GMT
Rest In Peace fella, and my sympathies go out to the family.
Sounds like he was an absolute legend, and one that wore the red and white. How much would we pay for him these days, for a winger with that goal record!!
Will be sorely missed.
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Post by mitchandtitch on Jan 20, 2009 1:04:37 GMT
RIP
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Post by Lakeland Potter on Jan 20, 2009 7:18:50 GMT
One of the notable things about Stoke teams in the 30 years after the war was an abundance of really good wingers. Before Oscroft there was Tim Coleman who once scored 7 goals in one match. After Oscroft came Ratcliffe and Burrows and a year or so later Terry Conroy burst onto the scene and later still came Chamberlain.
No wonder neutrals liked watching Stoke with wingers like that in the side. Harry was in good company in that group of players. He was playing when I first saw Stoke and was my favourite player at the time.
My father died with Alzheimer's (you die with it rather than from it) so my heart goes out to the family who looked after Harry in his last years.
RIP Harry.
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Post by sgtpotter89 on Jan 20, 2009 7:22:55 GMT
RIP Harry
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Post by gilberto on Jan 20, 2009 7:54:02 GMT
RIP Harry.
my grandad used to tell me about him and all the other late 40's and 50's legends like frank bowyer, neil franklin etc. ive got that picture in a massive scrapbook full of stoke stuff that kept and gave to me in the 90's.
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Post by daverichards on Jan 20, 2009 8:00:59 GMT
RIP , and such a shame so few have heard of him, I guess its because a decent number of his seasons were played in the 2nd division
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