Harry Myers

Harry Myers (February 1875 – 19 December 1906) from Horsforth, Leeds was a Rugby Union and later Northern Union (rugby league) footballer who played in the 1890s and 1900s. He played rugby union for Horsforth, Bramley and Keighley and played one international match for England as well representative rugby for Yorkshire. In 1900 he changed codes to play rugby league (then known as Northern Union football). He died in 1906 after an accident during a game for Keighley against Dewsbury. Playing career Rugby Union Myers first played rugby for Horsforth whom he joined part way through the 1893–4 season. At the end of that season he joined Bramley for who he played for the next two seasons. Making his debut for Bramley against Werenth on 1 September 1894 he scored his first try for the club against Bowling Old Lane on 8 September 1894. In 1896 before the start of the 1896–7 season the Bramley club decided to change codes and join the Northern Rugby Union where professionalism i.e. payments to players was allowed. Myers did not wish to become a professional player so he left Bramley and opted to join Keighley instead, his resignation from Bramley being noted by the Yorkshire Rugby Football Union the same week. Myers arrival at Keighley coincided with an upturn in the club's fortunes and in the next four seasons the club won the Yorkshire No.2 Competition, with promotion to the No.1 competition, and after twice finishing runners-up the club won the No.1 competition in 1899–1900. During these four seasons Myers had been appointed captain of the team and had scored 49 tries as well as kicking 120 goals. His abilities were also recognised by the rugby union and he was selected to play for Yorkshire on a number of occasions in the County Championship. First selected for Yorkshire against Durham in November 1895, Myers played in every Yorkshire game for three consecutive seasons; 1895–6, 1896–7 and 1897–8.