Val Harris

Harris initially played soccer with junior clubs Pembroke and Emeralds and in 1898 helped Pembroke reach the final of the Leinster Junior Cup. He was also an accomplished Gaelic footballer during his teens and won honours at club level with Ringsend GAA team Isles of the Sea. In 1901 he won an All-Ireland medal with the Dublin county team. Harris is one of several prominent Dublin Gaelic footballers who successfully switched codes to soccer. Others have included Jack Kirwan, Con Martin, Joseph Ledwidge and Kevin Moran.

In 1903 Harris made his debut for Shelbourne in the Leinster Senior League. In May 1904 he had a trial with West Bromwich Albion but then returned to Shelbourne and made his Irish League debut in a 3–1 defeat to Glentoran on 17 September 1904 at Serpentine Avenue, Dublin. Harris went on to play in four consecutive Irish Cup finals and in the 1906 final was captain when Shelbourne beat Belfast Celtic 2–0 at Dalymount Park, becoming the first Dublin side to lift the trophy. His teammates during this era included, among others, Joseph Ledwidge and Bill Lacey.

After four years at Everton, Harris returned to Shelbourne in August 1914. In 1920 Harris won the Irish Cup for a second time after both Belfast Celtic and Glentoran were expelled. In 1921 Shelbourne became founder members of the League of Ireland and in 1926 the club won the title. Harris remained a prominent member of the Shelbourne team well passed his fortieth birthday and his second spell at the club saw him play alongside Bill Lacey, Bob Fullam, Ed Brookes and Louis Bookman. During his two spells with Shelbourne, Harris made 71 Irish League appearances, scoring 13 goals, 89 League of Ireland appearances, scoring 6 goals, and a further 36 games and 12 goals in the Irish Cup.

In March 1908 Harris moved to Everton for £350, the maximum amount allowed at the time. He made his debut for Everton against Woolwich Arsenal and quickly established himself as the team's regular right-half. During his time at Everton he was noted for his consistency and effectiveness and played in six different positions. With Harris in the team, Everton regularly challenged for top honours, twice finishing as League runners-up as well as reaching the semi-final stage in the 1910 FA Cup. His teammates at Everton included fellow Irish internationals Billy Scott and Bill Lacey, who had followed Harris from Shelbourne in February 1909. While at Everton, Harris made 190 league appearances and scored 1 goal. He also played a further 14 games and scored a further goal in the FA Cup.

Val Harris (first player on left of back-row) with Ireland team v Wales during 1914 British Home Championship.

Harris made his debut for Ireland as a centre-forward on 17 February 1906 in a 5–0 defeat to England at the Solitude Ground. His teammates that day included Robert Milne and Jack Kirwan. He was the first Shelbourne player to be capped by Ireland and subsequently won a further six caps while at the club. Despite suffering a number of severe injuries related to his robust style of play, Harris was remarkably consistent in his appearances for Ireland and he featured in a run of thirteen consecutive internationals between 1908 and 1912. On 15 February 1913, Harris captained the Ireland team, that also included Billy Scott and two-goal hero Billy Gillespie, as they beat England for the first time with a 2–1 win at Windsor Park. In 1914 Ireland went a stage further and won the British Home Championship. Harris and Gillespie were joined in the squad by among others, Patrick O'Connell, Louis Bookman and Bill Lacey.