Harold Tilley

English half-back Harold Tilley made just two appearances for the Sky Blues during the 1930/1931 season as part of a month’s trial at the Showgrounds.

Born in inner city Manchester in 1904, Harold Tilley’s football career started in his native Lancashire with Oldham Athletic in 1924, then of the old Football League Second Division. He was a regular in the reserve team midfield at Boundary Park during the mid-1920s, but failed to break into the first eleven and make a senior appearance for the club.

Having married his wife in 1928, aged 24, the couple relocated to Northern Ireland and in October 1928, he was fixed up with Glenavon. Harold quickly became a popular figure at Mourneview Park during his first two seasons as the Lurgan club merited back-to-back eighth place finishes in the Irish League.

Injury curtailed the early part of the 1930/1931 season for Tilley, who eventually joined Newry Town in March 1931 on a short-term basis, but failed to recapture his form for the Border club for towards the end of the season.

Tilley joined Ballymena on a month’s trial in September 1931, eager to reignite his career – but after an unspectacular debut in the 3-0 defeat to Larne at the Legion Grounds – he only made one further appearance for the Braidmen. It would be the final senior appearance of his football career at the age of 27.

The family returned to England soon after, as he continued life as a public works contractor. His son Peter (who had been born in Lurgan) continued the family’s football legacy and played professionally for Arsenal and Halifax Town.

Harold Tilley passed away in his native Manchester in June 1956, aged 52.

Career
(1924) Oldham Athletic; (Oct 1928) Glenavon; (Mar 1931) Newry Town; (Sep 1931) Ballymena

Honours
None