THE March 22 article under the heading ‘Cap game lasted under a minute’ brought a response from Jim Galloway.
A Scotland team line-up from 1945 listed Harley of Liverpool as right-back.
Jim, who worked as a miner in Methil, and also as a boilermaker, queried: “Would that Harley of Liverpool be Jim who belonged Methil?”
After I confirmed it was, Jim told me a great tale about the former Hearts of Beath player.
“My father told me that one year, around 1934-35 I think, while still playing for Liverpool, he came up to Scotland and took part in the Powderhall Sprint,” he revealed.
“He went into secret training for the sprint and registered under the name of JH Mitchell, of Letham.
“The Powderhall event was a handicap and I’m told Jim gave up eight yards and still won!”
Reader Jim (79), who also worked as a storeman in Woolworths, Dundee, and now stays in Douglas, Dundee, continued: “My dad Bill was a policeman in Liverpool and he used go around with a few of the Everton players at that time.
“He always had tales to tell about players.
“Another football story is when I popped in for a drink one Saturday lunchtime in the 1960s in Jock Thomson’s pub in the Wellgate, Dundee.
“It was a great football pub with photos on the wall such as Billy Steel and others.
“The door then opened and in walked Manchester City manager Joe Mercer.
“He obviously knew Jock and told him he was up to see a Hearts defender called Arthur Mann. The Jambos were visiting one of the Dundee clubs that day.”
Jim Harley was born in Methil, and played for Hearts Of Beath before joining Liverpool in 1934.
In all, he was with the Anfield club for 14 years, playing 118 first-team games at either right-back or left-back.
There was, however, a six-year break through the war years.
After that break, Harley returned to Merseyside and played in 17 games of the first post-war championship-winning side, a side that contained the likes of Jack Balmer, Bill Jones, Berry Nieuwenhuys, Albert Stubbins, Billy Liddell and Bob Paisley.
In addition to the international cap already mentioned, Harley made one other wartime appearance.
This article originally appeared on the Evening Telegraph website. For more information, read about our new combined website.