Harry Varley


Henry "Harry" Varley was an English rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1880s and 1890s, and coached rugby league in the 1890s. He played representative level rugby union for England and Yorkshire, and at club level for Liversedge, as a scrum-half, i.e. number 9, and representative level rugby league for Lancashire, and at club level for Oldham alongside Arthur Lees from 1895, and Leeds, as a, or, i.e. number 6, or. Prior to Thursday 29 August 1895, Liversedge was a rugby union club.

Background

Harry Varley was born in Cleckheaton/Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire, England, and he died aged 47 in Oldham, Lancashire, England.

Playing career

International honours

Harry Varley played for Liversedge P44.
He won a cap for England while at Liversedge in the 1892 Home Nations Championship against Scotland.

County honours

Harry Varley won caps for Yorkshire while at Liversedge, and won caps for Lancashire while at Oldham.

Change of Code

When Liversedge converted from the rugby union code to the rugby league code on Thursday 29 August 1895, Harry Varley would have been 28 years of age. Consequently, he may have been both a rugby union, and rugby league footballer for Liversedge, he played rugby league for Oldham until 1897 when he became their coach, and he came out of retirement in 1899 to play for Leeds.

Coaching career

Challenge Cup Final appearances

Harry Varley was the coach in Oldham's 19-9 victory over Hunslet in 1899 Challenge Cup Final during the 1898–99 season at Fallowfield Stadium, Manchester, in front of a crowd of 15,763, and as a mark of appreciation the Oldham players paid to have a special medal struck, that bore the Oldham coat of arms and a Challenge Cup related inscription.

Note

ESPN states Harry Varley's birthplace as being Cleckheaton, whereas FreeBMD.com quotes it as being registered 6-miles away in Bradford.