Harry Lockett. Publication date: July 8, 2024
Harry Lockett Football’s Unassuming,
Unknown and Unsung Founding Father
By Penny Stanley
Key features
• Analysis of Lockett’s life in and out of football and hisimpact on the game on a local and national level
• Detailed research into Lockett’s family archives, via his only surviving descendant
• Tells Lockett’s mother’s story—and how she became the first woman of football
• Includes fascinating insight into the early days of football in the Potteries and the personalities involved
• Reveals the first controversies to engulf the Football League, why Lockett left his roles at the Football League and Stoke, and also what happened next
Harry Lockett: Football's Unassuming, Unknown, and Unsung Founding Father is a biography of the man who became the first secretary of the Football League and later manager of Stoke Football Club in the late Victorian era. He lived a quite remarkable life. Born to parents who lived in Derby, when football was outlawed, he moved to the Potteries and experienced tragedy as a child, before becoming a well-known athlete, match official, and sports administrator. It was those abilities that led to his work in football, while also running a substantial printing business and volunteering for over three decades as an Army Reserve soldier. He was secretary and treasurer of the Football League, holding power and status until temptation caused his downfall. Lockett did bounce back, however, donated time and money to charities, socialised with celebrities such as Charlie Chaplin and established a consortium to save Stoke when the club was on the brink of going out of business … but it all came at a huge personal cost.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Penny Stanley has written about football in a variety of publications for over three decades, from match reports of student games to articles on club ownership and accounts of relegation seasons. She has a passion for football history, uncovering stories of pioneers and finding answers to questions about the early days of the game.
