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Harry Maskrey (1880-1927) poses in his England shirt

HARRY MART MASKREY was one of the select group of men born in Derbyshire who played association football for England. His sole cap was against Ireland in Belfast on 15 February 1908, England emerging 3-1 winners. Maskrey was a goalkeeper, one of a seemingly endless supply of top quality keepers to emerge from Derbyshire over the years.

He was born in Unstone, near Dronfield, Derbyshire, on 8 October 1880. Like many men from that area he went down the pit after leaving school and in his leisure time enjoyed playing football.

Standing over 6 feet tall - and with a huge reach said to be 6ft 7ins from finger tip to finger tip of his outsretched arms - he impressed sufficiently as a junior to enter a decent class of senior football. In 1898 when aged 18 he won his place between the sticks at Ripley Athletic. But four years later it got better still - in December 1902 he was signed by Derby County and became a professional player.

He soon established himself in the Rams side, being both reliable and brave, said in a report to have had 'all the collier's contempt for hard knocks'. Maskrey played over 200 games for Derby County before being transferred to Bradford City in October 1909. From there he returned to play with Ripley Town and Athletic in May 1911 and then Stalybridge Celtic in September of the same year.

His career gradually wound down through the lower levels, and in July 1913 he joined Mansfield Mechanics FC. During the First World War he put his burly physique to good use by serving in the Grenadier Guards, and on his return began playing for British Cellulose in the midweek Derby Works League.

It was from there that in 1920 - when aged almost 40 - he made a surprise return to Derby County to help them out in an emergency. He played only a few more games but took his overall record for the Rams to 222 appearances over a span of 18 years.

Maskrey enjoyed playing so much that he joined Burton All Saints in August 1921, but retired not long thereafter, settling in Derby where he became a popular licensee. It has been said that the manner of his death befitted a goalkeeper, for having spent so much time under the bar, he died behind one, fatally collapsing at his pub - the New Inn in Russell Street, Derby - on 21 April 1927. He was only 46.

His overall record in first-class football was 243 League games, one appaearance for England, and one for the Football League XI. His nickname at Derby County was an appropriate one for such a large man - 'Big Mass'.

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County:  Derbyshire

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