Storer Harry Image 8 Derbyshire 1929

Description

West Derby, Liverpool born Harry Storer followed in the footsteps of his father and uncle, playing first class cricket for Derbyshire from 1920 to 1936. Storer made his first class cricket debut for Derbyshire in 1920 when neither his bowling nor batting averages were impressive. There were significant improvements in both areas the following season, when he scored a maiden century against Warwickshire, the first of 18 career centuries for Derbyshire.

In 1922 his best score was 99, but he managed a career best 7 for 26 bowling performance against Northamptonshire at Chesterfield, which included a hat-trick. In 1923 he was just short of a century again with 94 and dropped in the bowling averages as well. His batting slumped to a top score on 18 in the 1924 season when he managed 5 for 27 against Lancashire. His showing in the 1925 season was also relatively indifferent, but in 1926 he topped the county’s batting table in a run feast including 132 against Somerset while he took 41 wickets including two five wicket hauls.

In the 1927 season his batting form continued with two centuries against Nottinghamshire in separate matches and a best bowling of 6 for 47 together with another five wicket innings. He topped the county batting table again in the 1928 season with centuries against Gloucestershire and Kent, being described as “one of the mainstays of the Derbyshire county cricket team”, and though his bowling was less productive he was an effective stand in as wicket-keeper against the M.C.C. for an injured Harry Elliott, the match producing his only career stumping in addition to 214 career catches. His most productive summer with the bat was the 1929 season, when he topped the county table again with 1,652 first class runs at 36.71, including four hundreds and seven fifties. Against Essex at Derby, Storer (making 209) and Joseph Bowden (120) put on 322 for the first wicket. This remained a record first wicket stand for Derbyshire until 2017. Storer again scored four centuries in the 1930 season. In the 1931 season his top score was 115 not out and he took a five wicket innings.

Storer became manager of Coventry City in June 1931 and played fewer cricket matches per season in the following years. In 1932 he played only seven matches and took no wickets, but scored 170 against Middlesex. He played half the club’s matches in the 1933 season but achieved his career-best innings of 232, also versus Essex at Derby. In 1934 he scored a century against Somerset, but virtually dropped out of the bowling. He managed fewer high scores in 1935 and in 1936 he played his final nine matches to help Derbyshire to their County Championship triumph but retired at the end of the season after 302 first class matches. In addition to his batting, which saw 13,513 runs with a career average of 27.63, Storer took 232 wickets at an average of 32.43.

A wing half, Storer also had a highly successful football career and played for England. Starting his football career with Ripley Town in 1914, he joined Eastwood Town in 1915 and Notts County as an amateur in 1918, without making a senior appearance for them. He joined Second Division Grimsby Town in February 1919 as an amateur initially as a centre forward, turning professional in April 1919 and making his Football League debut against Stockport County that August. Despite top scoring for the club with 12 goals during the 1919-20 season they were relegated at the end of the season. He soon moved to wing half and after 20 goals in 68 appearances First Division Derby County signed him in  March 1921 for a record fee of £4,500, although they too were relegated in his first season at The Baseball Ground.

He scored 63 goals in 274 appearances for The Rams, evenyually becoming club captain, helping them back to the First Division as Second Division runners up in 1925-26, before signing for Burnley for £4,250 in February 1929. He was first capped for England in May 1924 in a 3-1 victory over France in Paris, and won his second cap against Ireland in Belfast in October 1927.  He scored 5 times in 54 appearances for Burnley before retiring in 1931.

In June 1931 he became the manager of Coventry City holding the post throughout the 1930’s until the Second World War, winning the Third Division (South) Championship in 1935-36. He became manager of Birmingham City in June 1945, winning the Second Division Championship with them in 1947-48 before returning to become Coventry’s manager in November 1948, a post he held until November 1953. In June 1955 he became manager of Derby County winning the Third Division (North) Championship in 1956-57 and holding the post until May 1962.

He was the son of Harry Storer (Sr) and the nephew of Bill Storer, both of whom played football for Derby County and cricket for Derbyshire, Bill also playing cricket for England and Harry playing football for among others Arsenal, Liverpool and Hibernian.

NB in the photograph he stands (left) with Joseph Bowden after their record stand against Essex at Derby on 29th June 1929.