The Thistle Archive

Enniskillen-born Harry Chatton moved to Scotland with his family as a child. As comfortable as a right half or centre half, he was a commanding presence, and began his football career with Kirkintilloch Rob Roy after the First World War before signing for Dumbarton in September 1920, making his Scottish League debut three days later in a home defeat to Clyde. A regular for The Sons from the next season, he was signed by Partick Thistle in the sprigtime of 1923 after 5 goals in 74 appearances for Dumbarton, and it was while playing in the Scottish League with Thistle that the Irish selectors first called him up in October 1924 for a Home Nations game with England at Goodison Park. In doing so, Harry became the first non-Scot to be capped whilst a Partick Thistle player. Whilst a Jag, he won two further caps for "Northern Ireland", against Scotland the following February, and again against England in October 1925. During the years Chatton played international football, there were, in effect, two Ireland teams, chosen by two rival associations. Both associations, the Northern Ireland–based IFA and the Irish Free State–based FAI claimed jurisdiction over the whole of Ireland and selected players from the whole island. As a result, several notable Irish players from this era, including Chatton, played for both teams.

In 1926, after 2 goals and 90-odd appearances for Thistle, Chatton was one of many British players lured by the dollar of the nascent American Soccer League. After a season with Indiana Flooring, making 34 appearances, he sought to return home to sign for Heart of Midlothian, but the move was blocked by FIFA after a protest from the USFA, and he never got to play for The Jambos. Instead Chatton moved back across to the Atlantic, by which time Indiana had relocated to New York where they were to play as the New York Nationals. In three seasons with the Nationals, Chatton enjoyed successes in the the US National Cup and in the Lewis Cup. In March 1929 he had been reported as suspended “forever” by the USFA owing to “activities in connection with the working of New York Nationals” but this appears to have been a short-lived ban. He scored twice in 123 appearances during his second spell in The States.

Returning to play in Ireland with Shelbourne in 1930, he helped them win the League of Ireland title in 1931. Chatton was selected by the Republic of Ireland for a game against Spain on 26th April 1931. That summer he returned to Scotland to play for Dumbarton, making a further 66 appearances over the following two seasons for the Boghead Park club, and on 13th December he captained the Republic’s team in the return game against Spain. Having returned to Irish League football with Cork in 1933, Chatton’s third and final cap for The Irish Free State was won in 1934, whilst playing for Cork, in a 5-2 defeat by Holland in a World Cup Qualifier, the first Jag to play such a game. His first two caps had been at left half, and the last at right back. He helped Cork win the FAI Cup in 1934 when they beat St James’ Gate 2-1 in the Final at Dalymount Park in front of 21,000 and, already 35 years old, he retired that summer.

Harry is included in our feature piece, The Definitive Who's Who Of The Partick Thistle Internationalists →

1924 - STIRLING CHARITY CUP

1925 - STIRLING CHARITY CUP