Diamond Visits Blues' Oldest Player

Club Ambassador and 1995 FA Cup winner Graham Stuart paid a visit to the oldest living Everton player over the festive period.

Albert ‘Bert’ Harris played five games for the Blues in 1956 and has now reached the ripe old age of 93.

Comfortably settled in the Hillcroft Care Home in Aughton, goalkeeper Bert made his Everton debut in March 1956, replacing Jimmy O’Neill for a match against Aston Villa at Villa Park. The likes of TE Jones, Jimmy Harris, Wally Fielding and Tommy Eglington were also in the Blues line-up.

Bert then played in the four remaining fixtures of the season when the opposition players included Billy Wright for Wolves and Stanley Matthews for Blackpool.

Known as ‘Diamond’ by Evertonians, Club Ambassador Stuart called in to see Bert on the day before Christmas Eve and presented him with a current goalkeeper’s jersey as worn by Jordan Pickford.

“It was great to see Bert,” said Stuart. “He looks well and still keeps an eye on the Blues. It’s amazing when you consider that he can say he played against Billy Wright and Stanley Matthews. They don’t come bigger than that!”

Born in Bootle in 1931, Bert had a spell at Tranmere Rovers after leaving Everton and later played more than 150 games for Southport who were a Football League team at the time.