Bill McGarry

McGarry began his career at local non-League club Northwood Mission, based in Hanley, before joining David Pratt's Port Vale as an amateur in April 1945, signing professional forms in June of that year. He was handed his debut by Billy Frith at the Old Recreation Ground on boxing day 1945, in a 1–0 defeat by Walsall. Under Gordon Hodgson's stewardship, he played seven Third Division South games in the 1946–47 season. He forced his way into the first XI by November 1947 and scored his first goal on boxing day in a 5–0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion. He played a total of 27 games in the 1947–48 campaign. He featured 41 times in the 1948–49 season, scoring one goal against Torquay United. He was an ever-present throughout the 46 game 1949–50 season, and found the net once on the final day of the season, in a 2–1 defeat to Ipswich Town at Portman Road. He played 35 games in the 1950–51 season, and scored in games away at Millwall and Torquay, before he was sold to First Division side Huddersfield Town for a £12,000 fee in March 1951. "Terriers" manager George Stephenson bought McGarry to play in a defensive partnership with Laurie Kelly. He built a reputation as a tough-tackling, sturdy wing-half, and featured ten times towards the end of the 1950–51 season. He then scored twice in 43 games in 1951–52, as Huddersfield suffered relegation. New boss Andy Beattie led the club to immediate promoted out of the Second Division with a second-place finish in 1952–53. McGarry played all…

McGarry's performances at Huddersfield won him first an England "B" appearance, and then a place in the England squad for the 1954 World Cup. Despite having never featured for the national team before, he played two of England's three games in the tournament (against hosts Switzerland and Uruguay). He won two further caps the following year in a 5–1 victory over Denmark and in a Home International 2–1 defeat by Wales. He also played for the Football League and went on the FA's 1956 South African tour.

Former teammate Roy Sproson said that: "he was everything that a manager could want in a player. Magnificently fit, Bill was aggressive, busy, good in the air and a player of tremendous enthusiasm for the game. He gave 100 per cent effort for all of 90 minutes" and that he also used to "underrate himself". Freddie Steele stated that "McGarry is a tough bugger. He wasn't born, you know – he was cast at Shelton Bar!".

William Harry McGarry was born on 10 June 1927 in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire to Ralph and Ethel (née Vernon). He later married Constance Dale in 1950.