Harry Melrose

Berwick Rangers are deeply saddened today to hear of the passing of former Player / Manager, Harry Melrose (88).

Harry lived in Dunfermline with wife Betty and the news of his passing was relayed to Secretary Dennis McCleary by Harry’s Grandson, Ryan. Harry made 117 appearances for Berwick scoring 19 goals.

Harry was Berwick Player / Manager from 1969 to 1975, having joined the club from Aberdeen where he made 87 appearances for the ‘Dons’ scoring 19 goals as a winger or inside forward.

However it was at Dunfermline where he really made his mark as a player, joining them from Rangers.  Harry made some 275 appearances for Dunfermline scoring 106 goals and was a member of their 1961 Scottish Cup winning team and also scored in the 1965 Pars Cup Final team, although they lost narrowly to Celtic.

On behalf of the club, Dennis McCleary commented, ” Myself and Eric Tait had a great affinity with Harry, who brought us both into the club in the 1969/70 season, myself in the admin role and Eric as a player from Coldstream. He was totally meticulous in his work and match preparations, keeping a huge book on all of the games, commenting on travel times, player performances including the opposition.

“We had a very good team in that period too with regular high placings in the league, players including Eric, John Lyle, Gordon Laing, Ian Hall, Roddy Georgeson, George Douglas, Tom Steven, Ian Smith, Tom Davidson and Roy McDowell to name but a few.

“Also, we used to joke about his time at Dunfermline, in the great forward spearhead of Harry at No 8, Charlie Dickson (9) and George Peebles (10) and nicknamed Dickson as ‘Galashiels’ as he played midway between Melrose and Peebles! (See pic)

Harry left Berwick in 1975 to join Dunfermline as Manager, where he spent 5 years in charge.

Details on Harry’s funeral will be announced in due course and the club will honour him in the next programme on 9th March.