Player #163 for Aston Villa, Henry Cooch, known as Harry Cooch played as a goalkeeper for the club.

Harry played for Villa between 1901-02 and 1907-08 making 25 appearances across his 7 seasons with the club.

Harry was born in Wellingborough on 1 January 1879 and made his first appearance for Villa as a 23 year old on 5th April 1902

Villa had signed Harry from Kettering FC and had the relative misfortune to be back-up to legendary Villa goalkeeper Billy George.

As a result the most appearances Harry achieved a season was in 1903-04 with 9 starts. Harry was the 21st custodian of the Villa goal in League & Cup football.

In total across his 25 appearances Harry conceded 45 goals at a ratio of 1.80 goals per game. Harry had kept 5 clean sheets in his 25 games with the club.

Harry also made a significant contribution to Villa's reserves side where he lined up as a defender rather than a goalkeeper.

Harry was a member of the reserve side that won
the Birmingham & District League for five successive years between 1903 and 1907.

Despite his lack of playing time Harry was highly rated with the September 1906 Aston Villa News & Record which celebrated the leading lights of Villa from formation to the then present day said of Harry:

“A worthy comrade to the Villa’s international goalkeeper, and many regard him as little inferior to the first team player. He possesses all the attributes for smart custodianship, being of especially fine physique, and combining activity with sound judgement."

Harry was forced to retire from football after making his final Villa appearance on 2nd September 1907 having sustained an injury during training which so seriously dislocated and fractured the index finger of his left hand, that it had to be part amputated.

Harry had played under the George Ramsay led Management Committee.

Such was typical of his fortitude and bravery Harry did make an unexpected return to football with Kettering Town in September 1908 before being signed by Walsall in 1909 where he played 32 games for their reserve side.

It was Villa where Harry’s heart lay however and he returned to Villa Park to become both a coach and trainer at the club.

Harry served as assistant trainer to fellow ex-Villain Freddie Miles up until the latter’s death in 1926 after which Harry was formally promoted to the role of first team trainer - although he had been undertaking much of the functions during Freddie’s illness.

Harry continued to serve in the role under Billy Smith’s management committee and later under Villa’s first manager proper Jimmy McMullan however the latter’s poor performance in post impacted Harry’s future as the Villa News & Record of November 1936 euphemistically described:

“Harry Cooch, whose health has for some time been indifferent, will have a lesser responsibility in taking charge of one or other of our teams”.

Harry passed away on 12th May 1944 aged 64 whilst still active on the Villa staff.

Harry was living in the old “Cottage” at Villa Park where he resided due to his Villa commitments.

The News & Record celebrated Harry in his obituary saying that:

“Two years ago he had a serious illness which necessitated an operation but he was soon up and about again and as active as ever. Ever of a cheery disposition, it was always a delight to meet and talk with him, for he got quite a lot out of life that many more missed, and our dressing room corridor, where he could usually be found, will be all the drearier and colder now that his sunny presence has gone from it.”

Few people have ever been so intrinsically interwoven with Villa as Henry ‘Harry’ Cooch.