Stars Of The Past - Herbert Skermer

Herbert Edward Skermer was born in the industrial village of Selston, Nottinghamshire on the 19th of February 1896. He was a highly rated young goalkeeper who had played local football for the colliery sides of Selston and Hartshay and made the journey to East Anglia to join Norwich City on 23rd December 1919. He went straight into the first team, making his debut on Christmas Day in the 1-0 away win at Swindon Town in the Southern League. Norwich had two other keepers on their books at the time. Joe Lansdale was the first choice in the two years prior to Herbert Skermer's arrival. His understudy was Jack Groves who made seven league and cup appearances in 1919-20 - his last being on 20th December 1919 in a 5-0 thumping against Darlington in the FA Cup. It opened the way for Skermer to establish himself, which he duly did, missing only three games for the rest of the season. He made 22 appearances conceding only 26 goals as City achieved a mid table finish.

The next season was a significant one for the Canaries, as they joined the Football League Division Three. Herbert Skermer became a professional player in the August and did not miss a single game all season, appearing in all 43 league and cup matches. He therefore made history by becoming Norwich City's first ever Football League goalkeeper, playing in the 1-1 draw at Plymouth on 28th August 1920. He achieved 14 clean sheets that season, as City finished in the lower half of the division.

In 1921-22 the section was regionalised into Division Three South and Skermer was again first choice keeper until Christmas. However in early 1922 he lost his place temporarily to Swardeston born Alfie King due to injury and a family bereavement. Though he returned for a few more games, he played in Norwich City colours for the final time on 4th March 1922 in the 0-0 draw at The Nest against Exeter City. A few days later keeper William O'Hagan, a relative of Charles O'Hagan who had been City's first Football League manager, joined the club and Herbert Skermer left. He went on to play for Ramsgate Town, Coalville Swifts and in 1924-25 Loughborough Corinthians in the Midland League.

His final tally of appearances for Norwich City was 73 league and cup games and he was celebrated in the Pinnace cigarette card series (No 349). After he finished playing football he returned to the city of Norwich and was landlord of the Lame Dog public house in Queens Road from 1934 until his death on the 25th of November 1954.

[This item first appeared on Sing Up The River End! on the 22nd of July 2010]
.