Maidenhead United would like to recognise the career and achievements of Harry Pritchard, who announced on Tuesday that he will be drawing his playing career to a close at the end of the season.
Born locally in High Wycombe, Pritch began his career at Flackwell Heath, before moving onto Burnham in November 2011. Making an impact at The Gore, he was signed by Johnson Hippolyte and came to York Road in January 2012 as an 18 year-old. He made 9 appearances and was named as substitute a further 4 times, making a first start in a surprise 2-0 victory against eventual champions Woking at Kingfield on 3rd March 2012. A first Maidenhead goal came the following October in a 4-2 York Road defeat to Hornchurch.
At the end of season 2014/15, Pritch was part of the side which won the Berks & Bucks Cup with a runaway 4-0 victory over Aylesbury United at Chesham in what was Drax’s final match in charge. Alan Devonshire was watching in the stands that day and Harry was one of just five payers that the incoming manager kept for the 2015/16 season. Playing mainly on the wing and scoring eight times, Pritchard was a mainstay of Dev’s side which enjoyed a memorable FA Cup run and flirted with the play-offs until the closing weeks of the campaign after six consecutive seasons at the wrong end of the Conference South.
The division was won on the final day of 2016/17 season, Pritchard scoring ten times including a brace of goals which sealed promotion to the National League on that never to be forgotten day at Margate. Pritchard proved his versatility and commitment to the cause during the campaign by also filling in at full-back when required, demonstrating his ability in that role too. In our first ever National League season, Harry was in unstoppable form – top-scoring with scoring 16 goals in all competitions and attracting interest from EFL clubs. His early season late winner at York Road against promotion favourites and former Championship clubs Tranmere Rovers was a key moment in the Magpies beginning to feel like they truly belonged in the National League.
In the summer of 2018 – having made 225 starts in Black and White, been named a substitute a further 42 times and having scored 47 Maidenhead goals - he joined Blackpool and made his EFL debut made for the Tangerines on the opening day of 2018/19 season, ironically at the town of his birth – Wycombe. Pritchard made 50 appearances for Blackpool, scoring six times before enjoying a two season spell with Bradford City – where he notched up a further 44 games and scored seven goals.
In August 2021 he signed for National League side Eastleigh and the following season moved on to Barnet. On 23 August 2024, Pritchard had his Barnet contract terminated by mutual consent due to injury issues, but after a break from the game he came home and re-joined Maidenhead in a joint player and strength and conditioning coach role in July 2025. In pre-season 2025 Pritch rolled back the years and showed much of the quality Magpies fans had seen in his first spell, but a recurrence of the back injury he had suffered in recent times has limited Harry to three starts this season and a further twenty appearances on the substitutes bench. Harry has however been an integral part of the coaching staff under Alan Devonshire and latterly Ryan Peters this season.
We wish Harry, his wife Jessica and their two young daughters all the very best post-retirement from playing. You have represented our club as a fine and committed player and your legacy as a Maidenhead United legend is secure!
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