Carl Harris
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Carl Stephen Harris | ||
| Date of birth | 3 November 1956 | ||
| Place of birth | Neath, Wales | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Winger | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1973–1982 | Leeds United | 154 | (26) |
| 1982–1985 | Charlton Athletic | 76 | (7) |
| 1985–1987 | Bury | 38 | (4) |
| 1987 | Airdrieonians | 1 | (0) |
| 1988 | Rochdale | 25 | (3) |
| 1988–1989 | Exeter City | 16 | (1) |
| 1992–1994 | Briton Ferry Athletic | 68 | (7) |
| 1994 | Ton Pentre | 10 | (1) |
| 1994–1995 | Maesteg Park | 10 | (0) |
| 1995–1996 | Afan Lido | 54 | (2) |
| 1996 | Ton Pentre | 3 | (0) |
| 1996–1997 | Carmarthen Town | 26 | (1) |
| International career | |||
| Wales U23 | 1 | (0) | |
| 1976–1982 | Wales | 24 | (1) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Carl Stephen Harris (born 3 November 1956 in Neath) is a Welsh former international footballer. As a winger, Harris was noted for his express pace.[1][2] Former Ipswich Town and England captain Mick Mills is on record as saying Harris was the most difficult opponent he ever faced.[3]
Playing career
Leeds United
He was signed professionally for Leeds United in 1973 by Don Revie. Harris played under Jimmy Armfield and Jock Stein at Leeds and alongside Billy Bremner, Johnny Giles, Peter Lorimer, Norman Hunter, Allan Clarke, Paul Madeley, Paul Reaney and Eddie Gray.
A week after signing for Leeds, a young homesick Harris had returned to South Wales. However, Leeds thought he was worth pursuing and sent former player
It was brilliant to be honest. Trevor Cherry had equalised and I was on hand to win us the game. The Ipswich goalkeeper, Laurie Sivell, pushed Billy Bremner's shot away to his right and it looked like the ball was going out but I managed to get a left foot shot in which Sivell could only parry into his goal. It was right in front of the Kop and a great moment.[5]
Harris went on to play 156 (30 of which were as a sub) league games for Leeds, scoring 26 league goals, including ending the 1980–81 season as the club's top scorer with 10 goals. Counting cup matches Harris played a total of 176 games (40 as sub) for the club, scoring 29 goals.
Following one game against Arsenal at Highbury, where Harris tormented the home side all afternoon, he was reportedly subject of £700,000 bid from the Gunners,[6] in a time when 1 million pound transfers were still unusual.
Harris had been set to return to Leeds in 1985. Having played a few games for the Central League side to prove his fitness he was set to sign, but Leeds manager Eddie Gray was sacked and the deal fell through.[5]
Later career
Out of contract, he finally left
Wales
Harris won 24 full international caps and 1 under-23 cap (v Scotland) for Wales, all gained while at Leeds. Harris scored his only international goal in a 1–0 win against Turkey in a 1982 FIFA World Cup qualifying match. He made his full international debut in March 1976 against England at Wrexham, some eleven months after his club debut for Leeds. Harris picked up the last of his 24 caps in another game against England, at Cardiff in April 1982.[7]
References
- ISBN 0-907969-17-8) "One of the fastest players to pull on a pair of boots in the United dressing room was Welsh winger Carl Harris. He relied upon speed rather than finesse to beat defenders but he was so fast that he could turn defence into attack in the twinkling of an eye".
- ISBN 0-85112-568-9) "There were times when, as Carl Harris darted down the flanks and ran at defenders, he could cause as much panic among defences as any winger in the land. The Harris style would be to make rapid ground down the right and provide dangerous crosses or powerful shots from the edge of the penalty area that flew towards goal".
- ^ Article in Marshall Cavendish Football Handbook.
- ^ Eyewitness account of immediate family member.
- ^ a b "Sheridan Dictates".
- ^ Who's Who of Welsh International Soccer Players by Gareth Davies, Ian Garland
- Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 20 January 2010.
External links
- Carl Harris at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Transfer Database
- Welsh Premier profile