Bob Harris (footballer) explained

Bob Harris
Fullname:Robert Harris[1]
Birth Date:28 August 1987
Birth Place:Glasgow, Scotland
Position:Left back
Youthclubs1:Clyde
Youthclubs2:Rangers
Youthclubs3:Clyde
Years1:2004–2007
Clubs1:Clyde
Caps1:41
Goals1:0
Years2:2007–2011
Caps2:106
Goals2:10
Years3:2011–2014
Clubs3:Blackpool
Caps3:11
Goals3:0
Years4:2012
Clubs4:Rotherham United (loan)
Caps4:5
Goals4:1
Years5:2014
Clubs5:Sheffield United (loan)
Caps5:0
Goals5:0
Years6:2014–2016
Clubs6:Sheffield United
Caps6:58
Goals6:3
Years7:2016
Clubs7:Fleetwood Town (loan)
Caps7:1
Goals7:0
Years8:2017
Clubs8:Bristol Rovers
Caps8:5
Goals8:0
Years9:2017
Clubs9:Telford United
Caps9:0
Goals9:0
Years10:2018
Clubs10:Telford United
Caps10:8
Goals10:0
Years11:2019
Caps11:5
Goals11:0
Club-Update:07:48, 10 April 2019 (UTC)

Robert Harris (born 28 August 1987) is a Scottish football player who plays at semi-professional level as a left back.

Born in Glasgow, Harris started his career senior at Clyde. At Queen of the South he made over 100 first team appearances, including in the 2008 Scottish Cup final, and scored in the UEFA Cup. He next moved to England playing for Blackpool and on loan at Rotherham United. He then joined Sheffield United, featuring in FA Cup and Football League Cup semi-finals as well as a divisional play-off semi final. He later featured in a small number of matches for Fleetwood Town on loan, Bristol Rovers and Telford United.

Career

Clyde

Raised in the Croftfoot district of Glasgow,[2] Harris began his youth career with Clyde, but moved to Rangers (the team he supported as a child)[3] for a year, before returning to the Bully Wee's setup.

Harris signed professional terms for Clyde at the start of the 2004–05 season, and made his senior début on the last day of the campaign, playing the full ninety minutes in a 1–1 draw against Ross County. He played more games the following season, including Clyde's 5–2 defeat (after extra-time) to Rangers in the Scottish League Cup, and won the penalty which gave Clyde the lead.

Harris got an extended run in the team in the latter half of the 2006–07 season, due to injury to Neil McGregor.

Queen of the South

Harris signed for Dumfries club Queen of the South in July 2007, scoring his first senior goal against Dunfermline Athletic in a 1–1 draw in mid-March.[4]

In the 2008 Scottish Cup final, it was a Harris free kick that was headed home by Jim Thomson to make the score 2–2; Rangers ran out 3–2 winners.[5] He scored his first goal in the 2008–09 season with a free kick away to FC Nordsjælland in the UEFA Cup second qualification round.[6] [7] This made him the only Queens player to score in the away leg of a UEFA competition.

Harris made his 100th appearance for Queens on 22 August 2010 in the 3–1 league win away to Cowdenbeath.[8]

Harris said of his time in Dumfries "I've got to say I really enjoyed those four years at Queen of the South. It was a very special time in the club's history. I particularly enjoyed the 2008 Scottish Cup final, then playing in the UEFA Cup in Denmark and even scoring in Copenhagen was a bonus."[9]

Blackpool and Rotherham

After his contract with Queen of the South expired, Harris had a trial with English Championship side Blackpool.[10] After being involved in Blackpool's pre-season fixtures,[11] Harris signed a two-year deal with the option for a further twelve months;[12] he arranged to share a flat in the town with fellow Scottish player Barry Ferguson.[3] Harris' competitive debut for the Seasiders came in the League Cup defeat to Sheffield Wednesday on 11 August 2011.[13] Unable to claim a regular place in Blackpool's first team however, Harris did not make his Football League debut for the Seasiders until April 2012.

Harris joined Rotherham United on a one-month loan deal in September 2012, and said he would be open to extending the deal. However, Rotherham were unable to extend the deal as he was called back by parent club Blackpool after playing five games for the Millers.[14]

Sheffield United and Fleetwood Town

Blackpool loaned Harris to Nigel Clough's Sheffield United, playing in England's third tier, in January 2014; Blades defender Tony McMahon travelled in the opposite direction on a similar deal.[15] After making his club debut on 26 January 2014, in an FA Cup tie against Fulham, Harris signed a permanent deal for Sheffield United, with McMahon agreeing to remain with Blackpool on a permanent basis with the option of another year.[16] [17] At the time of Harris' arrival, United were in 19th place in the league, however they kicked on for a much more successful second half of the season. They made it to the FA Cup semi finals where they lost to a Hull City fightback, while in League One they finished seventh.[18]

Harris's contract with United was extended on 16 May 2014.[19] He scored his first goal for the Blades on 18 October 2014 against Bradford City in a 2–0 victory at Valley Parade.[20] He played in the first leg of the League Cup semi final against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane – Spurs won the leg 1–0 and went through 3–2 on aggregate after a 2–2 second leg draw. Harris didn't play in the second leg. A fifth place league finish earned a play off semi-final tie against Swindon Town; Harris played in both legs, which Sheffield United lost out 7–6 on aggregate.

On 18 February 2016, Harris signed for Fleetwood Town on loan for the rest of the season.[21]

Bristol Rovers

Harris signed for Bristol Rovers on 2 February 2017 on a short-term deal. He made his debut in a 1–1 draw away to Port Vale on 18 February 2017 which he marked with an own goal to give the opposition the lead.[22] After making only a few more appearances for The Gas, Harris was not offered a contract and it was confirmed he would leave the club at the end of the season.[23]

Telford United

In November 2017, Harris joined AFC Telford United of the National League North as cover for the club's regular left-back, who was cup-tied. He made one appearance, in a 0–1 FA Cup defeat at Hereford.[24] In March 2018 he rejoined the club for a second spell[25] but was not offered a new contract at the end of the season.[26]

FC United of Manchester

In February 2019 he joined FC United of Manchester.[27] He left the club in April 2019.[28]

Club statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational CupLeague CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
2004–05Scottish First Division1000000010
2005–06Scottish First Division200001010220
2006–07Scottish First Division200101000220
Total410102010450
2007–08Scottish First Division262601000330
2008–09Scottish First Division212111000233
2009–10Scottish First Division324002110355
2010–11Scottish First Division312102100343
Total1101081621012513
2011–12Championship504010100
2012–13Championship40100050
2013–14Championship40000040
Total1305010190
Rotherham United (loan)2012–13League Two51000051
Sheffield United (loan)2013–14League One00100010
2013–14League One1104000150
2014–15League One423607020573
2015–16League One5020000070
Total5831307020803
Fleetwood Town (loan)2015–16League One10000010
Bristol Rovers2016–17League One5000000050
Telford United2017–18National League North80100090
FC United of Manchester2018–19National League North10000010
Career total242142811624029017

Honours

Queen of the South

Runners-up 2007–08[5]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Professional retain list & free transfers 2012/13 . The Football League . 8 September 2013 . 6 . 18 May 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140802074454/http://www.football-league.co.uk/staticFiles/4e/bd/0%2C%2C10794~179534%2C00.pdf . 2 August 2014 .
  2. News: Croftfoot footballer Robert Harris hopes Queen of the South will get SPL status. Daily Record. 18 November 2009. 6 April 2018.
  3. News: I'm a Rangers fan but even I think club should be stripped of their dodgy titles, says ex-QoS ace Bob Harris. Daily Record. 20 June 2012. 6 April 2018.
  4. Web site: Queen of the South 1–1 Dunfermline. 17 March 2007. The Daily Record. 26 April 2008.
  5. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_cups/7416622.stm Queen of the South 2-3 Rangers
  6. News: Congratulations FC Nordsjælland. Queen of the South F.C.. 27 May 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121201055049/http://qosfc.com/new_newsview.aspx?newsid=1264. 1 December 2012. dead.
  7. Web site: Club History. Queen of the South F.C.. 1 February 2014.
  8. Web site: Match reaction. Queen of the South F.C.. 22 August 2010. 22 August 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20200407221650/http://www.qosstats.info/?newsid=129. 7 April 2020. dead.
  9. Web site: Bob moves to Blackpool. Queen of the South F.C.. 21 July 2011. 21 July 2011.
  10. Web site: Blackpool hand trial to 'new Crainey'. Blackpool Gazette. 2 April 2012. 6 July 2011.
  11. Web site: Match text: Blackpool 0 Rangers 2 . Blackpool F.C. . 19 July 2011 . 19 July 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120902124644/http://www.blackpoolfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10432~2396771%2C00.html . 2 September 2012 .
  12. Web site: Blackpool sign left-back Bob Harris on a two-year deal. BBC Sport. 22 July 2011. 22 July 2011.
  13. News: Sheffield Wednesday 0–0 Blackpool (4–2 penalties). BBC Sport. 11 August 2011. 2 April 2012 .
  14. News: Harris returns to Blackpool. Rotherham United F.C.. 25 October 2012. 29 October 2012 .
  15. Web site: Harris arrives as McMahon departs. Sheffield United F.C.. 24 January 2014. 24 January 2014.
  16. http://www.sufc.co.uk/news/article/20140131-harris-signs-full-deal-1332605.aspx Harris signs full deal
  17. Web site: Bob Harris joins Sheffield United. BBC Sport. 31 January 2014. 1 February 2014.
  18. Web site: Sheffield United results for the 2013-2014 season – Statto.com . 2016-08-04 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160831005437/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/sheffield-united/2013-2014/results . 31 August 2016 .
  19. News: Miller time over at Blades. Sky Sports News. 16 May 2014. 16 May 2014.
  20. News: Bradford 0 Sheff Utd 2. 19 October 2014. BBC Sport. 18 October 2014.
  21. Web site: Bob Harris: Fleetwood Town sign Sheffield United left-back on loan . BBC Sport . 18 February 2016 . 21 February 2016.
  22. Web site: Port Vale 1 Bristol Rovers 1: Five things we learned on a lacklustre afternoon at Vale Park. Bristol Post. 19 February 2017. 26 February 2017.
  23. https://www.bristolrovers.co.uk/news/2017/april/retained-list/ Retained List
  24. https://www.shropshirestar.com/sport/football/afc-telford-united/2017/11/06/bob-harriss-first-game-for-afc-telford-may-turn-out-to-be-his-last/ Bob Harris's first game for AFC Telford may turn out to be his last
  25. https://www.shropshirestar.com/sport/football/afc-telford-united/2018/03/01/afc-telford-boss-rob-edwards-hopeful-bob-harris-will-stick-around/ AFC Telford boss Rob Edwards hopeful Bob Harris will stick around
  26. https://www.shropshirestar.com/sport/2018/05/16/afc-telford-united-wont-offer-new-deals-to-paul-bignot-and-bob-harris/ AFC Telford United won't offer new deals to Paul Bignot and Bob Harris
  27. http://fc-utd.co.uk/story.php?story_id=8258 New Signing: Left Back Bob Harris
  28. Web site: Young Reds ready to impress at Darlington.