Harris: 'I hope my first goal comes sooner rather than later'
Shrimpers striker Neil Harris will enter the Roots Hall arena for the first time in a League game after a lifetime of supporting the club and his Dad taking him to stand in the North Bank.
Harris told www.echo-news.co.uk: “I've done it the long way round but it's going to be a very special moment for me tomorrow. When I was a kid I would pretend to be playing for Southend when I was at the park, in the garden or even in my lounge with the sponge ball so for it to finally happen will be fantastic.”
However, after finally joining Southend on a freebie from Millwall where he was held in the highest regards, he knows the goals have to be scored and the results to follow or all those hopes and dreams will turn to dust soon enough.
Harris continued: “I want the team to be successful and that's what matters the most. Playing here means a lot to me because it's where my late father took me to my first ever game but I'm not going to be enjoying it if we're not winning."
And it all starts against Hereford United on Saturday who Harris appreciates will not be a walkover if the Shrimpers are going to get the start the faithful are expecting.
He said: "You can get all kinds of bizarre results early on in the season so we have to make sure we have the right attitude and desire to avoid us slipping up. If we can do that we're confident about our chances and it would certainly be nice to get off to a good start. I hope my first goal comes sooner rather than later but I'd much rather get the three points tomorrow than score. That matters more to me and we want to get up and running as quickly as we can.”
Bomber to grab the winner, we wouldn't put it past him.
 A mural of Harris in Banksy style outside The Den |
|||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Neil Harris | ||
| Date of birth | 12 July 1977 | ||
| Place of birth | Orsett, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||
| Playing position | Striker | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Southend United | ||
| Number | 9 | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1997–1998 | Cambridge City | 64 | (43) |
| 1998–2004 | Millwall | 233 | (93) |
| 2004 | → Cardiff City (loan) | 3 | (1) |
| 2004–2007 | Nottingham Forest | 33 | (1) |
| 2005–2006 | → Gillingham (loan) | 36 | (6) |
| 2007–2011 | Millwall | 147 | (32) |
| 2011– | Southend United | 0 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 13 May 2011. † Appearances (Goals). |
|||
(Player info supplied by Wikipedia, for the full article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Harris_(footballer_born_1977)