Harris: 'It is a life long dream to play here and represent the club'
After many years of rumour and speculation striker Neil Harris has agreed terms with Southend United and will sign a three-year contract with the club he started supporting as a kid once he undergoes a medical.
It's been well documented that he's been a Shrimpers supporter since he was a child, and for the first time he's spoken to the official site about those precious moments standing in the North Bank that some of the faithful of a certain age can still remember well!
However, though attending Roots Hall with his own kid, Neil has not allowed the boy to wear the Shrimpers shirt out of respect to his last club Millwall even after being hounded to do so, well, he can give him a free one now.
Harris told www.southendunited.co.uk: "I have always said to my boy that you have to be respectful to the team I play for so I've always sais he couldn't have a Southend shirt whilst I was at Millwall,. I've talked him out of it but when I told him I was coming today to sign the first thing he said was can I have a kit - I said of course he could!"
Based in Rayleigh Neil knows there have been plenty of words written about him joining the club in the past.
Harris continued: "There has been a bit of talk over the years, under Tilly a couple of times, and then more recently there was a bit of speculation but nothing got close until now. It is a bit surreal being out on the pitch earlier as over the last few years I have started bringing my son to watch and it is a special place with great memories and now I want to add to that on the pitch. Would i have gone anywhere else? No I don't think so. Coming here just made sense as it's the team I always supported and always watched - it is a life long dream to play here and represent the club."
Moving from Championship Millwall, a team he has been associated with for 11 years, was still a tough thing to do where the Lions faithful has passed on legendary staus to the forward who found the net 138 times over his two spells with the South London club.
Harris explained: "I have had some great times at Millwall and it is very emotional to leave but I have come for a new challenge. I leave some great friends behind but now I am a Southend United player and I want to score some goals and be successful there. This team should be in the league above if not the one above that and I want to take them back there. I want to play football and I couldn't imagine playing anywhere other than Millwall this time two or three years ago, until last year when I haven't really played. I met Paul Sturrock and Graham Coughlan and I was very impressed with what they both had to say and what they want to achieve here. On the pitch we have goood young players and maybe with a bit of experience we can be successful."
And so say all of us, welcome to the club Neil.
A good bit of business for the Blues: www.southendunited-mad.co.uk/interactive/voting_polls.asp
The Harris Saga
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 | Millwall | ||
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– | Millwall | 147 | (32) |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 13 May 2011. † Appearances (Goals). |