Leeds United winger Jack Harrison has opened up on his unique journey to the Premier League, sharing the sacrifices made by his Mum as a youngster, most notably allowing him to go to the United States on a football scholarship.
The Englishman has started the 2022/23 campaign in stellar form, assisting three goals whilst scoring one of his own in the 3-0 rout of Chelsea at Elland Road last weekend with Leeds picking up seven points from their opening four Premier League matches.
Speaking to Football Focus on his childhood, Harrison revealed: “It’s always a difficult question to answer [why do you play football?] I feel like it’s something that I’ve always been a part of.
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“My Mum said that as soon as I could walk, ten months old, I was kicking a ball around the house and my Mum has stories of me sleeping with my ball, sleepwalking and dribbling to the bathroom in the night and things like that. It’s always been a part of my life and a part of my passions and something that I’ve always loved.
“I grew up a Liverpool fan so Steven Gerrard and Michael Owen [were my heroes] but the biggest one for me was Ronaldinho. I always loved watching his technique and touches and he was just an icon for me.
“There’s been a lot of coaches, a lot of friends and family that have helped push me but I think the one person that I can say has been through it all and provided the most for me has been my Mum.
“I went to Man. United academy, I was there until the age of 14 and my Mum did a lot of research and provided me with this opportunity to go to the US on a football scholarship. I started my professional career in New York City which was unbelievable. It was a great platform. And then I made my way back across the pond to England.
“I think the main thing for me is that I’ve always had this dream of making it as a professional and I’ve been really grateful for my Mum to provide that opportunity for me. She sacrificed so much for me and I’m aware of everything she did for me and I’m trying to repay her for all her time and effort that she put into me when I was younger.
“I understand how difficult it was for her, especially as a single mother as well and me being her only child and going to the US at 14. I can’t imagine how hard it must have been.”
The winger also shared an amusing anecdote involving his current manager, revealing that current Leeds boss Jesse Marsch was in the opposite dugout when Harrison made his senior debut for New York City FC, with Marsch the manager of Red Bull New York at the time.
“The first time I ever faced Jesse was my professional debut and we were losing, I think 5-0 at home against his Red Bull team,” Harrison laughed. “The game ended up finishing 7-0 but Patrick [Vieira] put me on and said go on and have fun and that’s exactly what I did. It’s something I’ve always despised him for, ruining my professional debut!”
With New York City owned by the City Football Group, like Manchester City, the Citizens swooped in for the winger in January 2018 and instantly loaned him out to Championship side Middlesbrough before he started what would end up being a three-year loan at Leeds that summer.
The move was finally made permanent last summer, with the Englishman scoring 29 goals and providing 25 assists in 170 appearances for the Whites, helping them to promotion back to the Premier League whilst also playing a major role in their survival last season.
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