Bob Harris

[Pierre's PC]

How Harris escaped criticism whilst he was at Utd is beyond me - perhaps all due to him doing a funny wave on camera to one of his mates?!?!

Defensively shocking (as bad as any in the last 5 years and that's a low bar!!!), poor positionally, extremely injury prone, made to look as though he'd never kicked a ball (or player) before by Nathan Byrne in the play-off semi (which contributed to the misguided heralding of Byrne as a genius by some), yet he his remembered as a great player for Utd by far more people than he deserves - I would guess it is mainly those who demanded the signing of Bogle, Taylor, Gregory, Akinde etc. without actually ever having seen them play.

Approximately 1.8% of that post is true.

 

[Sean Thornton]

With regards to Quinn, most of his derision came when we were in the championship and Blackwell had him hooking it on at every opportunity.

When we were in League 1, under Wilson, in a passing team, he proved his worth. I think he was the league's top assister.

Yep. And still he got stick.

 

[Sean Thornton]

How Harris escaped criticism whilst he was at Utd is beyond me - perhaps all due to him doing a funny wave on camera to one of his mates?!?!

Defensively shocking (as bad as any in the last 5 years and that's a low bar!!!), poor positionally, extremely injury prone, made to look as though he'd never kicked a ball (or player) before by Nathan Byrne in the play-off semi (which contributed to the misguided heralding of Byrne as a genius by some), yet he his remembered as a great player for Utd by far more people than he deserves - I would guess it is mainly those who demanded the signing of Bogle, Taylor, Gregory, Akinde etc. without actually ever having seen them play.

"Great player " ?

Wer u read this pal?

 

[west_yorks_blade]

Approximately 1.8% of that post is true.

'he was at united'

 

[Sean Thornton]

Ah we didn't get promoted, that was it.

Bladesman, I think you're either Paul Woolhouse or Woodwardfans evil twin.......

 

[Sean Thornton]

'he was at united'

Think that was just a lucky guess.

 

[west_yorks_blade]

Think that was just a lucky guess.

It was either that or just an assortment of joining words - 'and', 'of' etc.

 

[Sean Thornton]

It was either that or just an assortment of joining words - 'and', 'of' etc.

Proving Pinchy wrong about the monkey/typewriter theory maybe?

 

[wizadry]

How Harris escaped criticism whilst he was at Utd is beyond me - perhaps all due to him doing a funny wave on camera to one of his mates?!?!

Defensively shocking (as bad as any in the last 5 years and that's a low bar!!!), poor positionally, extremely injury prone, made to look as though he'd never kicked a ball (or player) before by Nathan Byrne in the play-off semi (which contributed to the misguided heralding of Byrne as a genius by some), yet he his remembered as a great player for Utd by far more people than he deserves - I would guess it is mainly those who demanded the signing of Bogle, Taylor, Gregory, Akinde etc. without actually ever having seen them play.

He never escaped criticism.

He was a better attacking player than Lafferty but Lafferty is a far better defender and has a better injury record so on balance I think we have it just about right seen as though a defender should primarily be better at defending.

If we go to a four at the back Lafferty will be seen in a better light but the system we're playing now, Harris would suit it better than Lafferty as we don't really do much defending at all.

 

[Deadbat]

Always thought he was a very good full back. There certainly weren't, and aren't, many we came up against where I thought 'I'd rather have him than Bob' in our league.

Really? Nobody has even given him a trial until now - he cannot have been that good. Poor positionally and undone by pace/trickery.

Harris was also injury prone. When he played he had a decent run the seaosn we had that cup run as did Flynn, Baxter etc and was good for maybe half a season. For the most part whenever he played a good winger he struggled. That night v Swindon at home in the playoff game he was abysmal and torn apart by Byrne.

I do find it funny how so many of our former player over the last few years (such as Harris, Flynn etc) are praised when the reality is we are stuck in this crap division because we persisted with rubbish like them for so long The guy could not get a game at Fleetwood (who were poor last season) and nobody even gave him even a short term contract until now. Says it all.

 

[Grappler]

Nice goal, but a very poor attempt to grow a beard.......

 

[Dnblade]

I quite liked Bob,and thought it was a great bit of business bringing him in for that donkey McMahon...we went from a Full Back pairing of McMahon and Hill to Brayford and Harris..no comparison,and for a short stint let's be right,Bob was about the best Left Back in League One for me..who was better?..Yes he was a bit rash at times,and better going forward,but had a goal in him and delivered some great crosses..especially from deep where he used to bend it in behind the Centre Backs...Don't agree with DB and those saying he got roasted by Byrne..Byrne scored a 30 yarder in the first leg...hardly Harris's fault,and apart from that flattered to deceive..2nd leg I think he may have got the better of Bob when he got past him to cut a ball back for one of the early goals,and didn't Harris put a couple of good crosses in for two of our goals that day...Injuries were his downfall I suppose...I'd put his time down at the Lane as decent,we've had far worse.

 

[wizadry]

I quite liked Bob,and thought it was a great bit of business bringing him in for that donkey McMahon...we went from a Full Back pairing of McMahon and Hill to Brayford and Harris..no comparison,and for a short stint let's be right,Bob was about the best Left Back in League One for me..who was better?..Yes he was a bit rash at times,and better going forward,but had a goal in him and delivered some great crosses..especially from deep where he used to bend it in behind the Centre Backs...Don't agree with DB and those saying he got roasted by Byrne..Byrne scored a 30 yarder in the first leg...hardly Harris's fault,and apart from that flattered to deceive..2nd leg I think he may have got the better of Bob when he got past him to cut a ball back for one of the early goals,and didn't Harris put a couple of good crosses in for two of our goals that day...Injuries were his downfall I suppose...I'd put his time down at the Lane as decent,we've had far worse.

Spot on mate. People are basing Harris been shite on one twatting game, the Swindon one. What about the other fourty odd games where he provided a number of chances and bombed up and down that left flank all day? A very underrated player for us.

 

[Dnblade]

Spot on mate. People are basing Harris been shite on one twatting game, the Swindon one. What about the other fourty odd games where he provided a number of chances and bombed up and down that left flank all day? A very underrated player for us.

Cheers pal,and he was a big improvement on Hill,who had a great attitude but lacked quality,and oddly had a couple of good games filling in at Centre Back if I remember right.

 

[wizadry]

Cheers pal,and he was a big improvement on Hill,who had a great attitude but lacked quality,and oddly had a couple of good games filling in at Centre Back if I remember right.

Indeed. Hill wasn't bad at all at CB for his height but he was fucking awful at LB and nearly always used to find touch with a pass or punt upfield.

 

[SHOREHAMST.com]

He was absolutely dreadful.

 

[Russ]

He's been busy on radio two recently on that Bob Harris country. I've enjoyed listening to Maren Morris. And wow she is a stunner too! Digressing....

 

[Kozzy_is_my_Dad]

Nice goal, but a very poor attempt to grow a beard.......

Always thought the bloke looked like he was wearing eye liner.

I quite liked Bob,and thought it was a great bit of business bringing him in for that donkey McMahon...we went from a Full Back pairing of McMahon and Hill to Brayford and Harris..no comparison,and for a short stint let's be right,Bob was about the best Left Back in League One for me..who was better?..Yes he was a bit rash at times,and better going forward,but had a goal in him and delivered some great crosses..especially from deep where he used to bend it in behind the Centre Backs...Don't agree with DB and those saying he got roasted by Byrne..Byrne scored a 30 yarder in the first leg...hardly Harris's fault,and apart from that flattered to deceive..2nd leg I think he may have got the better of Bob when he got past him to cut a ball back for one of the early goals,and didn't Harris put a couple of good crosses in for two of our goals that day...Injuries were his downfall I suppose...I'd put his time down at the Lane as decent,we've had far worse.

I liked him too, like you say, great bit of business with Blackpool.

 

[ShockingBadBuy]

Always wanted the ball, Bob, always showed for it, always available. In teams stuffed with hiders and cowards.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

Yep. And still he got stick.

Did he?


Maybe from one or two with some sort of agenda. Can’t say I recall that being the general feeling at the time. Most agreed he was very good at this level. I do remember a few, including myself though expressing an opinion that it would also be nice to have a wide option with a lot of pace.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

Really? Nobody has even given him a trial until now - he cannot have been that good. Poor positionally and undone by pace/trickery.

Harris was also injury prone. When he played he had a decent run the seaosn we had that cup run as did Flynn, Baxter etc and was good for maybe half a season. For the most part whenever he played a good winger he struggled. That night v Swindon at home in the playoff game he was abysmal and torn apart by Byrne.

I do find it funny how so many of our former player over the last few years (such as Harris, Flynn etc) are praised when the reality is we are stuck in this crap division because we persisted with rubbish like them for so long The guy could not get a game at Fleetwood (who were poor last season) and nobody even gave him even a short term contract until now. Says it all.

I’d say Harris and Flynn were average League 1 players who at some point or another had a good run of form and plenty of poor runs too. Out of the 2, I’d say Harris was slightly better than Flynn. Overall, they were the sort of players who saw us stay in the top half of the league but never threaten the top 2. They could “do a job” but didn’t excel at this level except for those odd purple patches. Both were injury prone too which didn’t help. If Harris had not had the injuries, perhaps his legacy here could have been better than so-so.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

I quite liked Bob,and thought it was a great bit of business bringing him in for that donkey McMahon...we went from a Full Back pairing of McMahon and Hill to Brayford and Harris..no comparison,and for a short stint let's be right,Bob was about the best Left Back in League One for me..who was better?..Yes he was a bit rash at times,and better going forward,but had a goal in him and delivered some great crosses..especially from deep where he used to bend it in behind the Centre Backs...Don't agree with DB and those saying he got roasted by Byrne..Byrne scored a 30 yarder in the first leg...hardly Harris's fault,and apart from that flattered to deceive..2nd leg I think he may have got the better of Bob when he got past him to cut a ball back for one of the early goals,and didn't Harris put a couple of good crosses in for two of our goals that day...Injuries were his downfall I suppose...I'd put his time down at the Lane as decent,we've had far worse.

You missed the bit where Bob chopped him down to concede a penalty in the first leg (first half during a period where Byrne skinned him a few times in quick succession). He was always prone to a rash tackle in our outside the box (Vale away on Boxing day- Think it was Mark Marshall that tore him a new one that day before he gave away a penalty that won it for them).



But yeah, he did have a good cross on him and was a better LB than McEveley in my opinion.

 

[Iceybabey]

Lads a sick note thats why we got rid

 

[Mouth of the South]

A shocking player who somehow escaped almost all criticism whilst at the club, whose career highlight was waving at someone in the crowd and who is almost entirely to blame for some on here's obsession with Nathan Byrne due a shambolic performance against him in the play offs has unsurprisingly been released again - this time by Bristol Rovers.

 

[bartman]

A shocking player who somehow escaped almost all criticism whilst at the club, whose career highlight was waving at someone in the crowd and who is almost entirely to blame for some on here's obsession with Nathan Byrne due a shambolic performance against him in the play offs has unsurprisingly been released again - this time by Bristol Rovers.

and yet he was our best player at Wembley against Hull , Not bad for a 'shocking player'

 

[Booker4]

A shocking player who somehow escaped almost all criticism whilst at the club, whose career highlight was waving at someone in the crowd and who is almost entirely to blame for some on here's obsession with Nathan Byrne due a shambolic performance against him in the play offs has unsurprisingly been released again - this time by Bristol Rovers.

Think that's harsh mate, he was only brought in for short term cover/back up and now they'll no doubt be looking to one of their own youngsters or to bring in a younger replacement. Bob's career is winding down now it seems, injuries have taken their toll but at United he clearly liked the club and the fans and gave us decent service, particularly in his first 4 months under Clough.

That game v Byrne, I think he'd have torn a new one in any defender that day!

 

[Mouth of the South]

and yet he was our best player at Wembley against Hull , Not bad for a 'shocking player'

You reckon? Check out his 'contribution' for Hull's final goal - he runs in totally the wrong direction. From memory, Murphy, Coady and Baxter were the stand-outs that day.

 

[Fanny magnet]

A shocking player who somehow escaped almost all criticism whilst at the club, whose career highlight was waving at someone in the crowd and who is almost entirely to blame for some on here's obsession with Nathan Byrne due a shambolic performance against him in the play offs has unsurprisingly been released again - this time by Bristol Rovers.

Totally agree ,made Byrne's career that day

 

[BushBlade]

He was OK. A decent L1 player. No more, no less. Played a part in some good wins, particularly in the cup, and also involved in some poor defeats. Not the worst player we've had whilst down here.

 

[Ginger Gnome]

Jamie Murphy's failure to help out defensively was a large reason for Harris being so exposed against Byrne, and he's managed to go on to have a good career despite that. One game doesn't make or break anyone and anyone who judges Harris purely on that game is as much of an idiot as anyone who rates Byrne just on that game, it's still Byrne's career highlight, so it's not like it made him, he's now a bang average League 1 player, exactly the same as he was then, albeit with a bit of failure in the Championship in between.

Signing Bob Harris meant we got rid of Tony McMahon and for that alone it was worth it.