Wayne Harrison (footballer, born 1967) facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Wayne Harrison | ||
| Date of birth | 15 November 1967 | ||
| Place of birth | Stockport, England | ||
| Date of death | 25 December 2013 (aged 46) | ||
| Place of death | Stockport, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | ||
| Playing position | Striker | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1984–1985 | Oldham Athletic | 6 | (1) |
| 1985–1991 | Liverpool | 0 | (0) |
| 1985 | → Oldham Athletic (loan) | 1 | (0) |
| 1988 | → Crewe Alexandra (loan) | 3 | (1) |
| Total | 10 | (2) | |
|
|||
Wayne Harrison was an English footballer who played as a striker. He was born on November 15, 1967, and passed away on December 25, 2013. Wayne became famous for a big move from Oldham Athletic to Liverpool. At the time, he was the world's most expensive 17-year-old player. Sadly, his time at Liverpool was cut short by many injuries. These injuries forced him to stop playing football when he was only 23 years old.
Contents
Wayne Harrison's Football Journey
Starting Out in Football
Wayne Harrison was born in Stockport, England. He grew up loving Liverpool and looked up to famous players like Kenny Dalglish and Kevin Keegan.
He began his football career at Oldham Athletic. Wayne quickly moved up to the first team. He became Oldham's youngest player ever at just 16 years old.
The Big Move to Liverpool
In December 1984, while playing for Oldham, Wayne scored two goals against Liverpool in the FA Youth Cup. Oldham won that game. The manager of Liverpool, Joe Fagan, was very impressed. He decided to try and sign Wayne.
In January 1985, Wayne signed with Liverpool for £250,000. This made him the most expensive 17-year-old footballer in the world at that time. Other big clubs like Everton, Nottingham Forest, and Manchester United also wanted him. Joe Fagan called Wayne a "special player."
Battling Injuries
Wayne's time at Liverpool was very tough because of many injuries. One time, he had a dangerous accident where he fell through a greenhouse. He lost a lot of blood but thankfully recovered.
After recovering, he went on loan to Oldham Athletic and Crewe Alexandra. A loan means a player temporarily plays for another team. He played a total of 10 games in the Football League during these loans.
Wayne worked hard and became the top scorer for Liverpool's reserve team in the 1989–90 season. He scored 17 goals in 28 games. This helped the team win the Central League title.
An Early Retirement
Just as Wayne was about to join Liverpool's main team, he got a very serious knee injury. This injury could not be fixed. It forced him to stop playing football in 1991 when he was only 23. He never got to play a first-team game for Liverpool. Because of his injury, he also missed his special "testimonial game" in 1992. This game was planned between Oldham and Liverpool at Boundary Park to celebrate his career.
Later Life
After leaving professional football, Wayne still played football for fun in a Sunday League. He also worked as a lorry driver for a local company.
Wayne passed away on December 25, 2013, at the age of 46. He died in his hometown at Stepping Hill Hospital after an illness.
