Through the Ranks

Through the Ranks

Name: Courtney Harris
Position: Central midfielder
Born: 07.09.91

In an age when young football players are more often than not portrayed as mercenaries who rise through the ranks at their local team, but then turn their back on their boyhood club in favour of riches elsewhere, it’s always refreshing to be reminded that it isn’t necessarily norm.

Take Fulham Academy midfielder Courtney Harris for example, who has been with the Club since he was eight-years-old.

“People talk about dreaming of playing in the big stadiums, but for me, I just want to play at Craven Cottage, I just want to get into that First Team and play well,” he says.

Having now been a Fulham player for eight seasons, 17-year-old Courtney still recalls happily the day he was spotted by a Fulham scout and invited for trial. “I must have impressed, because after the six weeks they signed me for a year, and it’s gone on from there,” he explains.

And so Harris has risen through the age groups at Motspur Park, to the stage where he signed scholarship forms with the Club this summer and is now acclimatising to life as a first year scholar in the Fulham Academy.

“It’s been very different to previous seasons,” he says. “Coming in full-time, it’s a lot more hard work. It was difficult at first, especially the fitness side, but once you get through that initial shock, it’s ok.

“It demands a lot more of your body, but I’m feeling the benefit now. I feel a lot fitter, and a lot stronger going into tackles. I’m lasting a lot longer in matches too and I can perform better for longer periods because of our pre-season [tour to Germany].”

A central midfield regular in Gary Brazil’s Under-18 side, Courtney sets himself high standards, naming Paul Scholes as the player he tries to emulate.

“In his younger days he could attack and defend and cover the whole pitch,” he describes. “He had excellent passing and I think passing is my strong point, so I’ve tried to model myself on him. He’s strong, he’s physical and he may be small, but he puts himself about really well. As he’s got older he’s not as fit, but he’s adapted the way he plays, which I think is clever.”

Harris recognises that he has a long way to go before he reaches the heights of the Manchester United star, and lists “tracking back, defending, tackling and heading”, as attributes he needs to improve to help him become “a more complete player”, but for now he is content with the progress he is making at a Club where he feels at home.

“I like it here because I’ve been here such a long time,” he explains. “The staff are really nice, the facilities are excellent, compared even to some of the ‘bigger’ clubs we go to. We have good coaching, I like my team-mates, and it’s good to be able to mingle with the First Team too, because they talk to us and give us advice. I clean Clint Dempsey’s boots and we talk about how things are going for him, he asks me how things are going for me, and it’s good to communicate with them because they’ve got all the experience.”

He’s also enjoyed recent opportunities to step up a level into the Development Squad. “It’s good to get the experience,” he says. “I like Billy [McKinlay]. He’s aggressive, but I like that in a coach and it’s a good experience playing for him, so hopefully I can play some more.

“My targets at the moment are hopefully to get into the Reserve Team more regularly, be it on the bench or starting, and see if I can get the opportunity to train with the First Team. I just want to do my best to try and impress over the next couple of years and hopefully get into the main squad.”

And ultimately? “To make a career out of the game and be at Fulham for a very long time, because I’ve loved the Club since I first came here.”