1999 → Preston (loan) Position Defender 1996–2000 Middlesbrough Height 1.83 m | Years Team Role Footballer Playing position Name Craig Harrison | |
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Date of birth (1977-11-10) 10 November 1977 (age 38) | ||
Place of birth Gateshead, England | ||
Craig harrison reflects on five years at the new saints fc
Craig Harrison (born 10 November 1977) is an English former professional footballer who played as a defender. He is the current manager of Hartlepool United. Between 2012 and 2017 he guided The New Saints to thirteen trophies including six successive Welsh Premier League titles.
Contents
- Craig harrison reflects on five years at the new saints fc
- Middlesbrough
- Crystal Palace
- Airbus UK Broughton
- The New Saints
- Hartlepool United
- Managerial Honours
- Managerial Statistics
- References
Middlesbrough
He was a product of the youth system at Middlesbrough, where he made a number of appearances during the 1997-98 promotion season under Bryan Robson. He was unfortunate not to play in the 1998 League Cup final, having been Boro's left-back in the three league games immediately before the final. However, he did play the full match as the club sealed promotion with a 4-1 final day win over Oxford United. He also started the club's first game back in the Premier League. Whilst at the club he had loan spells with Preston North End in 1999 and Crystal Palace in August 2000.
Crystal Palace
He joined Crystal Palace permanently the following month, and over the next two years made 34 league appearances for the club. In January 2002 he suffered a double compound fracture in his left leg whilst playing for the club's reserves against Reading. After nineteen months in rehabilitation and three operations, he subsequently retired from professional football in 2003. After retirement he battled depression and worked on property renovation and resale.
Airbus UK Broughton
In the spring of 2008 he was appointed Assistant Manager of Welsh Premier League side Airbus UK Broughton after a chance meeting with the then manager Gareth Owen. In the summer of 2008 Craig was appointed manager. In January 2010 he announced he was registering himself as a player for the club.. He subsequently became Director of Football at the club.
The New Saints
In December 2011, Harrison was unveiled as Director of Football and Manager of The New Saints
In his first season, the oversaw TNS being crowned the 2011–12 Welsh Premier League Champions, as well as the winning the Welsh Cup. He won the Welsh Premier League again the 2013/2014 season, before securing the Welsh Premier League for the third year running and becoming the first team in Europe to win their domestic league.
In May 2017 he was named Welsh Premier League manager of the season, having led the side to their sixth successive Welsh Premier League title, as well as the Welsh League Cup and breaking Ajax's 44-year-old world record for the longest winning streak in top-flight football.
Hartlepool United
A few days later he was appointed manager of Hartlepool United.