New boss Harris eager to carry on the Harvest Home success story

Steve Harris is eager to carry on the Harvest Home success story.
Harvest Home celebrate winning the Hampshire Vase following a 4-1 final win over FC Strawberry at Front Lawn in Havant last month. Pic: Martyn White.Harvest Home celebrate winning the Hampshire Vase following a 4-1 final win over FC Strawberry at Front Lawn in Havant last month. Pic: Martyn White.
Harvest Home celebrate winning the Hampshire Vase following a 4-1 final win over FC Strawberry at Front Lawn in Havant last month. Pic: Martyn White.

The defender has been appointed manager of the Hampshire Premier League club after Ray Ogilvie, the man who masterminded a 100 per cent win record last season, stepped down.

He is no stranger to the club, having played for Harvest since the start of the 2018/19 season.

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But Harris - who celebrates his 38th birthday this week - has now called time on his playing career in a bid to concentrate on his first managerial role.

New Harvest Home manager Steve HarrisNew Harvest Home manager Steve Harris
New Harvest Home manager Steve Harris

‘I love this club,’ he said.

‘It’s given me the chance to win things and to make good friends, so it’s time I put something back.

‘I want to take this club as far as we can, though I know grounds and facilities can set your limit.

‘Harvest has only been going four seasons, it’s still in its infancy.

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‘We’ve only got the one team, so we need to carry on learning, carry on improving and carry on growing.

‘I’d like us to have some kids teams, an under-18s, a reserve side. You need all those teams if you want to become bigger and better, you can’t do it with just one team.

‘We need to become more professional, on and off the pitch, but the club have a vision - ‘the people at the club are ambitious and so am I.’

Harris signed for Harvest two years ago after being impressed by the club when he played against them for Drayton.

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Based in the Navy, prior to that he was travelling back to his native south Wales every weekend to play for Vale United in his home town of Bridgend.

Now living in Fareham with a young family, Harris said: ‘I’m here to stay at Harvest - this is not a stop-gap for me.

‘The squad we’ve got is capable of playing at a higher level.

‘We’ve got the perfect balance of youth and experience - we’ve got pace, strength, and I’ve got cover in every position.

‘I’m very happy with the squad I’ve got.’

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Harris has already made a few new signings - welcoming striker Zak McGregor, midfielder James Coates and winger Michael Griffin back to the club.

Fred Goldring, another who had previously appeared for Harvest, has also returned after a spell with Meon Milton in the Mid-Solent League.

Harris has been used to winning silverware in recent years. In 2016/17 he helped Vale United to a Vale of Glamorgan League treble, and last season he was part of the Harvest squad that won all 23 league and cup games they played prior to lockdown.

‘We didn’t end up winning the trophies our performances deserved,’ he said, as two Mid-Solent League cup competitions were cancelled at the semi-final stage.

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Harvest, though, did win the MSL title - which was decided on a points-per-game basis - and last month also lifted the 2019/20 Hampshire Vase following a 4-1 win at Front Lawn against their former MSL rivals FC Strawberry.

Elected to the Hampshire Premier League Division 1 in the summer, Harvest’s first step 8 game saw them beaten 3-0 by Denmead. But they haven’t lost since and entered the second lockdown fifth in the table with games in hand on all the teams above them.

Ogilvie, meanwhile, resigned following a ‘misunderstanding’ with a sponsor which has subsequently been sorted out.

He is keen to make a quick return to football – either as a manager or as an assistant at a club higher up the pyramid.

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To start with, he has been invited by Ryan Lambert – manager of Wessex League Premier Division club Hamble - to come and watch some training sessions when lockdown restrictions are eased.

‘I’ve got lots of energy, lots of get up and go, but it has to be right fit for the club and myself.

‘I’ve got lots of experience, but there’s still lots to learn.’

As for Harvest, he said: ‘I wish them all the best.

‘They’ve got some massive games coming up but if they win their games in hand they’ll be second.

‘Losing Jake Daniels to Paulsgrove is a big blow, though – it will be interesting to see how they get on without him.’