Former Fareham goalkeeper George Harris ready for ‘huge challenge’ of replacing Ben Barnes as head coach

He succeeds Ben Barnes, who has stepped down at the helm of the recently-relegated National Hockey League South club.

Harris will need little re-introduction at Fareham, having played at Henry Cort for seven years prior to dipping his toes into the coaching side of the game with South Premier Division outfit

Winchester.

Discussing his Fareham return, Harris said: ‘It’s a huge challenge taking over from Ben at Fareham, where I spent some of my most enjoyable times and where I have been lucky enough to make some lifelong friends.

‘The opportunity to come back and be able to put my own stamp on the playing side is too good to ignore.

‘It’s a close-knit family club with a great volunteer base and a good crop of young players coming through in the next few years.

‘I’m looking forward to building a team that those youngsters will aspire to and to create an

environment where they can tap into the enormous amount of experience already in the existing squad.

‘Of course, winning a few games generally helps with that.’

Harris, whose Winchester side narrowly staved off relegation from the South Premier this past season, will inherit a Fareham squad destined to drop down a rung on the hockey ladder.

They finished bottom of the National South Division with only two wins in 16 games. Though they still had two matches left to play when the season was halted, they trailed second-bottom Teddington by seven points.

Among their 12 defeats were some heavy beatings - 6-2 and 11-0 to champions Oxted, 6-0 and 7-1 to Sevenoaks and 8-1 at Oxford Hawks.

The club didn’t pick up a single point from their eight away league games.

They now await confirmation from England Hockey whether they will play in either Conference East or West hockey next autumn.

Harris acknowledges that his immediate - and most significant - task is to ensure that most of the club’s talented stream of youngsters remain.

Portsmouth Grammar School's Rory Buckeridge, striker Fergus Jackson and midfielder Rory Penrose are all in England development squads.

‘I need to speak to a few of them and try and tie down a couple who may be tempted by offers elsewhere,’ he said.

‘A lot of time and effort has been spent on youth development and I'm keen that, if possible, they all stay and progress with us, though I appreciate some will leave the area for university.

‘We need players who are proud to pull on the black Fareham shirt and are 100 per cent committed to the club if we are to achieve our goals.’

Harris had intended to retire from playing when he left Fareham at the end of the 2017/18 season. But Winchester’s depleted resources forced him out of his technical area and back between the posts again.

Winchester flirted with relegation all season, eventually finishing third from bottom of the South Premier League.

Harris said: ‘It was a huge effort by that group of players to get some crucial end-of-season wins. I’m immensely grateful for the effort the players put in and the spirit they showed to get over the line.

‘However, as soon as I knew Fareham were interested in having me back there was only one place I wanted to be.’

Outgoing head coach Barnes believes Harris will be a success at Fareham.

‘George was an obvious choice and first on my thoughts to take over. He knows the club, was a Fareham great during his spell between the sticks, and has played with many of the players,’ he said.

‘Most certainly he will have learned a great deal in his two years at Winchester.

‘I’m very pleased he has agreed to take over, I am sure he will do a great job and keep pushing the club forward.’