Carl Harris
Carl Stephen Harris is a Welsh former international footballer. As a winger, Harris was noted for his express pace. Former Ipswich Town and England captain Mick Mills is on record as saying Harris was the most difficult opponent he ever faced.
Playing career
Leeds United
He was signed professionally for Leeds United in 1973 by Don Revie. Harris played under Jimmy Armfield and Jock Stein at Leeds and alongside Billy Bremner, Johnny Giles, Peter Lorimer, Norman Hunter, Allan Clarke, Paul Madeley, Paul Reaney and Eddie Gray.A week after signing for Leeds, a young homesick Harris had returned to South Wales. However, Leeds thought he was worth pursuing and sent former player John Charles to persuade him to return. On 6 November 1974, Harris made his first team debut for Leeds, three days after his 18th birthday, in a European Cup second round tie at Elland Road v Hungarian champions Ujpest Dosza, coming on as a second-half substitute for Peter Lorimer in a 3–0 win. Five months later on 19 April 1975 Harris made his League debut, again coming on as a substitute, this time for Johnny Giles in a Division One match against Ipswich Town at Elland Road. Leeds went on to win that game 2–1, with Harris netting the winner. Harris reminisced,
It was brilliant to be honest. Trevor Cherry had equalised and I was on hand to win us the game. The Ipswich goalkeeper, Laurie Sivell, pushed Billy Bremner's shot away to his right and it looked like the ball was going out but I managed to get a left foot shot in which Sivell could only parry into his goal. It was right in front of the Kop and a great moment.
Harris went on to play 156 league games for Leeds, scoring 26 league goals, including ending the 1980–81 season as the club's top scorer with 10 goals. Counting cup matches Harris played a total of 176 games for the club, scoring 29 goals.
Following one game against Arsenal at Highbury, where Harris tormented the home side all afternoon, he was reportedly subject of £700,000 bid from the Gunners, in a time when 1 million pound transfers were still unusual.
Harris had been set to return to Leeds in 1985. Having played a few games for the Central League side to prove his fitness he was set to sign, but Leeds manager Eddie Gray was sacked and the deal fell through.