Mike Harrison

[4000Holes]

Very sad to learn that Mike Harrison passed away.  Mike was part of one of the most exciting forward lines ever to play for Rovers.

RIP 

[Stonesrick]

Ferguson, McEvoy, Pickering, Douglas, Harrison

RIP Mike - terrific winger

[philipl]

Another great from my childhood passing RIP

[Burrells Boy]

Great memories, RIP Mike

[den]

Massive thighs, a lot of pace and thunderbolt of a shot.

RIP Mike. Loved watching you and you were part of that fantastic attacking side of the early sixties.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

That's a shame. One of my boyhood heroes. He was like a taller quicker version of Mark Hughes without the aggression. Thighs like tree trunks but pace to go with it plus a terrific shot in either foot. A member of the best strike force we ever had. The best penalty taker I ever saw in a Rovers shirt, he side footed them in like rockets ! RIP Mike and thanks for some great memories.  

Edited January 28, 2019 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[jim mk2]

Sad day for Rovers fans of a certain age who remember him as a very good player and part of probably the best forward line to wear the famous blue and white halved shirt.  He was a powerful winger with a distinctive running style and tremendous shot - his penalties used to almost break the back of the net. As an awestruck schoolboy circa 1963 I saw him at Sudell Cross coming out of the excellent bookshop there and getting into his new VW.  55 years ago but seems only like yesterday. 

[Hanks]

Sad to hear, he was a regular when I first started going. R.I.P

[tonygreenbank]

A great player for us. One of the most exciting wingers I’ve seen at Rovers. He had an incredible shot on him and some of his goals were Sheareresque in quality. RIP Mike Harrison 

[mick]

I echo all the sentiments expressed. Full backs were really worried about having to play an in form Mike Harrison. He could be terrifying! I don’t ever remember him ever getting booked let alone sent off. 

[Mercer]

R.I.P. Mike Harrison.

An absolute flying machine who had the lot.  Probably the best penalty taker I have ever seen.  A joy to watch.

I think if Mike had had the mental toughness of a Shearer or a Hughes, he would have gone on to big, big things.

Would be priceless today.

 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

58 minutes ago, Mercer said:

R.I.P. Mike Harrison.

An absolute flying machine who had the lot.  Probably the best penalty taker I have ever seen.  A joy to watch.

I think if Mike had had the mental toughness of a Shearer or a Hughes, he would have gone on to big, big things.

Would be priceless today.

 

Yep, for a big powerful guy the more rough house right backs of the day could intimidate him somewhat.  I remember watching a pre-season behind closed doors trial match at Ewood were the first team attack including Mike played against the first team defence, the reserves made up the other positions. Mike was playing against John Bray who was kicking lumps out of him. Jack Marshall was refereeing and he was pretty tolerant regarding fouls and the two of them got really heated. In that game Mike scored with a header from about 20 plus yards out on the left wing. Certainly the farthest out I've ever seen someone score with a header. He met a cross with a long looping header that Fred Else thought was going wide and the ball just dropped in at the far top corner.

Any body else remember a move we had from an opponents corner for a while until other teams found out about it ?

When opponents were taking a long corner Mike would loiter around the left hand corner of the penalty area. the other Mike, Ferguson, would loiter on the right wing about 15 yards from the half way line.  Both of them trying to look uninterested in play. When Fred Else in goal caught the ball he would quickly throw the ball out to Mike Harrison. Mike would immediately hammer a long straight ball over to the other wing were Ferguson was away like a flash. Invariably Mike would arrow the ball about 70 yards straight into Fergie's path. In the pre televised games era we caught a few teams out with the move until word got around and both Mikes were more closely marked by our opponents

Edited January 28, 2019 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[knobblybottom]

Oh dear. I loved watching him and fergie tearing along the wings. Great memories.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

1 minute ago, knobblybottom said:

Oh dear. I loved watching him and fergie tearing along the wings. Great memories.

Most teams had two out and out wingers in those days. Usually one was a tricky dribbling type player like Fergie while the other one would be a more direct hard running type like Mike Harrison. 

Edited January 28, 2019 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[Proudtobeblue&white]

Looking at his Stats, I was only born in 63, his best years were with us, but I was too young to watch him. See he passed in a Spanish rest home. It's always sad when one of ours goes. All the thoughts with his family.

[47er]

Sad to hear. Loved watching him. So many memories keep flooding back from what was a (brief) Golden Era in the history of the club.

 

[AllRoverAsia]

RIP Mike Harrison.

I was lucky enough to see him play in that great Rovers team.

Edited January 28, 2019 by AllRoverAsia

[Parsonblue]

Sad news indeed.  Like so many on here, of a certain age, Mike was a member of the best attack I've seen at this club.  He was quick, direct and a goalscoring winger.  Without doubt the best penalty taker I've seen.  Looking at that team group on the website, it brought back many happy memories of watching was what an exciting brand of football played under Jack Marshall.  RIP Mike and thanks for such wonderful memories.

[den]

It’s a sad day for me. These guys were my heroes. No one can ever take these memories away, no matter how hard some of the most recent imposters have tried. 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Another memory I have of him is one game against the Dingles at Ewood. He'd been giving their right back John Angus a chasing. Rovers were attacking and Mike crossed the ball in after a tussle with Angus. Both players fell over the goal line at the Blackburn End near the main stand corner flag. I was stood down there by the wall. Burnley's goalie had the ball and kicked it down field. Everybody else was following the ball but the two players were right in front of me so I saw what happened next. Mike got up first and was beginning to walk away, Angus was laid on his side. All of a sudden he swivelled around and kicked both of Mike's legs right from under him ! Pre Tv camera era, he got completely away with it. That's what wingers had to put up with in those days.

[Ianrally]

Very sad that Mike has passed away. It was an honour to see him play in our blue and white halves. What a fabulous forward line we had. RIP Mike.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

2 hours ago, Ianrally said:

Very sad that Mike has passed away. It was an honour to see him play in our blue and white halves. What a fabulous forward line we had. RIP Mike.

That's a great kit they are all wearing.

[jim mk2]

That is the best Rovers kit of all time 

Anyone notice Mick McGrath is wearing the older V-neck shirt (my second favourite) ? 

Where's Fred Pickering - had he gone by then ? 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

52 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

That is the best Rovers kit of all time 

Anyone notice Mick McGrath is wearing the older V-neck shirt (my second favourite) ? 

Where's Fred Pickering - had he gone by then ? 

Yeah I remember being at the first game they wore it- Everton at home in November 1962. Do you remember a later round neck shirt with short sleeves Jim ?  The vee neck was the first Rovers shirt I ever had. Not the best style of shirt to be worn in Lancashire in mid winter.  The guys wearing the round neck shirts are probably the first 11 with MIck as the sub. Fred had gone by then I suppose.

I came across a photo on the internet of Mike and Dougie stood by the corner flag debating what sort of corner they were going to take. You got a good impression of Mike's physique and powerful build.

Edited January 29, 2019 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[tonyoz]

An all-time favourite of mine. He scored the best goal I ever saw personally at Ewood. The long ball came over from the right wing and Mike volleyed a left footed thunderbolt into the net.....from outside the box. (Can’t remember the opposition sadly).

Also saw him take a penalty at a pre-season game at Blackpool. There were about 10 other supporters so i got right behind the goal for a close-up view. It was unstoppable, beautifully positioned, with pace, just inside the post.

i don’t remember many things from those days.....but these memories still make me smile.