Harrison wants the glory days back at Bangor
BANGOR CITY fans can look forward to the first home friendly of pre-season under new boss Craig Harrison against National League club Wrexham on July 17.
World-record-breaking manager Harrison’s appointment last week has been well received by the majority of City supporters, keen to see their team return to the Welsh Premier League at the first attempt.
Bangor’s 26-year stay in the top flight ended this month after they were relegated for failing to secure the essential Tier 1 and UEFA licences required to compete in the WPL and Europe.
City would have automatically entered the Europa League, having finished second last season under the now-departed management team of Kevin Nicholson and Gary Taylor-Fletcher.
Former Middlesbrough and Crystal Palace defender Harrison led The New Saints to six successive WPL titles, four Welsh Cups and three League Cups between 2011-17.
In 2016-17, Saints set a new world record of 27 match wins in a row, beating the previous best achieved by mighty Dutch club Ajax in 1972.
Harrison left Park Hall in May 2017 to take over at Hartlepool United.
Unfortunately, the move to Pooler did not work out and he was shown the door by the National League club in February.
Now the 40-year-old North-Easterner is back in Welsh football as manager of a Bangor City side which will compete in the Huws Gray Alliance in 2018-19.
At his first media conference last week, Harrison revealed Bangor legend Les Davies is returning to the club.
Striker Davies spent 10 seasons at Bangor, netting 88 goals in 252 Welsh Premier starts and winning three Welsh Cups and a league title, before joining Connah’s Quay Nomads in 2015-16.
After two campaigns at Deeside Stadium, the 33-year-old moved to Bala Town last term but was recently released by the Lakesiders.
Harrison said: “Les is Bangor through and through. It’s a fantastic first signing.
“He is someone we can start our building blocks around. He’s a Bangor lad and he wants to be here.”
Also joining Bangor is former Airbus midfielder Tom Field.
Field is best known in Welsh football for his time with the Wingmakers, for whom he made 96 appearances and scored 25 goals, and was instrumental in Airbus’s qualification for the Europa League.
Field originally began his career at Everton, before spells at Stalybridge Celtic, Vauxhall Motors, AFC Telford as well as Connah’s Quay Nomads, Marine and Stockport County.
Harrison said: “It’s great to get someone of Tom’s experience, quality and leadership joining the squad.”
City have lost the services of defenders Danny Holmes and Anthony Miley, who have joined Connah’s Quay Nomads and Bala Town respectively.
Another defender from last season’s squad, veteran Tom Kennedy, has announced his retirement.
Harrison is talking to numerous other players, and more signings are imminent.
The new manager is determined to bring the good times back to Bangor City, with whom he has signed a two-year deal.
“It’s a huge club – the biggest in Welsh domestic football,” he said.
“There’s been a lot of heartache and upset at this club over the last few weeks, that has been well-documented, but now I’m going to use every bit of energy I’ve got to get this club back in the Welsh Premier League as soon as possible.
“I can’t wait to get started. This club hasn’t had a major success for seven to eight years. My aim is to bring success to this club again.”