Sir Alex Ferguson pays tribute to coach who created his Class of ’92
HE WAS a Yorkshireman who helped make Manchester United a global force.
Now Sir Alex Ferguson has hailed Eric Harrison as one of the “greatest coaches of our time” after the former youth team boss and mentor to the much-vaunted Class of ’92 died at the age of 81.
Harrison, responsible for forging the fledgling careers of David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes and Gary and Phil Neville among others, was diagnosed with dementia four years ago.
He was awarded an MBE for services to football just over 12 months ago.
“Eric’s contribution to football and not just at Manchester United was incredible,” said Sir Alex.
“He built character and determination in those young players and prepared them for the future.”
Appointed by then United manager Ron Atkinson in 1981, ERIC HARRISON: Harrison spent 27 years at the club – 17 in charge of the youth team – and oversaw the development of a number of other highprofile youngsters, including Mark Hughes, Norman Whiteside, Wes Brown, David Platt and Darren Fletcher.
His greatest success came under Sir Alex with the Class of ’92 players forming the backbone of United’s treble-winning side of 1999.
Gary Neville wrote on Twitter: “We’ve lost our mentor, our coach and the man who made us.”
Former England captain Beckham paid his personal tribute to Harrison, posting on Instagram: “I can still hear him telling me NO MORE HOLLYWOOD PASSES.”
Phil Neville praised the “massive influence” Harrison had on him, saying: “He was the man that probably made us. He was our second father, the one that took us from the age of 14 and delivered us to the first team ready.”
Harrison, born in Mytholmroyd, played 199 times for Halifax Town and had spells at Hartlepool, Barrow, Southport and Scarborough. He coached at Everton before Ron Atkinson, with whom Harrison had played in an RAF team, took him to Manchester United. He was later assistant to Mark Hughes with Wales.