While New England Revolution forward Jack Harrison was born in England, he has always felt at home in the United States.
At 14 years old, Harrison left the Manchester United academy to attend Berkshire School in Sheffield, Massachusetts. In 2015, he was the Gatorade National Player of the Year for high school soccer.
Those years as a young kid are one of the main reasons he is back in Major League Soccer, this time wearing a Revolution jersey.
“After being [in the New England area] in high school, from the age of 14 to 21, I spent my formative years here," Harrison said in an introductory press conference. I really think that that time period helped to define who I am today. The people that I've met, I have always been grateful for that opportunity and loved every second of it. It wasn't easy leaving England at that moment in time, but I look back now and I have no regrets at all. What it's given me in life has been more than anything I could ask for, anything that I could have imagined. I've always felt at home here in the U.S., so that was a big reason why I wanted to come back.”
Harrison would feature for USL League Two side Black Rock FC and played collegiately for Wake Forest University. He eventually was selected first overall in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft and was subsequently traded to New York City FC.
Harrison would spend two seasons with the club before eventually heading back to Europe. In 55 appearances, he scored 14 goals. He made is debut for NYCFC by coming on as a replacement for Tommy McNamara.
But MLS was a lot different back when Harrison was in the league. Carles Gil was still in Europe, Andrew Farrell wore No.2, and Kei Kamara was leading the attacking charge for the Revs.
"Watching from afar, you can see the type of players that are in the league," Harrison said when asked about The Blazing Musket about how the league has changed. "I feel like you have the older generation of players that are coming back to help improve the league, but then also the younger players that are coming through now as well. There's a lot more on both ends. Obviously, the addition of the World Cup this last summer can only help to grow the league even more with the attraction of young players coming through the U.S. I think the league has definitely grown and I'm still learning the ways of that, but it's a great place to come back to.”
Harrison added that it is also a bonus that teams don't fly commercial anymore.
Now at 29 years old, Harrison is more of a veteran than an up-and-coming player. He has proven himself in Europe and will be looked at as a mentor for plenty of younger players.
The forward noted that he is looking to settle down after moving about Europe over the last few years.
"I think this idea of settling down, I feel like the last 10 years, I think seven or eight of those years I’ve been on loan and moving," he said. "So, this was an option that really provided that stability and just kind of put my mind a little bit at rest when it came to that side of it. Off the pitch, I know I’m going to be here for the next few years, and I can, just for my mindset, put myself into that position and set myself up for the best way to succeed. What that looks like these next few years, that was essential for me really after not having that for so long. It was something I was looking for.”
But settling down doesn't mean relaxing. Harrison wants to bring an MLS Cup Trophy to a club that is without the precious piece of silverware. If he is able to do that, his legacy in New England will echo through the annals of Revolution history.
