Former Sunderland and Middlesbrough academy coach ready for South Shields role
Former Sunderland, Newcastle United and Middlesbrough academy coach Stephen Harrison has been named as assistant head coach at South Shields.
South Shields FC assistant head coach Stephen Harrison is hoping to make the most of the ‘rich blend’ of experience he gained working in the academy set-ups at Sunderland, Middlesbrough and Newcastle United as he embarks on life with the National League North club.
Harrison forged a playing career with several North East non-league clubs before moving into coaching at the Academy of Light in 2004 and worked with the likes of Dan Neil and Bali Mumba during what would be over 11 years working within Sunderland’s youth ranks. A move to Newcastle brought further experience of witnessing several future Premier League players in action before Harrison rounded off the North East’s ‘big three’ with a switch to Middlesbrough in August 2023.
However, Harrison is now preparing for a first step into senior coaching after he was named as assistant to former Newcastle United defender Mike Williamson at South Shields - and he believes his time working with some of the North East’s top talents can benefit him during his time with the Mariners.
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He said: “I was fortunate when I started because I went to Sunderland and it’s a top academy. I worked with the likes of Bali Mumba, Sam Greenwood, Dan Neil and Ethan Robson. They were really talented players and I loved my time there. I worked with a guy called Wayne Walls and he took me in and was phenomenal. His knowledge of player development was outstanding and the grounding he, a great academy manager in Ged McNamee, and the academy as a whole gave me in coaching will live with me.
“I went from Sunderland to Newcastle and you see players like Elliot Anderson, Dan Barlaser, Sean Longstaff and Sean Neave come through there and then on to Middlesbrough. They have an outstanding academy manager in Craig Liddle, and the head of coaching Chris Pennock, the way he supports coaches is top class. I feel I’ve had a rich blend from all three academies and I have learnt a lot about myself coaching so many different players and that will help me. I am still learning, I’ll keep improving but it’s exciting to be involved and I can’t wait to get going.”