Shayon Harrison harbours a deep sense of regret following his Tottenham Hotspur debut.
The now 27-year-old forward, who rose through the Spurs youth ranks, made his first senior appearance in a Carabao Cup clash with Liverpool back in October 2016. Coming on as an 83rd-minute substitute for Georges-Kevin Nkoudou at just 19 years old, Harrison had a golden opportunity to make an unforgettable impact for Mauricio Pochettino.
With Spurs trailing 2-1 at Anfield, Erik Lamela delivered a perfect cross into the box, but instead of levelling the score, Harrison’s touch let him down and goalkeeper Simon Mignolet easily gathered the ball. This moment effectively sealed Tottenham’s fate in the competition and cast a shadow over what was supposed to be a dream debut for Harrison – who was left in tears over the missed chance.
In a heartfelt interview with The Guardian, he said: “I was in the changing room crying, I burst into tears because I knew what that moment meant and how it had escaped me.” He added: “Pochettino put his arm around me and comforted me as much as he could.
“I feel everything had been leading up to that moment; I had been with the first team for quite a while, travelling to games, training with them on a regular basis and then the opportunity was presented to me. I should have taken it. If it comes again, nine times out of 10 I probably score, that is how confident I am.
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“It took me a long, long time to try and forget about it. A month ago it came back into my head and I watched the clip on YouTube a few times. Every now and again, I do think about it.”
Ex-Spurs prospect Harrison’s career has seen a host of twists and turns since he last donned the Lilywhite shirt. Loan spells with Yeovil Town, Southend United and a stint in Australia with Melbourne City followed before his permanent transfer to Almere City in the Netherlands.
Not finding what he was looking for in the Dutch game, Harrison was released in February 2021. His journeyman status continued with AFC Wimbledon, Morecambe, and Hayes and Yeading United, but consistency eluded him until his spell in Romania with Politehnica Iasi saw him net 17 goals in 66 matches.
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His recent switch to UTA Arad marked another chapter with his debut coming in a narrow 1-0 defeat to FCSB on January 26. Harrison also opened up about the intense psychological battles he has faced, explaining: “It’s been a rollercoaster.
“The last couple of years have been very, very difficult for me mentally. It was a massive mental challenge because I was not enjoying football: I was coming in, not really knowing if it was something that I really wanted to do.
“I wasn’t at the point that I wanted to quit football but I wasn’t at that point where I used to wake up excited and buzzing. My path has taken a different turn but I still don’t have any doubt in myself that I will get to where I want to get to.
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“I always think football is about taking risks and being brave. It is a rollercoaster more than anything. Keep your head down and stay focused. That is what I am doing out here.”
Liverpool are currently gearing up to host Tottenham in the Carabao Cup once again for the second leg of their semi-final. The Reds are looking to overturn a 1-0 deficit after Spurs’ 86th-minute winner in the first leg, courtesy of Lucas Bergvall.
A draw or win for Spurs would see them through to the final. Despite struggling in the Premier League, with just eight wins from 24 games, Ange Postecoglou’s side are still competing on multiple fronts. They face Aston Villa in the FA Cup fourth round this coming weekend and have also advanced to the Europa League knockout stage.
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