Current Player #9 Mark Harris

[QuietYeller]

Have to confess, I had really lost patience with him after the Orient game in November. It was lost a little in the win and the post match celebrations, but we came very close to throwing away a three goal lead in that game, not least because Sparky kept missing gilt-edged chances.

How wrong I was. The guy has absolutely flourished under Des. He’s got so many strings to his bow - tidy one touch finishes (Charlton (A)), poacher’s instinct (Blackpool (A)), and pretty spectacular solo efforts (Cov, Derby and yesterday all spring to mind). His engine is also absolutely unbelievable and he’s such a key part of the way we play.

A really excellent piece of summer business. I know Matty has a fond place in all our hearts but Sparky has been a big upgrade in the striker department this year for me. I wouldn’t go so far as to say POTS - I think Moore and Brannagan hve rightly been recognised in that respect for far more consistency over the course of the season - but he’s deservedly become a real fan favourite, and I can see him becoming a bit of a cult hero around these parts if he sticks with us.

Murphy is my POTS who is another Des inspired player that has been unplayable, followed by any of Brannagan Harris and Moore.
Harris has got better and better. Big burden for him to carry as well as he’s been literally our only striker

 

[Eric Blair]

Murphy is my POTS who is another Des inspired player that has been unplayable, followed by any of Brannagan Harris and Moore.
Harris has got better and better. Big burden for him to carry as well as he’s been literally our only striker

Brannagan for me but cases can be made for Harris and Moore. Murphy is a tricky one for POTS as he has had a fundamental impact and is a big reason for making the play offs. That said it was only really the last quarter of the season he got firing but then when he did ….. oh man.

 

[andystroud]

Does anyone know why Harris celebrated in front of the Exeter fans in the way he did? It seemed particularly antagonistic. Was he being singled out for stick?
I know opposition players have done it at the Ka$$am (I'm looking at you Sam Smith), but really don't care for it.

 

[uptheus]

Does anyone know why Harris celebrated in front of the Exeter fans in the way he did? It seemed particularly antagonistic. Was he being singled out for stick?
I know opposition players have done it at the Ka$$am (I'm looking at you Sam Smith), but really don't care for it.

Not sure, but he’s done it elsewhere. Not a great trait unless he’s had stick/history etc, but didn’t hear/see the Exeter fans having a go at him etc.

 

[MustardYellow]

I was a big critic of Harris during his (rather lengthy) goal drought.

However, I'm more than happy to report he's proven me wrong and changed my mind. Still not the complete player, but he's come into his own the last few weeks. There's definitely still more to come from him - there's a proper player in there.

 

[tonyw]

Brannagan for me but cases can be made for Harris and Moore. Murphy is a tricky one for POTS as he has had a fundamental impact and is a big reason for making the play offs. That said it was only really the last quarter of the season he got firing but then when he did ….. oh man.

I actually don't think that Murphy has been all that great these last three games - obviously he won us the penalty on Saturday, which was absolutely crucial but he wasn't running amok as he has been. This is after Lincoln marked him out of the game, and he looked (understandably) a little leggy against Stevenage.

Of course, he was the best player in the division for two months from 13th February to 13th April. Enough for player of the season? Not for me - I reckon POTS is a vote based on not only quality, but also consistency and work-rate.

Harris, Cam & Moore the top three......and I wouldn't really argue whatever order you put them in.

 

[Followtheox1]

The only stat that counts is 19 goals, that is decent for a main striker.
Some people are not satisfied with that.

19 goals and counting !!

 

[tonyw]

Here's a controversial statement - if we don't win the playoffs, and if we believe Goodwin is going to be fit for the start of next season (i.e. he's not nursing anything chronic), I wouldn't sign an out-and-out striker this summer, and rather would save that money for GK/RB/CM/Wingers.

Because if we are in League One next year, then with Des at the helm I'm sure we're only going to employ one striker. And Sparky has done enough since the turn of the year to ensure that it should be him, at least to begin the season. Goodwin is then our 400k backup (and competition).

I would want to sign someone who was comfortable playing across the front three (like a Dan Agyei, only.....you know.....better) for extra injury cover. But spending money on three players for a single position would be extravagant, especially when we'll still have some glaring holes in other areas needing patching.

(though if we do win the playoffs, I would want to sign an experienced Championship marksman)

 

[WEYellow]

Here's a controversial statement - if we don't win the playoffs, and if we believe Goodwin is going to be fit for the start of next season (i.e. he's not nursing anything chronic), I wouldn't sign an out-and-out striker this summer, and rather would save that money for GK/RB/CM/Wingers.

Because if we are in League One next year, then with Des at the helm I'm sure we're only going to employ one striker. And Sparky has done enough since the turn of the year to ensure that it should be him, at least to begin the season. Goodwin is then our 400k backup (and competition).

I would want to sign someone who was comfortable playing across the front three (like a Dan Agyei, only.....you know.....better) for extra injury cover. But spending money on three players for a single position would be extravagant, especially when we'll still have some glaring holes in other areas needing patching.

(though if we do win the playoffs, I would want to sign an experienced Championship marksman)

Not controversial at all, I do agree with you on this.

I would say our front line is one of the few positions that doesn't need immediate improvement in the off season (regardless of which league we are playing in). Goodwin may or may not turn out to be a good signing but we don't know until he plays substantially, from the little we've seen so far he is definitely a great alternative to Harris. Like you say we would probably need a 3rd option to be safe, and I'd be looking at Klaidi Lolos from Crawley who has been in top form all season, with the ability to play in midfield as well as a lone 9.

Harris has been absolutely fantastic and is perfect for how we want to play right now, and the experience he's gained this season will only benefit us next season too, exciting times.

 

[Oxymoron]

My grandson has just proudly informed me that Manchester United have paid £2.9m for Mark Harris. This is in his game of FA24 before anyone starts spending the money...

 

[Swaby39]

Harris has been a beyond brilliant signing IMO. Regardless of the goals you can look at it as a question of where we would be without him this season. He’s been an absolute constant and in good times and bad has never short changed us for effort.

There’s a maturity there now. He gets in the faces of defenders and there’s an arrogance in his game which you see in his celebrations.

For me we’re playing with fire asking him to do it again next season and we can’t yet hang out hat on Goodwin so I think we need a 3rd, perhaps one with some trickery and ability to create space for themselves which we don’t currently have.

Harris is comfortably my player of the season for a plethora of reasons.

 

[werthersoriginal]

Not controversial at all, I do agree with you on this.

I would say our front line is one of the few positions that doesn't need immediate improvement in the off season (regardless of which league we are playing in). Goodwin may or may not turn out to be a good signing but we don't know until he plays substantially, from the little we've seen so far he is definitely a great alternative to Harris. Like you say we would probably need a 3rd option to be safe, and I'd be looking at Klaidi Lolos from Crawley who has been in top form all season, with the ability to play in midfield as well as a lone 9.

Harris has been absolutely fantastic and is perfect for how we want to play right now, and the experience he's gained this season will only benefit us next season too, exciting times.

Klaidi Lolos was at Oxford City, he looked good there and we could have had him for hardly anything

 

[Northernyellow]

I thought he was pretty poor, a scrappy 'trier' who couldn't score goals- and then I saw him in action at Orient, where he missed chance after chance. He was so bad that day, it made my mind up about him. Huge credit to Buckingham for turning his form around- the way he took the goal at Exeter was excellent. Just proves I know nothing!

 

[Older Shotts]

I thought he was pretty poor, a scrappy 'trier' who couldn't score goals- and then I saw him in action at Orient, where he missed chance after chance. He was so bad that day, it made my mind up about him. Huge credit to Buckingham for turning his form around- the way he took the goal at Exeter was excellent. Just proves I know nothing!

Same here.

Although, as someone said to me at a recent game - he's scored almost 20 goals this season, image how many he would've scored if he was any good..

 

[Jster]

Finished joint 5th in the division for non-penalty goals (14).

 

[QuietYeller]

I actually don't think that Murphy has been all that great these last three games - obviously he won us the penalty on Saturday, which was absolutely crucial but he wasn't running amok as he has been. This is after Lincoln marked him out of the game, and he looked (understandably) a little leggy against Stevenage.

Of course, he was the best player in the division for two months from 13th February to 13th April. Enough for player of the season? Not for me - I reckon POTS is a vote based on not only quality, but also consistency and work-rate.

Harris, Cam & Moore the top three......and I wouldn't really argue whatever order you put them in.

True it’s over a season but I just think Murphy has been THAT good. No way we’d be in the playoffs without his recent form

 

[Tinman]

True it’s over a season but I just think Murphy has been THAT good. No way we’d be in the playoffs without his recent form

But.... If he'd put the effort in before, we might well have been in a much better position than we ended up in.
He's had a great end to the season and changed our fortunes, but his terrible attitude before that would leave him out of my POTS tbh.

 

[werthersoriginal]

But.... If he'd put the effort in before, we might well have been in a much better position than we ended up in.
He's had a great end to the season and changed our fortunes, but his terrible attitude before that would leave him out of my POTS tbh.

If you’ve seen him play you’ll be aware that he has a great attitude. There have been all sorts of stories but they don’t make sense.

 

[Scotchegg]

But.... If he'd put the effort in before, we might well have been in a much better position than we ended up in.
He's had a great end to the season and changed our fortunes, but his terrible attitude before that would leave him out of my POTS tbh.

Where is the evidence for this "terrible attitude"?

 

[billyturleyscurlywurly]

But.... If he'd put the effort in before, we might well have been in a much better position than we ended up in.
He's had a great end to the season and changed our fortunes, but his terrible attitude before that would leave him out of my POTS tbh.

I don’t think you’ve watched us since Christmas if you think his attitude is terrible.

Think it’s become very clear his attitude issues in his first year were because of a certain manager he had to work under.