ABI HARRISON recalls her school teacher laughed in her face when she revealed her dream of becoming a top-flight footballer.
But the Bristol City striker is having the last laugh having fulfilled her childhood wish of playing at the highest levels of the women’s game.
Abi Harrison (left) is living her dream after being told she had no shotCredit: Rex Features
Harrison, 22, recently battled back to fitness after suffering an ACL injury that put her out of action for 10 months last November.
And the Scotland forward, whose club side face a tricky fixture away at the home of champions Chelsea, reckons her tutor’s taunts made her achievements “sweeter”.
“You’d miss school to go and play football and there were a few comments, like ‘would I get an A level in football or would I get it in biology’
Abi Harrison
Harrison said: “I remember my primary school teacher asked me what I wanted to do when I was older and she laughed in my face and said that (football) wasn’t possible.
“And then you get the same comments at high school.
“You’d miss school to go and play football and there were a few comments, like ‘would I get an A level in football or would I get it in biology’.
“So to look back it makes it all that sweeter.”
Harrison, who has been a Celtic fan all her life, recalls another inspiring school time memory that involved her meeting her idol ex-Arsenal striker Julie Fleeting.
The retired Scotland forward, 39, was part of a World XI side – including Patrice Evra – who triumphed at this year’s Soccer Aid.
Abi Harrison got the chance to play alongside her childhood hero ex-Arsenal forward Julie FleetingCredit: Getty Images – Getty
And Robins starlet Harrison jokingly recalled how she ended up playing alongside the 121-cap ex-Scotland star, when they were both at Glasgow Celtic Ladies.
Harrison added: “I did a project on her and luckily my Dad knew her Dad so I was able to do a telephone interview with her. I must have been eight or nine at the time.
“She was at the peak of her career probably playing for Arsenal winning European trophies and stuff, and I remember I said, do you want to come down and coach me one time, and she said ‘maybe if I get the time’.
“Fast forward six years later, I turn up to Celtic training and she’s stood next to me.
“We managed to play together for I think maybe a season or a season and a half.
“I probably learnt more than ever as a player than in the rest of my career, just from watching her.”
Harrison and her Bristol City teammates, who lost 3-0 to Everton in their opening WSL match this term, face a daunting trip to Chelsea on Sunday.
Tanya Oxtoby’s Bristol City face a tricky game against Chelsea who drew against Man United in their first match of the seasonCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Robins boss Tanya Oxtoby said: “It’s definitely a marathon, it’s not a sprint.
“Our first three games are as tough as they come – Everton, Chelsea and Arsenal.
“We need to use those games as opportunities to really challenge ourselves.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
