Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, January 2, 1992 TAG: 9201020037
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND LENGTH: Medium
EX-VIRGINIA SOCCER STAR MAKES IMPACT IN ENGLISH DIVISION
Not many American soccer players have made it to the top in English soccer. John Harkes is getting there.In 18 months, the 24-year-old midfielder from Kearny, N.J., has won a cup medal in a final at Wembley, the home of English soccer, and scored a goal against one of the world's better goalkeepers. Now he plays for a club competing for an English League title.
Sheffield Wednesday is third in the English first division after gaining promotion last season. Harkes plays regularly in midfield.
Wednesday hired him for $130,000 in 1990, when the north England club was in the second division. Now he is mixing in with players who cost up to $5 million in transfer fees.
"It's the biggest thrill of my life to play in the English first division," said Harkes, a former University of Virginia standout. "I wanted to come to England because this is one of the strongest leagues in the world."
The son of a soccer-mad Scotsman who moved from Dundee, Scotland, to New Jersey, Harkes was inspired by the North American Soccer League in the late 1970s and early '80s.
"We saw imported stars like Pele, Franz Beckenbauer and Johan Cruyff in action with the New York Cosmos and that fired my ambition to join them," Harkes said.
"My dad had started me playing at four years old and soccer also became part of my school's recreation program. Playing with kids five years older than me also speeded my development."
Sadly for Harkes, the Cosmos and the NASL folded after he had completed a trial and he had to look elsewhere to further his soccer career.
He quit at Virginia and turned pro in 1986 with the U.S. national team. The players gained a higher profile in 1990, when the U.S. team played in the World Cup for the first time in 40 years.
"The World Cup finals were a great experience and several of the U.S. team wound up playing in Europe," he said.
But none have made the same impact as Harkes. During Sheffield Wednesday's promotion season, he got onto the team because of an injury to Roland Nilsson, a Swedish international defender. Although playing out of position, Harkes impressed with his speed and steady defense.
His 30-yard shot past former England goalkeeper Peter Shilton at Derby helped Wednesday into the quarterfinal of the English League Cup. He was on the team that beat Manchester United in the final at Wembley.
Harkes made 32 league and cup appearances last season, scoring three goals. He has gone back to midfielder this season.
"There's a great atmosphere here at Wednesday. We have probably surprised a few teams this season but we are up in third place on merit," Harkes said. "Playing against teams like Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal means playing against some of the most famous names in the game. But we are up there with them and I like to think I am playing my part."