New Wood boss Harris has got big ambitions

The former Saddlers trainee never made it on to the pitch as a first-team player, but went on to enjoy a fine non-league career with Chasetown, Halesowen Town and Rushall Olympic, among others.

He eventually landed with Walsall Wood for six years, captaining the team, and has now been called back into the fold after ending his playing days at Boldmere St Michaels last season. And now he hopes his managerial career leads him back up the pyramid to the club he learned his trade at.

“For me personally, I’d like to manage Walsall one day,” said Harris. “I didn’t quite get to make it as a seasoned professional – I had that buzz of signing a pro contract, but I didn’t get the full career out of it.

“But I’ve got the desire to do it as a coach or a manager one day.”

For now, Walsall Wood are where his attentions lie – with the club looking to overcome a slow start to the season, just five months after falling one game short of a Wembley final in the FA Vase.

Darren Byfield stepped down as boss due to personal and work commitments last month and that left the door open for Harris to return.

“I’ve loved it,” said Harris, reflecting on his first few days in management which have featured three training sessions and a 2-1 defeat to Midland Premier title favourites Hanley Town.

And with no game this weekend, he has even more time to get his plans in place before the games start rolling in thick and fast: “We can work on things this week and I can recruit some players over the next few days before we face Highgate away (on October 30).”

Longer term, there are plans to set up an academy programme and aim for promotion to step four and then even step three of the non-league pyramid.

“Because there’s been a slow start this season, we just want to compete and build a base for next year to go for it,” added Harris. “But it’s not a short-term plan, we’re looking over five, six, seven years.”