Southern league: Darren Harrison to break Hampton games record

Hammers champion Darren Harrison names his greatest teammates and makes a surprise revelation ahead of his history making 376th game.

Hampton champion Darren Harrison is set to break the club’s games record on Saturday.

Soccer’s loss was definitely the Hampton Hammers’ gain.

Darren Harrison played soccer as a kid — he was good enough to try out for Victoria — before switching to footy at the age of 16, joining his brother at Hampton footy club.

He donned the Hammers’ yellow, black and blue jumper for one game in 1995, and felt comfortable from the start.

“It was probably more the people I was playing with, I just enjoyed the environment,” Harrison said, naming Jason Dunkley, Wes Hobson, Mark Aumont, Steve “Fluff” Longinidis and Brendan Bennett as his favourite teammates in those early days.

“Running around out there was good fun.”

Still going strong: Darren Harrison.

While his old mates have long since hung up the boots, “Harro” is still going strong at the age of 45.

And on Saturday, 27 years after his first game, he will break the club’s games record when he lines up in Hampton’s senior side for his 376th appearance.

He will lead the Hammers out against Dandenong at Peterson St Reserve.

“It doesn’t get any easier,” Harrison chuckled.

“You learn to run less and position yourself better but sometimes the old body doesn’t do what the brain thinks it can.”

Harrison will pass 1980s star Leon Bailey’s long-standing club record of 375 games.

The pair has only met once but Harrison has the utmost respect for Bailey.

“He finished up before I got there,” he said.

“He played in the days at Fewster Rd before club moved to Peterson St.

“It’s really an impressive effort.”

Hampton captain Darren Harrison (right) in 2010.

Harrison has done it all at Hampton; two-time premiership player (2002 and 2010), club captain, three-time best and fairest winner, committee member, life member.

He’s played with champions and in champion sides.

Asked to name the best Hammers he’s played alongside, Harro didn’t hesitate.

“Adrian McKenzie, “Floppa”,” he said.

“He would easily be the hardest and most gifted footballer that I’ve played with.

“Frank Rugolo was pretty handy when he played with us in the 2002 era.

“James Ross was a very skilful footballer…he just had talent. And Jason Dunkley was a very good footballer.”

A reliable defender, who was unpassable at times, Harrison liked to think his strength was doing “the basics right”.

Surprisingly, he revealed he never received one call in his entire career from a rival club trying to poach him.

Harrison.

Perhaps they knew loyal “Harro” wouldn’t leave the Hammers.

“I played a handful of games with Sandringham reserves, that was the only time I’ve played anywhere else, and that was to test myself, see what the different levels of football were like,” he said.

“And I realised I wasn’t good enough to go anywhere there so I stayed with the Hammers and never really looked to go anywhere else.

“I don’t know, maybe I was never that good a footballer because I never got offered to go anywhere else either.”

Hampton treasurer Ian Nichol called on all Hammers past players and supporters to get along to Saturday’s game and give “Harro” a rousing cheer.

“He’s still one of the better players, he’d be in your top five or six,” Nichol said.

Nichol said Harrison was a genuine club legend.

“He’s one of the best clubmen I’ve ever seen,” he said.

“He’s a good all round bloke.

“You ask him to do something and he’ll do it. He’ll even offer to help even before you ask and that’s a rare thing in volunteers these days.”