Former Liverpool teenage sensation Wayne Harrison dies after illness aged 46

Wayne Harrison

Wayne Harrison, well known in the 1980s when he became the world’s most expensive teenager after a transfer to Liverpool, died on December 25 after an illness, according to the official Liverpool website. He was 46 and had problems with his pancreas.

The club released a statement: “Liverpool Football Club was saddened to hear of the passing of former Reds player Wayne Harrison at the age of 46. The thoughts of everyone at Liverpool Football Club go out to his family at this sad time.”

Harrison was a striker who played for Oldham Athletic in the Second Division (at the time) and the promising young teenager was spotted by Liverpool who promptly swung into action, dishing out £250,000 to sign him. Then Liverpool manager Joe Fagan had said at the time, “You hear reports about a special player perhaps once in 20 years. That’s why we bought him.”

He scored 17 goals in 28 games for the reserves, a pivotal contribution which led to the Central League title triumph in 1990.

However, fate had other things in store for Harrison as a series of career and life threatening injuries kept him out of action for long periods of time. He fell through a greenhouse and almost died due to excessive loss of blood. Later he even injured himself after he fell through a loft. He needed a total of 23 operations to ensure he could play again.

But he never played a first team game for the Merseyside club.

A cruciate knee ligament tear in 1990 forced Harrison to retire in 1991. The injury even prevented him from playing a testimonial game between Oldham and Liverpool in 1992. He eventually became a driver at a brewery in Stockport, his hometown.