Harris was born in
Rocester, Staffordshire and started his football career at nearby
Uttoxeter, from where he joined the local
Football League First Division side,
Stoke in November 1900. At Stoke, he was initially used as cover for
Scotland international
Willie Maxwell, who had been a regular fixture at
inside-left for six seasons. After Maxwell left Stoke in 1901, Harris had more opportunities and made 15 appearances, scoring three goals, in
the 1901–02 season. For
the following season, Stoke recruited
Arthur Capes from
Nottingham Forest and Harris once again became only an occasional player, often at
outside-right, spending the whole of
the 1903–04 season in the reserves. In his four years with Stoke, Harris made only 23 appearances, scoring five goals. In 1904, he moved to
Southern League Reading where his career "
blossomed", scoring eleven goals in 28 games, resulting in an international trial. Harry Brown moved to
Newcastle United in the summer of 1906, enabling Harris to establish himself as the first-choice at
inside-left. In
the 1906–07 season, Harris formed an effective striking partnership with
Fred Harrison and
Alex Glen, scoring five goals from 28 league appearances, as the Saints finished eleventh, their lowest placing since the inauguration of the Southern league in 1894. Two of his goals came in a 5–0 victory over
Brentford on 18 March 1907. ==Later career==