HARRISON DUNK
Harrison Dunk was no ordinary footballer; he is no ordinary Cambridge United legend. The longer he stayed at the Abbey Stadium, the better he seemed to get. Known simply as “H”, he may have retired last year but many Us fans would still, today, have him in the United first team. He was not just a great footballer; he was a standard setter and role model.
Harrison joined the U’s from Bromley, then of the Conference South, as a 20-year-old in June 2011 as United took the first steps to building the squad that would, finally, get the club back into the Football League. To readers of the Cambridge News there were clues the day he signed that H was a recruit like few other: instead of the usual couple of paragraphs it took the whole of the back page to do his background justice – a public school boy at Millfield, quitting the Fulham academy to finish his A-Levels, in the middle of an Open University psychology degree, being tracked by West Ham, trainee astronaut!
For the first part of his United career Harrison was a flying winger. The sight of H charging down the left flank - head back and chest out – is seared forever into the memory of Us fans (and many a poor defender). When you get home do yourself a favour and search for United v Sheffield United on You Tube, December 2013. Watch Harrison skin Harry Maguire – he puts the ball one side of the future England captain and races round the other to set up a chance for Adam Cunnington. Centre backs are offered counselling these days for trauma like that.
H had been regarded as the non-league Gareth Bale at Bromley and this became evident when first Richard Money and then a succession of other head coaches were happy to play him at left back, and this is where Harrison was most frequently seen in the latter part of his time at the Abbey. Ironically it was at left back, in his final full season, that Harrison turned into the goal machine that we suspected he could be, scoring three in six to help the Us secure the ‘Great Escape.’ That included United’s first goal against Peterborough for 22 long years, enough alone to secure Abbey immortality.
In total, over 13 seasons, Harrison made 464 first team appearances for the Us, wearing the No. 11 shirt throughout. In Cambridge United’s history only Steve Fallon, Harvey Cornwell, Steve Spriggs and Russell Crane played more games than H. Were it not for the injuries that sidelined him for significant periods at times Harrison Dunk would surely sit at the top of that list of all-time United greats. One of those injuries kept him out of the 2014 FA Trophy final at Wembley but he featured two months later in the play-off final victory against Gateshead. He was a vital part of the Us squad that then won promotion to League One in 2020-21 and, the following season, was one of the Heros of St. James’ Park when United pulled off arguably their greatest ever victory. The Football Conference, League Two, League One … Premier League … Harrison made each transition with laughable ease!
But it was not just on the pitch that H made an impression. It’s appropriate to leave the final reflection on Harrison Dunk to Paul Barry, who said this about our legend on his retirement:
“Club legend is often an over-used term in football, but not for H. Harrison will forever be one of the true greats of Cambridge United who will be remembered not just for what he did over 13 years here, but also how he did it. He helped set the culture. He helped set the standards. He helped make us who we are today as a Club. And he did it all with class, humility and genuine talent and as one of the most decent, respectful and polite individuals you will ever meet.”
Harrison Dunk was no ordinary footballer; he is no ordinary Cambridge United legend. The longer he stayed at the Abbey Stadium, the better he seemed to get. Known simply as “H”, he may have retired last year but many Us fans would still, today, have him in the United first team. He was not just a great footballer; he was a standard setter and role model.
Harrison joined the U’s from Bromley, then of the Conference South, as a 20-year-old in June 2011 as United took the first steps to building the squad that would, finally, get the club back into the Football League. To readers of the Cambridge News there were clues the day he signed that H was a recruit like few other: instead of the usual couple of paragraphs it took the whole of the back page to do his background justice – a public school boy at Millfield, quitting the Fulham academy to finish his A-Levels, in the middle of an Open University psychology degree, being tracked by West Ham, trainee astronaut!
For the first part of his United career Harrison was a flying winger. The sight of H charging down the left flank - head back and chest out – is seared forever into the memory of Us fans (and many a poor defender). When you get home do yourself a favour and search for United v Sheffield United on You Tube, December 2013. Watch Harrison skin Harry Maguire – he puts the ball one side of the future England captain and races round the other to set up a chance for Adam Cunnington. Centre backs are offered counselling these days for trauma like that.
H had been regarded as the non-league Gareth Bale at Bromley and this became evident when first Richard Money and then a succession of other head coaches were happy to play him at left back, and this is where Harrison was most frequently seen in the latter part of his time at the Abbey. Ironically it was at left back, in his final full season, that Harrison turned into the goal machine that we suspected he could be, scoring three in six to help the Us secure the ‘Great Escape.’ That included United’s first goal against Peterborough for 22 long years, enough alone to secure Abbey immortality.
In total, over 13 seasons, Harrison made 464 first team appearances for the Us, wearing the No. 11 shirt throughout. In Cambridge United’s history only Steve Fallon, Harvey Cornwell, Steve Spriggs and Russell Crane played more games than H. Were it not for the injuries that sidelined him for significant periods at times Harrison Dunk would surely sit at the top of that list of all-time United greats. One of those injuries kept him out of the 2014 FA Trophy final at Wembley but he featured two months later in the play-off final victory against Gateshead. He was a vital part of the Us squad that then won promotion to League One in 2020-21 and, the following season, was one of the Heros of St. James’ Park when United pulled off arguably their greatest ever victory. The Football Conference, League Two, League One … Premier League … Harrison made each transition with laughable ease!
But it was not just on the pitch that H made an impression. It’s appropriate to leave the final reflection on Harrison Dunk to Paul Barry, who said this about our legend on his retirement:
“Club legend is often an over-used term in football, but not for H. Harrison will forever be one of the true greats of Cambridge United who will be remembered not just for what he did over 13 years here, but also how he did it. He helped set the culture. He helped set the standards. He helped make us who we are today as a Club. And he did it all with class, humility and genuine talent and as one of the most decent, respectful and polite individuals you will ever meet.”