Steve Harkness

Carlisle United

A defender or midfielder, most comfortable at left-back but able to play in a range of positions, he began his career with his hometown club, Carlisle United, signing professional forms on 31 March 1989. After just 13 games for the Cumbrians he impressed sufficiently to be signed by Liverpool.

Liverpool

He joined under manager Kenny Dalglish on 17 July 1989 for £75,000. At this time Liverpool were still the dominant side in England as holders of the FA Cup and having not finished lower than champions or runners-up in the First Division since 1981. However, Harkness did not walk straight into the first team at Anfield, as David Burrows was the club's first choice left-back. By the time Dalglish resigned on 22 February 1991, Harkness had been at Liverpool for 19 months but had still yet to make his competitive debut. Dalglish was succeeded by Graeme Souness as Liverpool manager and it was Souness who gave Harkness his Liverpool debut, two years after arriving, in the 1–0 league win over Queens Park Rangers at Anfield on 27 August 1991 – his 20th birthday. His first goal for the Reds did not come until the 29 April 1995 in the 2–1 league win against Norwich City, at Carrow Road. He was out of the side between December 1994 and mid-April 1995 meaning he missed the victorious 1995 Football League Cup Final. Harkness suffered a broken leg in Liverpool's 1–0 league defeat at Coventry City on 6 April 1996 and was out of action for nearly a year…

In September 2019, Harkness admitted at Liverpool Magistrates' Court to driving while disqualified and uninsured. He was sentenced to a three-year driving ban, a nine-week jail term suspended for two years, and 100 hours of community service.