The 23-year-old returned from the USA where she captained the Charlotte University team and was weighing up her options, but opted for Bournemouth, then in tier four, despite having offers from tier three.
“I looked at the potential of the team, I looked at the club, I looked at the resources, the support, and I knew that this was the right place for me,” she told the Daily Echo.
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“I say it all the time, I just am absolutely loving my time here. I love the team that we have at the minute, I love the coaching staff, and I think being at a club like Bournemouth as a female player makes you feel so valued.
“I think that unfortunately that's not something that's guaranteed at other clubs, but I'm really lucky to be at Bournemouth where you know that they're valuing the women's game, they're pushing it forward, they're asking us what they can do better, which I think is great as well.
Charlotte Harris (Image: Richard Crease)
“I think because we are going to be the first team in this league and hopefully in higher leagues, we get to set a standard and dictate the direction of where women's football at Bournemouth goes.
“So it's just a really exciting time, and legacy is a big word, but the fact that I'm part of setting a legacy for Bournemouth, is something that I don't take for granted.”
The move to the Cherries was a return home for Harris, having been brought up in Weymouth, with her dad Andy well-known having played for the Terras.
She said she wasn’t looking to move home, but it was the right decision.
“I played for Bournemouth when I was 14, when it had just started up, and it wasn't an academy,” she said.
Charlotte Harris (Image: Richard Crease)
“They didn't have all those age groups, so to see how much it's grown on the women's side since I played here when I was a kid is just amazing to see.
“My brother [Archie] has been here since he was 10, so he's been at the club for over 10 years, and I've always had an affiliation to the club through that.
“And especially being from a small little county, it's nice to see a sports team doing so well.
“So I've always had an affiliation for the club, and I've always admired the work that's being done here. So I didn't think that it would be able to get to the level it has now.
“The progress that the club's made since I've been away in America, for example, was amazing. So it wasn't something I ever considered, but I'm so glad that it's worked out how it has, and I love living at home. I didn't think I would, but I'm best friends with my parents, so it's been so fun to be back.”
Charlotte Harris (Image: Richard Crease)
Harris said the relationship with younger brother Archie is “so special” as both are able to come to each other’s games, with Archie on loan at Eastleigh currently.
She expressed her pride in her brother, as both have experienced adversity in their careers, but are now thriving at the Cherries.
Off the pitch, Harris has been exploring more media opportunities, including with the club’s media team.
She has amassed 18,000 followers on TikTok, and has been loving using her platform to advocate for women’s sport.
She aims to be transparent with her struggles and successes in the game, now she is in “an amazing space” in the game.
Charlotte Harris (Image: Richard Crease)
A video sharing the story of how she came to be sent Laura Coombs’ shirt after the Manchester City game showed that, too, as she was on the books at City in her youth career, with that game in the FA Cup something of a full circle moment.
“A lot of people were commenting on that video like, wow, this shows the friendships that can be formed in women's football,” she said.
“I think that for someone who loves football in general, whether you're male or female, I think women's football is a really good avenue to go down if you want to get to know the players potentially on a more personal level, or if you want to see more of their sides outside of football.
“Kelci [Bowers] has a big following who's also on my team.
“I know a lot of women's football do TikTok, YouTube, Instagram. So I think whilst it's important to see what they do on the pitch, female footballers I think do a great job of showing things outside the pitch as well.”
Charlotte Harris (Image: Richard Crease)
She aims to share how much the women’s game is growing and the progress it has made, and she said she believes social media is a great outlet to do it.
“I hope that that even by posting silly little TikToks, it can reach one little girl who maybe thinks that playing professional isn't an option, and she sees my page and she sees how much I'm enjoying it,” she said.
“Or even, outside of football, it can reach someone who loves punditry or interviewing or broadcasting and can see a female in those spaces.
“So whilst I really enjoy it myself, and it's something that I kind of use as a bit of a creative outlet and to get to know people and I'm a talker, so I love to meet new people.
“I hope that it can also raise awareness to women's football and the direction it's going, and especially here in Dorset.
“I think that I just want to push women's football and even AFC Bournemouth as a club to the county because I think it's something that the whole south west area should be really proud of.”