Dr. Ed Harrison is a retired IBM Executive.

Ed graduated with a BSc honors degree in Electrical Engineering from King’s College, London University in 1966, and was awarded a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Newcastle University in 1971 – his thesis title was  “Computer Representation Of Graphical Information With Applications.”

His research was a combination of computer graphics and advanced mathematics.

Ed joined IBM in 1970 and was moved to America in 1973 with his new wife Madeline – formerly Madeline Carol Rose – who is a Geordie and also born at St. Mary’s Hospital in Newcastle.

Ed worked in systems architecture and design at IBM for 22 years, before moving into Network Consulting in 1992, as part of IBM’s newly formed IBM Consulting Group.

And four years later he entered the executive ranks of the American company and ended up as the Managing Principal and Director of the Network Consulting Practice for IBM Americas.

It became a $2B business which he was instrumental in building from 1998 through 2002 – before he finally retired from IBM in 2004, after 34 years with the American company.

Ed and Madeline have three children, twin sons Neil and Paul and daughter Elaine, and have been married for 51 years – and they said it wouldn’t last!

He was born and bred in St. Anthony’s estate in Newcastle, and played for Newcastle schoolboys at under 11 and under 15 levels.

Ed joined Newcastle United as a 15-year-old schoolboy in 1960, and stayed for a couple of years, playing on the Newcastle Juniors (U18) side with future stars such as Bobby Moncur and David Craig.

While at Newcastle University, he played for the successful University football side and was selected for the English Universities side from 1967 through 1969.

In April 1969 he suffered a severe double fracture of his left leg while playing for English Universities against the England Amateur side at Hillsborough Stadium.

He created this blog in April 2007 as a means of giving fans a voice on the Newcastle United news of the day.