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10
Jul 2021
Harrogate Town manager looks up to 'principled and honest' Gareth Southgate
Harrogate Town boss Simon Weaver has paid tribute to Gareth Southgate, who he said has paved the way for football managers to be "principled and honest".
Weaver told the Stray Ferret that he first met at the England manager, who lives locally, at a gym and they have built up a friendship over the years.
Ahead of the National League play-off final at Wembley last summer, Weaver invited Southgate to give the Town players a motivational team-talk before the biggest game in their history.
Weaver said:
The Town boss said that during his own playing career, managers wouldn't always explain why he was left out of a game, which led to a loss of respect.
In a team full of superstars, he said it is a credit to Southgate's man-management skills that the players are all firmly behind him, no matter who is chosen for the final 11.
He said:
But he said it's a mistake to label Southgate as "just a nice guy".
Read more:
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Harrogate Town to kick off new season against Rochdale
Weaver said Harrogate should "cherish and be proud" of Southgate, and said that he tries to run Harrogate Town with similar values.
Weaver added:
He also has an amusing anecdote. A couple of years ago, Weaver bumped into Southgate in a clothes shop in Harrogate and they had a long chat. Afterwards, the shop owner nudged the Town boss, not knowing who he was, and asked:
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