29
Jun
Harrogate Town announce fifth summer signing
Dear Reader, this article is free to read. We publish about 100 articles a week all exclusively focused on local news. Please support independent local journalism by subscribing here. It costs as little as 14p a day.
Harrogate Town have announced their fifth summer signing.
Goalkeeper Rory Watson joins Town on a one-year contract after spending the last three seasons at York City.
The 30-year-old said:
I’m ecstatic. I heard about the deal towards the end of last week and had a conversation with the gaffer and it felt like the move fit both parties, so I’m delighted to be here.
I’ve been a part of successful teams in the past and looking at the squad being built here, I think this can be a real success as well.
Watson was signed by Leeds United at the age of 10 before joining Hull City, where he would go on to earn his first professional contract in June 2014.
After spending the next couple seasons out on loan, including a stint at North Ferriby where he made 31 appearances, the shot-stopper left Hull City to join Scunthorpe where he would go on to make 85 appearances for the Iron.
Watson would go onto to join Wrexham and then Doncaster before joining his hometown team, York City in 2023.
While at York, Watson rejoined Scunthorpe on loan in the 2024/25 season before spending the 2025/26 season on loan at Darlington, where he made 17 appearances.
Lloyd Kerry, Harrogate Town’s head of recruitment, said:
Rory brings experience as he knows the level and we think he’s a really safe pair of hands.
He’ll bring calmness to the back line. We’ve got quite a young team, so to have a few experienced players, like Rory, who the younger players can lean on is really important to have.
We are really happy that we’ve got two really experienced goalkeepers in Oxley and Watson.
Rory will wear number 30 at Town and will officially join on July 1, subject to relevant governing bodies’ approval.
0