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Jun
Harrogate's new director of rugby: 'We need to start reconnecting to bring back success'
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Harrogate Rugby Union Football Club announced last Friday (June 6) that former captain, Jake Brady, would replace Martyn Wood as director of rugby.
Brady joins from Leeds Tykes, who won National League 2 North last season – the same league Harrogate were relegated from.
He played for Harrogate for eight years before joining Leeds, and rejoins at a time when his brother Sam Brady is captain.
Wood will remain at the club as chairman of rugby and Brady said he was keen to keep the former England player involved as he has a “particular skillset the club needs”.
Jake Brady (right) with brother and current club captain Sam Brady.
Brady's comments came during an interview with the Stray Ferret about his return to the club.
With Leeds promoted, and Harrogate relegated, why did he want to move two leagues down? He said:
I’ve got a close affinity with the club. It almost feels like my home club. A lot of people here put their arms around me and moulded me into the man I am today.
We had a lot of success in the time I was there. I want to bring that back to Harrogate.
The Leeds promotion was a factor in my decision, but not a big one. League positions are fluid and I’m trying to look past that. If anything, the promotion made the decision easier for me. I don’t feel like I’m leaving the job unfinished.
Ambitions
During Brady’s time as a player at the club, Harrogate won the Yorkshire Cup three times.
But The Aces have been a yo-yo club in the past decade, struggling to establish themselves permanently in National League 2 North.
He said he wants to bring a winning culture back:
When I look back at my career, there’s a select few teams I remember playing in that were special. I want to create that for Harrogate.
I want people to feel a deep connection to the club. It’s all linked in together – if we get a team that cares about the club it will attract people and businesses.
People will get behind that and see it as a bit of a journey. It helps financially and commercially.
Brady was a driving force for increased sponsorship and matchday income at Leeds.
Brady was player-manager for Leeds Tykes during his spell there.
Harrogate have a much smaller budget than their Yorkshire rivals, and do not pay their players.
So how can Brady instil this winning culture?
He said he firstly wanted to meet with the coaches one-to-one to assess where the club is at and what gaps need filling.
Historically, Harrogate is a community-based club and Brady said the local pathways into the club were “extremely important”.
He said there was a lot of talent in the area, and the club has a solid youth foundation but the good culture must come from the top down:
We need to start reconnecting people back with the club and thinking ‘who can we bring back?’
I know a lot of ex-players that may be business owners and are sat on the outskirts. I know they’re good people and I want to get them back involved. If we can get people involved first, then we can start thinking about pushing for sponsorship – whether that’s just for one game or longer term.
I can envisage a future where Harrogate have a strong financial backing. It’s an affluent area.
The new boss said he doesn’t think there’s a long-term ceiling for Harrogate in National League 2 North.
Brady intends to be part of the journey on the pitch as well as off it. Aged 38, he has no plans to stop playing. The forward added he “would have been confident playing in National 1 with Leeds”.
However, as the new first team boss, he says he will decide when and when not to play “always within the best interests of the team".
Fans will be hoping that having a new director of rugby with so much experience and knowledge of the club will bring back the good times after the recent turbulent times.
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