Harrogate Town to kick-off season with Yorkshire derby

Harrogate Town will begin the 2023/24 English Football League Division Two season with a Yorkshire derby at Doncaster Rovers on August 5.

Town, who today announced Motherwell midfielder Dean Cornelius, 22, as their sixth summer signing, will then entertain Forest Green Rovers in the first home league fixture of the season on August 12.

Today’s fixture list also revealed the other all-Yorkshire clashes will see Simon Weaver’s men visit Bradford City on Saturday, September 16, before Doncaster Rovers visit the EnviroVent Stadium on Saturday, January 6. The home fixture against Bradford City is scheduled for March 23.

Wrexham, co-owned by Hollywood star Ryan Reynolds, are due in town in November 28 — a Tuesday night.

Christmas in Grimsby

The festive fixture list starts with a trip to Grimsby on Saturday, December 23, before a home match against Accrington Stanley on Boxing Day.

Three days later Harrogate, who finished 19th last season, host Tranmere Rovers, before a New Year’s Day trip to face Morecambe.

Today’s new signing Dean Cornelius

Good Friday sees the side travel to AFC Wimbledon, before an Easter Monday home clash with Gillingham.

The final home fixture of the season takes place on Saturday, April 20 when MK Dons visit Harrogate for the first time.

The final away fixture is at Salford City on Saturday, April 27.

Town’s 2023/24 EFL Trophy Group has also been confirmed, with the club drawn in Group C along with Carlisle United, Accrington Stanley and Nottingham Forest under-21s.

The draw for the first round of the Carabao Cup was also made, with Town set to host Carlisle the week commencing August 7.

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Luke Armstrong signs long term contract with Harrogate Town

Luke Armstrong has extended his contract at Harrogate Town until the end of the 2024/25 season.

Armstrong finished his first season at the club as top goalscorer, netting 14 times since arriving from Salford City in June 2021.

The 25-year-old forward opened the scoring against Rochdale in August in the first five minutes of the game, leading to a nomination for Football League World EFL2 Player of the Month.

He went on to score six in his first eight appearances, earning further League Two Player of the Month nominations in September from the PFA and SkyBet League Two.

Armstrong was instrumental in Town’s historic run to the Third Round of the Emirates FA Cup too, scoring a memorable goal at Fratton Park in the second round.

He said today:

“When I first signed here last year I knew it was somewhere I wanted to tie myself down to for a long time so I’m over the moon that the Gaffer has shown his faith in me and offered me a long term contract.

“We want to show what we can do again like we did at the start of last season, we want to be up there challenging and trying and get out of this league and into League One which we are capable of doing.

“Personally I want to do better than last season and get back to the form I showed in the first half of the season.

“Myself and the team had started off really well and I had never felt more at home at a club.

“Even through the tough times we had towards the end of last season I still really enjoyed playing which is a rarity, the lads here are great and the Gaffer believed in me throughout so it was a no brainer to sign again.”

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‘Allez Allez Allez!’: Harrogate Town fans savour special Bradford trip

One chant was sung loud and proud by Harrogate Town supporters at Valley Parade last night.

Inspired by a song sung by Liverpool fans, it describes how they have been there from the days of National League North, beating minnows Telford and Darlington along the way, and references past heroes Joe Leesley and Dom Knowles.

“We are the loyal supporters and we come from Harrogate!

“Allez Allez Allez!”

When Town fans entered Bradford City’s stadium, they sat down opposite the imposing JCT600 Stand. It wouldn’t look out of place in the Premier League, nevermind League Two of the English Football League.

It showed how far the club has come, and seemed to spur the record number of Town away supporters to sing the song about the journey up the divisions even louder.

Valley Parade’s imposing JCT600 Stand.

A memorable night

Four Stray Ferret reporters were among over 700 Harrogate fans who made the short trip to West Yorkshire for what was one of the most memorable nights in the club’s history.

They made more noise than the relatively docile 13,000 Bradford City fans, which promoted the playful Town faithful to goad them with: “Is this a library?” and “Shall we sing a song for you?”

But when the home side took the lead in the first half it threatened to dampen the party atmosphere in the away end.

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For a while it worked, until Warren Burrell scored in first-half injury time to change the direction of the game.

In the second half, Town took the lead thanks to a Beckham-esque free-kick from Lewis Page. A cooly-taken finish from Jack Diamond made it 3-1.

Jack Diamond’s goal sparked mass celebrations.

It prompted an evacuation of Bradford City fans towards the exit doors and full throttle singing among the Town fans.

Special moments

Covid has robbed Town fans of many special moments — Wembley trips, glamorous away days and seeing the club play league football at the revamped EnviroVent Stadium.

After the final whistle, the bond between the playing staff and fans was evident. The squad, led by manager Simon Weaver, applauded the travelling fans, signed shirts and took selfies with young supporters.

It was a proud day for Jordan Ford, who organises away day coach travel for fans on behalf of Harrogate Town Independent Supporters Club.

Yesterday there were over 200 fans on his coaches — a far cry from the 25 or so when he first started several years ago.

Town player Jack Muldoon took to Twitter after the match to pay tribute to the fans.

https://twitter.com/J_muldoon11/status/1496280985389912064?s=20&t=5SoSRoWdTANHtOYDUxzXbA

 

Over 500 Harrogate Town fans heading to Bradford tonight

About 550 Harrogate Town fans will watch their team face Bradford City tonight in a Yorkshire derby at Valley Parade.

It’s one of the most hotly anticipated games in Harrogate Town history, especially after last season’s fixture was played behind closed doors due to covid restrictions. It’s the most away tickets sold for a Harrogate Town game in their 103-year history.

Bradford’s ground has a capacity of 25,000. Despite languishing in League Two of the English Football League, the 1911 FA Cup winners average crowds of 15,700 this year.

Over 222 fans will travel by coaches arranged by Harrogate Town Independent Supporters Club.

It’s a chance for Simon Weaver’s men to do the double over their rivals, after beating them 2-0 at the EnviroVent Stadium on February 5.

The Bantams sacked manager Derek Adams following the fixture and are yet to appoint a replacement.

Speaking yesterday, Weaver said:

“[This season has been] our first experience as a football league club with big crowds so there’s none bigger than tomorrow. It’s a big ground, great set up and a fantastic football club that we’re visiting so hopefully we will come out on top for the fans.”

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Town have not played since last Tuesday’s 4-3 heartbreak away at Exeter City — a match Town led 3-1.

A home game against Leyton Orient was postponed on Saturday due to the snow. It’s been rescheduled for Tuesday March 22.

Tickets for tonight’s game are still available, with Harrogate Town fans able to pay at the gate by scanning a QR code.

https://twitter.com/officialbantams/status/1496077312344956934?s=20&t=dxsc-aD4mGVH0CMS8WHiKg

Harrogate Town’s Boxing Day clash with Bradford postponed

Harrogate Town‘s game away at Bradford City on Boxing Day has been postponed due to a covid outbreak in the Bradford squad.

Bradford City told the English Football League that it would be unable to field a full team for the fixture due to the number of covid cases in their squad.

The Yorkshire derby was one of the most eagerly awaited matches of the year for Town fans, with a large crowd and a festive atmosphere expected at Bradford. It will now be rearranged.

A host of games in the Premier League and the English Football League were postponed over the weekend due to covid outbreaks.

Harrogate Town are due to travel to Tranmere tomorrow in the second round of the Football League Trophy.

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Harrogate Town hit Scunthorpe for six

Harrogate Town had one of their best days ever today when they destroyed Scunthorpe United 6-1.

In front of a record home league crowd of 3,180, Town were 5-0 up by half time as the visitors from Lincolnshire were cut apart time and again.

Scunthorpe pulled one back in the 79th minute but had a man sent off two minutes later and then conceded a sixth when Danilo Orsi fired home an 83rd minute penalty.

The result puts Town second in League Two, just a point behind leaders Forest Green, who lost today.

Two goals each from Jack Muldoon and Alex Pattison, plus one from Jack Diamond, put Harrogate fans in dreamland by half-time.

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Harrogate Town boss nominated for Manager of the Month

Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver has been nominated for the manager of the month award in League Two of the English Football League.

It’s been a dream start to the new campaign for Town despite a covid outbreak forcing the club to postpone two league fixtures.

Weaver’s men are currently sitting pretty at the top of table, with four wins and one draw from their opening five games.

August saw home wins against Rochdale and Barrow and a 1-1 draw with Exeter.

Their only defeat last month came in a 0-2 loss to Leyton Orient.

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The winner will be announced on Friday. The shortlist is below.

Dave Challinor (Hartlepool United)

Rob Edwards (Forest Green Rovers)

Ben Garner (Swindon Town)

Simon Weaver (Harrogate Town)

Rochdale fans frustrated by ‘embarrassing’ ticket situation at Harrogate Town

With fans still in the dark about whether they will be allowed to attend Harrogate Town‘s opening match of the season, supporters of opponents Rochdale have given a damning assessment of the situation.

Town’s League Two campaign is set to kick off on Saturday at the EnviroVent Stadium on Wetherby Road against the Lancashire club.

There’s about 72 hours to go and it’s still unclear whether fans will be allowed inside the ground after North Yorkshire County Council identified 17 “unacceptable risks” at the stadium, including issues with the CCTV system, control room, and stewarding.

The council’s refusal to issue a safety certificate meant fans were unable to attend the friendly against Sunderland on July 24. Home fans were permitted to watch the final pre-season friendly against Doncaster Rovers on Sunday but no away fans were let in.

No tickets are on sale yet for this weekend’s Rochdale match. A club spokesperson told the Stray Ferret last night it was working “tirelessly and vigorously” behind the scenes to resolve the situation.

But the uncertainty so close to kick off has frustrated Rochdale fans who are unsure whether to plan to make the trip across the Pennines.

Josh Dolan told the Stray Ferret he hoped to take his 18-month old daughter to her first game.

Mr Dolan said the English Football League should intervene and questioned whether Town’s off-the-field operation is set up for the rigours of the professional game. He said:

“How can the EFL not get involved because if this was any other team, like Barrow, Rochdale or Oldham they’d be on us like a ton of bricks? It makes me think are they even ready for the football league? It’s embarrassing for your club really”.

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Mr Dolan said Harrogate Town should have communicated the situation better to supporters:

“I would like to say let the fans know in advance due to people that have booked hotels and travel. In a nutshell, they need to liaise with the fans instead of keeping them in the dark”.

Another Rochdale fan, Nathaniel McNulty, is also looking forward to visiting Harrogate for the first time.

He said:

[It’s a] new ground for many, if not all of us, and I was going to make a day of it. I’d not bought tickets for the train just yet, but, like many other Dale fans, I think this is where my frustrations lie. I just want to get it booked and organised for the first game of the season.”

He said he understood that safety concerns needed to be addressed and was skeptical about fans being allowed in.

“It almost feels like delaying the inevitable.”

Harrogate Town cancels watch party at CNG Stadium

Harrogate Town has cancelled a party it had organised for fans to watch tomorrow’s promotion final at the CNG Stadium.  Town travel to Wembley tomorrow for the first time in the team’s history as the players bid to enter the Football League.

Fans though are not allowed to attend the big game due to coronavirus . So the club had set up the ticketed event at the Harrogate stadium.

Now it seems new advice means the fans will have to find somewhere else to watch the historic game.

A statement on the Club’s website said:

Following the latest guidelines issued by central Government we have been contacted by North Yorkshire County Council Public Health who have strongly advised that it would be preferable that our Promotion Final watch party event be cancelled.In light of the latest guidelines, the advice from Public Health and the statutory rights available to Public Health to stop the event we have very little choice but to cancel the event.Full refunds will be processed next week for anyone who has purchased a bubble.

Please accept our sincere apologies for these unfortunate circumstances which are completely beyond our control.

We must act on the advice of Public Health and in the best interests of everyone involved, supporters and staff.

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Below is a list of bars and venues in Harrogate that are showing the game live, which will be broadcast on BT Sport at 3pm.

The Harrogate Arms, Parliament Street (online bookings only)

Bilton Working Men’s Club, Skipton Road (non-members welcome)

Manhatten Snooker Club, Beech Avenue (non-members welcome)

Mojo, Parliament Street (online bookings only)

Prince of Wales, Starbeck High Street

Harlow Hill Sports and Social Club, College Street 

Bilton Cricket Club, Bilton Lane

The Woodlands Hotel, Wetherby Road

The following pubs are showing the game but are already fully booked:

The Alexandra, West Park

The Last Post, Cold Bath Road 

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Harrogate Town’s football league dream inches closer

Harrogate Town’s dream of playing in the English Football League could move closer this week.

The National League is expected to end the current campaign via points-per-game with Town entering the play-offs for the chance to win promotion.

The club was in second position when the 2019/20 season was curtailed in March due to the coronavirus pandemic. The 24 clubs in the National League voted over the weekend on how to conclude the season which is widely expected to send Barrow AFC up as champions with the second to seventh-placed teams competing for the final promotion place in a play-off in July. Confirmation of the vote is expected later this week.

It’s estimated that promotion to the EFL could be worth between £1million to £1.5million to Town, who have played in the lower leagues since they were formed in 1919.

Harrogate Town Supporters Club spokesperson Jordan Ford told the Stray Ferret that it’s been a “frustrating” few months but he is pleased a decision will soon be made on how the season will end.

“I’ve been following the club avidly for seven or eight years. I never thought we’d be in this position but it would be absolutely brilliant for the local area to have a club achieving league football. It would be excellent.”

The playoffs will be broadcast live on BT Sport which will give the club a much-needed cash windfall following the abandonment of the season in March. It is believed the broadcaster pays clubs between £5,000 and £10,000 for each National League game they show live on TV.

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Harrogate Town was eligible to apply for a share of a £125m coronavirus support fund launched by the Premier League for clubs in the lower divisions struggling financially with the football shutdown.

A new 880-seater stand is currently being built at Wetherby Road to meet EFL regulations should they be promoted. The club would also need to replace their artificial 3G pitch with grass.

Harrogate Town will play the first play-off semi-final at Wetherby Road on at an unconfirmed date in July with the winner moving on to the final which will be played at a neutral venue before July 31.