Harrogate Town Supporters Trust launches with fan perks

Harrogate Town Supporters Trust, which has had a controversial existence since news broke of the group last month, has launched and will offer several perks to members.

Other football league clubs, such as Sheffield Wednesday and Bradford City already have fans trusts, which are democratically run and governed by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Full membership to the Harrogate Town trust costs £15 a year for an adult and £10 for concessions and under-18s. Members will receive discounts in the club shop on Commercial Street, priority tickets for cup matches, and local business discounts.

Coach travel to away matches will be provided through Murgatroyd of Harrogate.

The trust will also organise a fan base at Harrogate’s Cedar Court Hotel where fans can meet before some home games. There will be food and drink offers for members as well as discounted car parking for fans walking to Wetherby Road.

A spokesperson for the trust said:

“Our mission is to help, maintain, and support the presence of an outstanding, sustainable and modern professional football club in Harrogate by being the democratic and representative voice of the supporters of the club who, through its actions, strengthen the bonds between the club, its fans and the community it serves.

“We are an independent, democratic, not-for-profit, community-based organisation who are family orientated with the aim to provide an excellent fan experience to both home and away matches.”

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The announcement of a trust was welcomed by some fans but many members of Harrogate Town Independent Supporters Club, which has been running for several years, believe it is an attempt to undermine its work.

Leaflets about the newly-formed trust were circulated to Town fans at a pre-season friendly against Newcastle United under-23s at Wetherby Road. This alarmed many members of the supporters club, with some accusing the trust on Facebook of underhand tactics.

There was also anger about the trust’s plans to put on coaches for away games, which supporters club committee member Jordan Ford has organised for many seasons.

However, the chair of the trust told the Stray Ferret that alternative away travel was needed because some fans’ drunken behaviour deterred some families and fans from travelling.

Harrogate Town out of cup after players catch coronavirus

Harrogate Town have been forced to bow out of the Carabao Cup after players in the squad tested positive for coronavirus.

While the club tried to reschedule their round one fixture, which was due to be played tonight, they were unable to organise it in time.

The club released a statement this evening which said:

“The available date proposed would not have provided enough time for logistical arrangements to be made, or tickets to be sold for the round two tie.

“In accordance with the Carabao Cup rules, Harrogate Town will therefore forfeit the tie.”

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Harrogate Town said yesterday evening that “a number of individuals” are unable to play or train due to a positive test or contact with someone who has tested positive.

Two trips in League Two to Crawley Town and Leyton Orient are also off, which were due to be played on August 14 and August 17 respectively.

Those who purchased a ticket for the Rochdale game tonight will receive a full refund.

Harrogate Town postpones three matches due to covid outbreak

Harrogate Town said tonight it has postponed the club’s next three games after players in the squad tested positive for coronavirus.

It will mean tomorrow night’s Carabao Cub fixture against Rochdale at the EnviroVent Stadium will not go ahead as planned.

Two trips in League Two to Crawley Town and Leyton Orient are also off, which were due to be played on August 14 and August 17 respectively.

The club said this evening that “a number of individuals” are unable to play or train due to a positive test or contact with someone who has tested positive.

If Harrogate Town are unable to re-arrange the cup fixture against Rochdale before the next round then they would have to forfeit the tie.

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Those who purchased a ticket for the Rochdale game will receive a full refund if it cannot go ahead.

A spokesperson for the club said:

“Due to positive covid cases within our playing squad, our next three fixtures have been postponed, including tomorrow’s Carabao Cup fixture against Rochdale at The EnviroVent Stadium.

“Our SkyBet League Two trips to Crawley Town and Leyton Orient on Saturday 14th and Tuesday 17th August have also been postponed.

“In respect of rescheduling the Carabao Cup game, the League will consider any proposal put forward by the Club as under the rules, if a fixture is not able to be re-arranged ahead of the following round, then a club would have to forfeit the tie.

“It means a number of individuals are unable to play or train due to either a positive test or the requirement to self-isolate in line with government and English Football League guidance.

“The club will continue to work with covid protocols as set out by the EFL to ensure the safety of our players and staff.

“All supporters who had purchased a ticket for our Carabao Cup fixture will receive a full refund should the game not be rearranged, or their ticket will be valid for the new date of the fixture.”

Harrogate Town removes ticket sales from website for tomorrow’s match

Harrogate Town have taken down a link to purchase tickets for their Carabao Cup first round game against Rochdale AFC tomorrow night.

The move has led to speculation that the club has again run into problems with North Yorkshire County Council around ground safety.

Fans had been able to purchase tickets for tomorrow’s match through the club website until the option was removed. Rochdale fans are also unable to buy tickets through their website.

Some fans have reported online that they were able to purchase tickets at the club’s shop on Commercial Street today.

The Stray Ferret approached Harrogate Town for comment several times this afternoon but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

We also asked the county council if it has issued the club with a safety certificate for the game but did not receive a response.

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It is the latest twist in the safety saga, which it appeared had been resolved.

North Yorkshire County Council banned fans from attending a friendly against Sunderland on July 24 after identifying 17 “unacceptable risks” for fan safety at the club’s EnviroVent Stadium on Wetherby Road.

These included problems with the CCTV system, the ground’s control room and stewarding.

With less than three days to go until the club’s first league game of the season on Saturday, which coincidentally was also against Rochdale, the county council issued a safety certificate and fans from both clubs were able to attend.

Supporters had hoped this was the end of the matter but the situation appears confused again now.

Gallery: Harrogate Town fans return for start of season

Harrogate Town fans flocked to Wetherby Road in numbers today for the return of league football.

Supporters packed inside the EnviroVent Stadium to welcome back Harrogate Town as they opened their 2020/21 League Two campaign against Rochdale.

Town fans were robbed of the experience of visiting Wembley stadium for the National League play-off final, which coincidentally was a year ago this weekend.

Fans were then left to follow the club through their laptop and mobile phone screens for most of last season as the covid pandemic saw football played behind closed doors.

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But, after a record number of season ticket sales, the Town faithful are back and hopefully for the entirety of the League Two campaign.

For many supporters, today was the first chance to watch Town play league football in the flesh.

Here’s a selection of pictures from the first EFL game back at Wetherby Road.

Harrogate Town fans returned to Wetherby Road for the start of the 2021/22 League Two season.

Harrogate Town: What to look out for in the new season

Harrogate Town will be looking forward to focusing on football after what has been a difficult summer off the pitch.

With concerns over fan safety at Wetherby Road seemingly concluded, Simon Weaver’s men host Rochdale AFC tomorrow afternoon in what will be many supporters’ first chance to watch Town play league football in the flesh.

The club finished last season in 17th, which was their first-ever campaign in League Two, and the bookmakers are predicting them to finish in the same position this season.

But tempting odds of 7/1 to gain promotion reflects the unpredictability of the division and fans will expect the team to steer well clear of the relegation positions.

New signings

Last season’s new signings were more miss than hit and Weaver will be hoping more of his new arrivals can make an impact during this campaign.

Town averaged just over a goal a game last season and striker Luke Armstrong has joined from Salford to complement Aaron Martin and offer a more clinical goal threat. Armstrong spent last season on loan at Hartlepool in the National League, scoring a commendable 13 goals in 28 appearances, which included a goal at Wembley in their play-off final that saw them promoted.

Talismanic forward Jack Muldoon has been handed a new contract but fringe strikers Jon Stead and Mark Beck have left the club, retiring and joining York City on loan respectively.

Seven new signings have joined the squad so far, including the highly-rated Lewis Page who is West Ham United academy graduate.

The new signings are:

Mark Oxley (goalkeeper), Rory McArdle (defender), Luke Armstrong (striker), Danilo Orsi (striker), Alex Pattison (midfielder), Lewis Page (defender), Nathan Sheron (midfielder).

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Number 1

Manager Simon Weaver has shown a ruthlessness as he begins to dismantle the core of his squad that saw them rise up from the National League North.

Many Town fans were surprised when popular goalkeeper James Belshaw left the club to join Bristol Rovers who play in the same division.

He’s been replaced with Mark Oxley, an experienced stopper who’s played in the EFL for Southend United. However, he had a debut to forget in a pre-season friendly against Rotherham, which led some fans to cast envious glances towards what they’ve lost in Bristol.

The twelfth man

Town fans were of course robbed of the experience of visiting Wembley stadium for the National League play-off final, which coincidentally was a year ago this weekend.

They then had to contend with watching the majority of the season on laptop screens and mobile phones via the EFL’s streaming service while coronavirus restrictions continued.

The club have announced they have already sold a record amount of season tickets for the new season — and thousands of fans cheering on the team each week should make a difference to the club’s home form, after a season of empty stands.

Details of Town’s 46 league games are available to view here.

Delight for fans as Harrogate Town allowed spectators on Saturday

Harrogate Town have been given the all clear to allow home and away fans into the ground for the opening match of the season against Rochdale on Saturday.

The announcement will come as a relief to supporters of both clubs as speculation mounted that the game would be played behind closed doors.

This was after North Yorkshire County Council identified 17 “unacceptable risks” at the club’s EnviroVent Stadium, including issues with the CCTV system, control room, and stewarding.

It appears the issues have now been resolved after the club issued a statement this afternoon saying it had now been given permission to sell tickets by the council’s safety advisory group, which has the final say on whether supporters can attend.

Visiting Rochdale supporters will be housed in the Myrings stand and EnviroVent seated terrace.

The club also apologised to both sets of fans for the uncertainty.

“We would like to thank our supporters for their patience at this difficult time and to those who have sent positive messages of support.

“We would like to apologise to both our supporters and Rochdale supporters for the delay in confirming arrangements at Saturday’s fixture and the subsequent inconvenience this has caused.

“It has been a difficult process but the safety of everyone at the stadium is paramount and cannot be compromised.”

Tickets for the game, as well as a Carabao Cup fixture on August 10, also against Rochdale, are available to purchase here. No tickets will be sold at the turnstiles.

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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.”

Football ground safety expert: Harrogate Town situation could damage reputation of club

An expert on safety at football grounds believes the current situation at Harrogate Town could damage the reputation of the club if fans are unable to buy tickets to the season opener on Saturday due to safety concerns at the EnviroVent Stadium.

With less than four days until kick-off, frustrated Town fans are in the dark about whether they can attend the League Two opener on Saturday afternoon against Rochdale AFC.

It’s the same for Rochdale supporters who have taken to social media to criticise Harrogate Town with some saying they have bought train tickets and booked hotels.

Playing the game in front of an empty ground would be a major embarrassment for the Wetherby Road club who will shortly begin their second-ever season in the English Football League.

“Unacceptable risks”

North Yorkshire County Council banned fans from attending a friendly against Sunderland on July 24 after identifying 17 “unacceptable risks” for fan safety at the club’s EnviroVent Stadium on Wetherby Road. These included problems with the CCTV system, the ground’s control room and stewarding.

It’s unclear if these issues can be overcome in time for Saturday’s kick-off.

Martin O’Hara, national council member for the Football Supporter’s Association and chair of the South Yorkshire Police Independent Advisory Group that is responsible for ground safety, told the Stray Ferret that if NYCC bans fans from attending it would damage the reputation of the club.

He added:

“It is very unusual that a club wouldn’t be allowed to open it’s gates at the start of the season.”

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Mr O’Hara said there are “generally workarounds” for safety problems at grounds but it remains to be seen if expensive and complex systems such as CCTV can be rectified in time.

He also said the uncertainty raises questions about the status of the hundreds of season tickets that have been sold.

Mr O’Hara added:

“I would expect there to be a lot going on behind the scenes with the Safety Advisory Group (SAG) at the council, the local police and the club”.

What needs to happen?

The safety standards at football grounds are set by the government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

These are included in a document called “The Green Guide” that has been written by regulator the Sports Ground Safety Authority (SGSA).

The SGSA issues guidance to council SAGs and has its own inspectors who work with them. Before each fixture, the local authority issues a safety certificate and enforces the safety standards.

Harrogate Town released the following statement this afternoon:

“The club are continuing to work with the Safety Advisory Group and Sports Ground Safety Authority to ensure supporters are able to attend Saturday’s EFL opener against Rochdale. As soon as any further information is available it will be communicated.”

Harrogate Town friendly tomorrow to allow only home fans

Harrogate Town‘s friendly against Doncaster Rovers at 2pm tomorrow will be played in front of home fans only.

The club issued a statement on Thursday confirming that supporters can attend with tickets that can be purchased here.

However, the statement added the club had decided not to sell tickets to away supporters from Doncaster.

It also urged fans not to turn up without tickets as they would not be available on the turnstiles.

The club was forced to play last weekend’s friendly against Sunderland in front of an empty stadium after North Yorkshire County Council identified 17 “unacceptable risks” that led fans to be banned just 24 hours before kick-off.

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It is still unclear if the club’s first game of the English Football League season against Rochdale next Saturday will be played in front of fans. Tickets are not currently on sale.

The Stray Ferret was contacted by a season ticket holder this morning frustrated about what they said was a lack of communication from the club about ticketing arrangements for the new season.

Town are due to entertain Rochdale twice within three days: Saturday’s opening league fixture is followed by an EFL Cup fixture on August 10.

Rochdale issued a statement on Friday afternoon saying the club had yet to receive details of ticketing arrangements for the two fixtures. It said:

“As soon as details are received from our hosts we will share with all supporters. Regrettably, until further details are received, we are unable to answer any queries from supporters about either of these two fixtures.”

A Harrogate Town spokesperson said the club did not have an update on the Rochdale game yet.