Goalkeeper’s journey from Harrogate Railway to the Champions League

Beginning your career at Station View in Starbeck and ending up at grounds like the San Siro, Nou Camp and the Allianz Arena is an unlikely, even implausible, career path, but Jon McLaughlin was tipped for the top from the very start.

The 34-year-old Glasgow Rangers goalkeeper started last night during a 1-0 win over PSV that secured his club’s place in the Champions League group stages for the first time in over a decade.

Rangers were regulars in the competition in the 2000s when McLaughlin was starting out his career at Harrogate Railway.

Back then, he was a lanky 19-year-old student at Leeds Metropolitan University taking his first steps into part-time, non-league football.

‘The Battle of Harrogate’

McLaughlin made his debut for Railway in the Unibond League Cup away at Gateshead in 2006, due to an injury to the first-choice keeper.

He soon cemented his place in the side and stood out during Railway’s second fairytale FA Cup run of that decade. They were eventually knocked out by Mansfield Town in the 2nd round, live in front of the BBC cameras.

Earlier in the competition, fans of both Railway and Harrogate Town fondly remember his performance in a 2-1 qualifying win over a pre-Irving Weaver Harrogate Town.

The two clubs were at a much more even level than today.

It was a blustery October afternoon game that was watched by 1,300 at Station View. In a match report, non-league blogger Paul Kirkwood described the atmosphere, which contrasts wildly to the cauldron of Ibrox that the goalkeeper plays in today.

“The local paper tried to bull up the match as ‘The Battle of Harrogate’ but it was more like a cordial meeting of two old friends at the famous Betty’s Tea Rooms down the road.”

The Scot’s talent was evident, and it was clear Railway had found a gem.

Following Railway’s FA Cup heroics, he was signed by Town in early 2008. At the time, then-Railway boss Vince Brockie predicted the 20-year-old would play for Scotland one day, and he eventually did in 2018.

‘Massive for the club’

Railway’s secretary Dave Shepherd said he was proud to see one of the club’s former players make it to the top of the game

“To have an ex-footballer make it at the very top level is massive for the club.

“He was quiet really, even back then, but he was very dependable. He always turned up for training and games and was never a problem.

“I can remember back then we had a group of lads who came and sang to him, Scotland’s number one, tongue in cheek.”

Harrogate Railway’s vice chairman Lee Holmes said Railway has been a good starting point for many players over the years.

“He was really, really good. I was there for the match against Town and he did well. He was a brilliant player.”

Katherine Swinn, of Harrogate Town Independent Supporters Group, also remembers McLaughlin as a “great keeper, too good for non-league and very highly thought of”.

Up the ladder

After leaving Town after half a season, McLaughlin moved to professional, full-time football with Bradford City. They were then managed by Harrogate resident and fellow Scot Stuart McCall.

His career has included a League Cup final at Wembley and he will be hoping to make the Scotland squad for the Qatar World Cup later this year, but he still credits his time in Harrogate as laying the foundations for his success.

He told the Daily Record in 2020

“I follow all my former teams. Harrogate Town just got 
promoted and it’s great to see them starting to build.

“When I was at Harrogate Railway before that, the pitches were open to anyone who wanted to walk in but nobody wanted to walk in unfortunately!

“There were a couple of men and a dog watching games so it’s the polar opposite to now.

“It’s great to be where I am now and hopefully it means I’ll never take it for granted.

“I have an appreciation for what I have now. I know first hand the difference between lifestyles from then and now – and the hours you have to dedicate to it.

“I don’t think any of the 
Harrogate lads are playing pro football now. We’re talking about quite a few levels below the National League in England so it was part-time boys.

“We try to stay in contact but I don’t get down too often. I don’t get the chance to get involved in the reunions but it would be great to go back.”

Drivers face 10 weeks of Harrogate roadworks from Tuesday

Drivers face 10 weeks of roadworks in Harrogate starting from Tuesday.

Work is being carried out by Northern Gas Networks to replace ageing pipework with plastic pipes.

It will see road closures and temporary traffic lights on many of the main routes into town, including Ripon Road, Kings Road and Cold Bath Road just as children return to school.

Work will take 10 weeks from August 30.

Northern Gas Networks said in a statement that although most work will be carried out on the road, engineers will need access to customer properties to complete the project and ensure the continued safe and reliable supply of gas.

The work will include:

Russ Kaye, business operations lead for Northern Gas Networks, said: 

“We would like to apologise in advance for any inconvenience caused during these essential works. However, it is vital we complete them in order to continue to maintain a safe and reliable gas supply to the residents of Harrogate.

“We want to assure residents and road users that we will be working hard to complete this essential scheme as safely and as quickly as possible.”

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Harrogate district to get 20 new electric vehicle chargepoints

North Yorkshire is set to receive 140 new chargepoints for electric vehicles under a scheme announced today by the Department for Transport.

The county’s seven districts, including Harrogate, will each get 20 chargers.

The chargepoints will installed at on-street locations and at larger petrol-station charging hubs.

It is hoped the move will give drivers without home chargers more confidence to switch to electric, and reduce ‘range anxiety’ among existing electric vehicle users by helping to ensure motorists are never far from a chargepoint.

North Yorkshire County Council was awarded the funding today.

The council previously suggested that Markington, Pateley Bridge and Conyngham Hall in Knaresborough could receive new chargepoints in the Harrogate district. But it has yet to confirm the locations after today’s news.

Councillor Greg White, the council’s executive member for climate change, welcomed the funding. He said:

“The switch to electric vehicles is necessary as North Yorkshire moves towards becoming carbon zero, but the rural nature of the county presents some significant challenges.

“We worked hard to come up with an innovate scheme which will begin to provide the answers motorists need if they are to have the confidence to go electric.”

The chargers are part of the new Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) pilot scheme where the council and industry work in partnership.

Companies are putting £200,000 towards the scheme.

The council will install more electric chargers (photo: Andrew Roberts/Unsplash)

Harrogate currently has six public charging points – though the type and number of charging points varies between each station.

Knaresborough currently has two charging points whilst Ripon has four.

National plans

North Yorkshire is one of the first nine areas to receive funding.

A total of £20 million has been allocated for the pilot scheme nationally.

The government plans to eventually invest £450 million into the scheme nationwide.

It intends to grow the network of charging points around the country with more than 1,000 new charging stations set to be installed.

Decarbonisation minister Trudy Harrison said:

“We want to expand and grow our world-leading network of EV chargepoints, working closely with industry and local government, making it even easier for those without driveways to charge their electric vehicles and support the switch to cleaner travel.”

Boroughbridge fashion brand to expand into US and Australia

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal. 

Boroughbridge-based online women’s fashion retailer and brand Kit and Kaboodal is set to expand into the United States and Australia.

The company, founded in 2013, has posted a 48% increase in revenue on the same period the previous year, 20% ahead of target.

It’s now on track to surpass its annual target of £8m for the full 2022/23 financial year.

The retailer has now made the decision to trial international expansion and, from this autumn, it will launch specific sites and products in the US and Australia.

Helen Marsden, co-founder and buying director, said:

“We’re a family-run and family-owned business that began by making all our decisions around the kitchen table. Now we’re watching the orders grow daily and we’re reaching entirely new markets and customers.

“We’ve focused on building strong relationships with suppliers and customers and that has helped us navigate some of the most disruptive years in history and come out the other side with a strong business that’s fit for the future.”

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Harrogate district nursery supplies plants to luxury resort

Johnsons of Whixley

Johnsons of Whixley are supplying plants to The Springs.

Johnsons of Whixley has supplied plants worth £135,000 for a multi-million-pound renovation at the 133-acre The Springs Resort & Golf Club in Oxfordshire.

The plants have been used to enhance the grounds of the Tudor-style hotel building, clubhouse, golf course and spa grounds and most recently used to landscape the modern lodges which include private outdoor areas with hot tubs and landscaped decking.

Johnsons has supplied a large number of hedging, shrubs, herbaceous, trees and grasses with varieties including mixed native hedging elements, Choisya, Geraniums, Heleniums, Hebes, Hydrangeas, Heucheras, Ilex, Lavender, Magnolia, Prunus, Stipa, Taxus, Viburnum and more.

Eleanor Richardson, marketing manager at Johnsons, said:

“We are pleased to be working with Darwin Escapes once again, and are honoured to be their principal plant supplier. It’s great to see our plants adding the finishing touches to this ambitious project, the grounds look fantastic and will certainly entice people to stay.”

Harrogate man nears end of epic 800-mile walk

A Harrogate man is on the verge of completing an 800-mile trek in aide of dementia.

James Calvert is walking the mammoth hike from John o’Groats to Land’s End, which spans 812 miles.

He undertook the challenge in aide of Dementia UK and has so far raised £4,848.

He said:

“My grandma has dementia and therefore I understand and appreciate all help that dementia carers give.”

James expects to arrive at Land’s End tomorrow (August 25) after starting his campaign on July 14.

He has aimed to walk 25 miles a day, with his longest day being 46 miles.

He has been wild camping along the way and received support from complete strangers, including monetary donations and gifts of food and drinks to keep him going.

To donate to James’ cause, visit his JustGiving page here.

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Travellers are back on Harrogate’s Stray

Travellers have pitched up on the Stray in Harrogate for a second time this summer.

An encampment has appeared on a section of the parkland between Oatlands Drive and Stray Rein. Several vehicles are on site,

Harrogate Borough Council is the legal protector of the Stray. Asked if it was aware of the Travellers’ arrival, a council spokesman said:

“We are indeed and will be following the normal procedure to ensure they are moved on swiftly.”

Stray Travellers

The scene on the Stray today,

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A recent spate of arrivals by Travellers in the Harrogate district has led to calls to provide more designated temporary sites.

Six caravans and several cars arrived near to Oatlands Drive on the Stray in the week leading up to Appleby Horse Fair in Cumbria.

Last month Travellers also pitched up on Oatlands Park, off Hookstone Road,

On both occasions, the council instigated legal proceedings and the Travellers moved on quickly.

But more friction occurred when Travellers parked on the old rugby field at Knaresborough this summer.

It prompted Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, to write to Home Secretary Priti Patel complaining of “disorder and anti-social behaviour completely off the scale compared to that associated with previous traveller encampments in our area”.

Andrew Jones MP defends government response to energy crisis

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones has defended the government’s response to the energy crisis, saying there are “no easy short-term fixes” to reduce the nation’s dependency on gas and oil.

Business leaders wrote to Mr Jones this week with warnings that many firms face closure due to soaring energy prices.

In response, Mr Jones said long-term progress had been made in the move away from fossil fuels and that the government was providing support for businesses and households during the current crisis.

He said in a letter: 

“Renewable capacity in the electricity market has increased from 2.3% in 1996 to 49.7% today, according to the UK Energy Brief 2022.

“Even though renewable energy is supplying more of the market, its cost is linked to wholesale gas prices.

“What the above shows is that there are no easy short-term fixes to reduce our dependency on gas and oil. But the long-term decisions that have been taken are beginning to bear fruit.”

Mr Jones was writing in a letter to the Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce, which also contacted Skipton and Ripon MP Julian Smith and Selby and Ainsty MP Nigel Adams about its “grave concerns”.

Chamber chief executive David Simister urged the Conservative MPs to put pressure on the government to “act now” and help businesses before they reach “tipping point”.

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In response, Mr Smith said in a statement he was “extremely concerned” about energy costs and that he would “put pressure on ministers to do more”.

Meanwhile, Mr Jones also highlighted the support already being provided to businesses and families, including a £400 grant for all UK households from October.

Homes in council tax bands A to D should have also received £150, while eight million low income households will get £650 on top of this. There are also £300 payments promised for eight million pensioners.

For businesses, Mr Jones said a new rates relief will support investment in property upgrades from 2023 when a separate small profits rate will also mean around 1.4 million businesses continue to pay corporation tax at 19% or none at all.

Mr Jones added: 

“Business owners, those who work for them and their customers are also domestic gas and electricity users and you will know that a lot has been done in respect of shielding everybody from rising prices.

“I wanted to highlight that support for businesses and employees is already of scale.”

His comments come as the government has previously said there would be no new policies before a new Prime Minister is in place. 

The new Conservative Party leader – and Prime Minister – is set to be announced on September 5.

Liz Truss is the current favourite to replace Boris Johnson. She has promised tax cuts and recently hinted at direct financial help for hard-hit households.

Her rival, Rishi Sunak, has vowed to introduce more targeted support for households, including a reduction in VAT on domestic energy bills from 5% to zero.

Rachel Daly picked for England World Cup 2023 qualifier squad

Harrogate’s Rachel Daly has been called up to the England Lionesses’ squad ahead of the World Cup qualifiers.

Daly, who recently joined Aston Villa, is among the 23-player squad which will take on Austria and Luxembourg next month.

The Lionesses will be hoping to build on their Euro 2022 triumph by booking a place at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand next year.

England manager Sarina Wiegman said:

“It only feels like yesterday since we were celebrating at Wembley, but we have to get straight back to business. 

“We have a big target in front of us this month to book our place at the World Cup, and we have to set aside our amazing memories of this summer for the moment.”

Daly, who attended Saltergate and Rossett schools, has seen a lot of success on the pitch in the past few months.

After helping the Lionesses win the Euros at Wembley against Germany last month, she signed for Women’s Super League side Aston Villa from Houston Dash in the USA. She now has almost 300,000 followers on Instagram.

The 30-year-old said it was a big decision to move to Villa, but added that it was right to come home as “family is the most important thing”.

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Harrogate man jailed for knife and heroin offences

A Harrogate man has been jailed for carrying a kitchen knife in public and possessing heroin.

Nigel Green, of Fairfax Avenue, appeared before York Magistrates Court this week charged with both offences.

Green, 42, pleaded guilty to the charges.

He was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison for carrying a kitchen knife on Fairfax Avenue after the court found it was his second conviction of the same charge.

The magistrates also jailed Green for four weeks for carrying a wrap of heroin on Roche Avenue. The time will be served concurrently with the first sentence.

He was also ordered to pay a victim’s surcharge of £128.

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Harrogate’s Old Bell gets holiday accommodation approval

Plans have been approved to convert the upper floors of a traditional Harrogate pub into holiday accommodation.

It will see the second, third and fourth floors above the Old Bell on Royal Parade changed to letting rooms.

The pub is owned by Market Town Taverns, part of Heron and Brearley (H&B) based on the Isle of Man.

The proposal, submitted by Darren Clibbens of H&B, will see the basement, ground and first floors of the building unchanged.

Harrogate Borough Council has given the go-ahead for the plan.

The upper levels of the building are currently vacant office space, according to the application, with one studio apartment on the top floor.

The council’s estates team, and parks and gardens team, have both responded to the application and have not raised any objection.

However, they have asked for consideration to be given to the storage of resulting trade waste on the site, and highlighted the fact that the area in front of the building, including the pavement, forms part of the Stray.

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