Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver said this morning’s League Two fixtures announcement “brought home” the scale of the club’s historic promotion to the English Football League.
Speaking to the Stray Ferret this afternoon, Weaver described the weeks since their Wembley triumph on August 2 as a “whirlwind”.
Fixtures for the upcoming EFL campaign were released this morning and Town fans can now prepare for trips to the likes of Bradford City and Bolton Wanderers.
Watch our interview with him below:
Read more:
Town will make the 220 mile trip to Roots Hall to play Southend on September 12 for their opening fixture in League Two.
The first few home games of the season will be played at Doncaster Rovers’ Keepmoat Stadium as the artificial 3G pitch at the CNG Stadium is replaced with grass due to EFL regulations.
Harrogate Town to begin new season in three weeksHarrogate Town will begin the 2020/21 season on September 5 in the first round of the Carabao Cup.
The team have not had long to bask in promotion glory and will play again on September 8 or 9 in the EFL Cup before kicking off their first-ever campaign in League Two on September 12.
The season will conclude on 8/9 May 2021 with the play-off final taking place at Wembley Stadium over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend May 29-31 2021.
Because the season is starting six weeks later than usual there will be 11-midweek fixtures.
If the team wins their first-round Carabao Cup clash on September 5 it would put them into the hat for a mouth-watering tie with Premier League outfits Manchester City, Liverpool and newly promoted Leeds United.
Read more:
Manager Simon Weaver has been busy in the transfer market since their historic win at Wembley less than two weeks ago, adding Jake Lawlor, Tom Walker and Connor Kirby in recent days.
Town fans are anxiously awaiting the announcement of who they will play in the league next season which will be released by the EFL on August 21 at 9am.
Town will play the first few games of the season at Doncaster Rovers’ Keepmoat Stadium due to the artificial 3G pitch at the CNG Stadium being replaced with grass due to EFL regulations.
Speaking to the Stray Ferret last week about the 3G pitch being replaced, Town managing director Garry Plant said “it’s time to say goodbye to a very old friend that’s done brilliantly for the club.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed yesterday that fans can begin to return to football stadiums from October 1, pending no spikes in coronavirus infections.
Harrogate Town bolsters squad with two new signingsHarrogate Town have announced Jake Lawlor and Connor Kirby will join the club as they prepare for their first-ever campaign in the English Football League.
The two players will join Simon Weaver’s history-making squad who celebrated their promotion with an open-top bus parade on Saturday through Harrogate.
Centre back Lawlor, aged 29, joins on a free transfer after his contract expired with Wrexham at the end of the season. The 6ft 4in Lawlor started his career at Osset Town before spells with Guiseley and Town’s local neighbours Harrogate Railway,
As well as scoring against Town during his time at Guiseley, Lawlor started both fixtures for Wrexham home and away against Town this season and is familiar to manager Simon Weaver.
Weaver said:
“I’ve liked Jake for years, he’s a good player and to add someone of Jake’s experience still with that hunger to improve is a real lift.”
Read more:
Connor Kirby who signs on a free transfer.
Midfielder Connor Kirby joins on a free transfer from Sheffield Wednesday after being named runner-up player of the season during a loan spell at fellow League Two outfit Macclesfield Town.
Weaver described him as a “really energetic midfielder”.
He said:
Match preview: Harrogate Town vs Notts County“He’s local, talented lad and will do well here I’m sure – getting the right characters in means everything to us.”
“He’s a really energetic centre midfielder who is willing to break forward and put a tackle in, a good all-round, honest, hungry and talented lad.
“He has already shown he can do it in League Two and he’ll attack it with confidence; as soon as I met him I thought he would be a great fit for us.”
Harrogate Town will play Notts County at Wembley later today with the winner playing in the English Football League next season.
Not quite a David vs. Goliath occasion — the National League play off final will be a meeting between two clubs that have tasted different fortunes throughout their histories.
On Sunday, the Magpies will be hoping to return to league football where they have spent 157 of their 158 years, whereas Harrogate Town hopes to enter a new frontier.
Notts County are the oldest professional football league club in the world and are even former FA Cup winners, but there won’t be any fans who can remember them lifting the trophy in 1894.
Harrogate Town will walk out at Wembley for the first time this weekend. Picture Credit: Matt Kirkham Harrogate Town
They’ve been managed by some of the biggest names in English football including Howard Wilkinson, Howard Kendall and Sam Allardyce.
County were relegated from League Two in 2019 but bounced back strongly in the National League finishing just three points behind Town in third position.
In their one league encounter this season, County beat Town at the CNG Stadium 2-0, with goals from Kristian Dennis and Enzio Boldewijn.
They were due to play each other again over two legs in the semi-final of the FA Trophy, which was curtailed due to the lockdown in March. It still might go ahead which could lead to another day out at Wembley for the winning club.
Read more:
County beat Barnet in their play off game last week to reach Wembley and looked impressive with goals from Kristian Dennis and Callum Roberts.
They are the best-supported club in the division with an average attendance of 5,200 whereas Harrogate welcomes around 1,300 to the CNG.
But social distancing is a great leveller and they won’t be able to count on extra fans at Wembley with the game played behind closed doors.
Town are the current favourites with the bookies at 6/4 with Notts County at 7/4 which manager Simon Weaver isn’t fazed by.
He told the Stray Ferret:
“That’s fine and it means we must have played well and done well in the season. We know Notts County have a very strong squad and a lot of strength in depth.
“They have without doubt a lot more league experience than us but we hope to cause them problems.”
Striker Aaron Martin made his debut for Town in the tie with Boreham Wood, and he will hope to start ahead of Jon Stead and Mark Beck following an energetic performance.
But Jon Stead has big-game experience from his time in the Premier League which Weaver may look to count on.
Notts County manager Neal Ardley is expected to name the same side that beat Barnet last week.
Harrogate Town manager: ‘Promotion can put us on the footballing map’
Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver has said promotion to the English Football League on Sunday would make Harrogate known for football as well as tea shops.
Town play Notts County at Wembley on Sunday with the winner playing in League Two next season.
Speaking to the Stray Ferret, Weaver said playing in the EFL for the first time in the club’s history would be a major boost to Harrogate.
He said:
“It would put us right on the footballing map. We often get the mickey taken out of us saying we’re a town full of tea shops but hopefully we’ll be known for the brand of football and the style we play and that’s the aim of getting in the football league.
Weaver hailed the “amazing” performance of his team last Saturday for beating a physical Boreham Wood side 1-0 in the play-off semi-final at the CNG Stadium.
After not playing since March, the players looked sharp, which Weaver expects to continue into the final.
He said:
“It was amazing that they put on a show after such a long absence. I couldn’t have been prouder of everyone’s attitude.”
Weaver has managed Town for over 500 games — and it will be a sweet occasion to lead his team out on Sunday at the famous Wembley Stadium, despite Town fans being unable to attend due to social distancing restrictions.
He said:
“I’m sure they will be watching and listening where they can but we’ll have them at the forefront of our minds. It’s painful them not being there but we’ll have to focus our minds on the day and do our best for the supporters and make them proud back home.”
Read more:
-
Harrogate Town to play outside of Harrogate if they win promotion
-
‘We’re off to Wembley!’ Harrogate Town win historic play off semi
A key strength of Town’s squad over the past few years has been its stability: the majority of the team that won promotion to the National League in 2018 are still present and Weaver said if they do get promoted he won’t be making wholesale changes.
He said:
“Either way we won’t rip up what we’ve got. I think we’ll be very competitive should we be lucky and good enough to win on Sunday.
“We’d be looking at boosting the size of squad so we’d probably need two or three players. Defensively we only have four in the squad right now.”
If the game ends 0-0 on Sunday, Town will be faced with a penalty shootout for the first time since 2012 when they were knocked out of the F.A Cup second round by Hastings.
Fortunately, the squad had a penalties expert on hand to come and give them advice before the Boreham Wood game — England manager and Harrogate local Gareth Southgate.
Weaver said:
“I’ve known him for a few years and thought it might be nice for him to talk about his experiences for 40 or 50 minutes. He’s a really nice guy and talked about how they dealt with penalties in the last England tournament.”
Harrogate Town vs Notts County kicks off at 3pm on Sunday and will be shown live on BT Sport.
Harrogate Town prepares for £1 million gameHarrogate Town is in line for a million-pound windfall if it beats Notts County at Wembley on Sunday and gains promotion to the English Football League.
The football club secured its place in the final after beating Boreham Wood 1-0 on Saturday at the CNG Stadium thanks to a 65th-minute goal from Jack Muldoon.
Town’s history boys will play at Wembley for the first time in the club’s existence — and promotion from the National League could help take the club to the next level financially.
Each League Two club receives £472,000 a season as a “basic award” from the EFL which is their share of the league’s five-year £595m broadcasting deal with Sky Sports.
The Premier League also gives clubs £430,000 as a “solidarity payment” — which is designed to trickle some of the league’s riches down the football pyramid.
Read more:
Gate receipts are vitally important for lower league clubs and a new Family Stand costing £750,000 is currently being built at the CNG which will take capacity up to 5,000. The club is hoping a ticket prize freeze for next season will help fill it.
However, this could be curtailed by social distancing restrictions that will be in place for at least the first couple of months of the new season, which is rumoured to begin in September.
Town players celebrate after winning their place in the play-off final. Picture: Matt Kirkham Harrogate Town
For the first time in its history, Town would also play in the League Cup, entering in round one, which comes with a minimum bonus of £5,000 even if they get knocked out.
If the club made the draw for the second round, it would be in the hat for potential money-spinning ties with some Premier League clubs — including newly-promoted Leeds United.
Read more:
Promotion to the EFL does not guarantee a gilded existence and several League Two clubs are in financial peril, with Bury kicked out of the league in 2019 due to financial struggles.
While the financial benefits of promotion are tantalising for Town fans, seeing their club in the EFL for the first time in its 101-year history would be priceless.
‘We’re off to Wembley!’ Harrogate Town win historic play off semiJack Muldoon’s 65th-minute goal sent Harrogate Town to Wembley for a historic play off final next Sunday.
Town beat Boreham Wood 1-0 at the CNG Stadium this afternoon in the National League play off semi-final.
Despite not playing in the league since March 7, Town dominated the game and looked the much sharper of the two teams.
In the social distancing era it was a low key experience watching Town’s biggest game in its 101-year history.
Walking up Wetherby Road, there was not the usual congregation of Town fans wearing yellow and black, discussing predictions for the game or excitedly planning which pub they might go to might go after the game.
But Town’s fans were here in spirit — with the supporters club organising a 20ft X 10ft flag covered with fan’s faces. And there were over 100 cardboard cut out ‘crowdies’ sat in Town’s new family stand.
A lot has changed in the world since Town last played and both teams took a knee before kick-off in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Town started the game sharply and swarmed the opposition several times in the first twenty minutes.
Read more:
An impressive attacking move saw on-loan winger Jack Diamond, who was a threat all game, through on goal but his shot was saved comfortably by Boreham Wood goalkeeper Nathan Ashmore.
After 25 minutes, Jack Muldoon drilled a shot low that was pushed wide for a corner.
Lloyd Kerry nearly put Town ahead five minutes later when his shot was again turned wide by Ashmore.
The physically imposing Boreham Wood began to put some pressure on Town towards the end of the first half, with two chances.
After half time, Boreham Wood came out strong and a Keiron Murtagh shot was well saved with his feet by Town keeper James Belshaw.
Boreham Wood almost took the lead when a Matt Rheed header led to desperate scramble before the ball was ultimately cleared off the line.
But it was Jack Muldoon on the 65th minute who sent Town fans watching at home into dreamland when he scored after a corner.
The final whistle sent Town players in ecstacy, cheering and embracing each other in an eerily quiet CNG.
Town players left the field to their makeshift changing rooms in the 1919 bar and could be heard singing “We’re off to Wembley” – almost making up for the lack of supporters.
They will play the winner of Notts County vs Barnet which kicks off later this afternoon.
Harrogate Town fans to send cut-outs to crucial gameFans of Harrogate Town will be able to send a cardboard cut-out version of themselves to the club’s crucial play-off game later this month.
The cut-outs, which cost £20, will be placed in prominent locations within the CNG Stadium. Some will even be put inside changing rooms to inspire the players.
The game will be played behind closed doors and will also be shown live on BT Sport. The date is still to be confirmed, with Town set to play the winner of Halifax Town vs Boreham Wood.
The first 25 fans who buy a cut-out will have theirs signed by the entire first-team squad. Every fan who buys a cut-out will be able to collect it after the game as a memento.
Read more:
-
Harrogate Town ‘delighted and relieved’ at play-off confirmation
- Harrogate Town’s football league dream inches closer
Harrogate Town assistant manager Paul Thirlwell said the cut-outs could spur the team on to victory.
He said:
“It will definitely make a difference to see our fans in the stands – albeit cut-out ones!
“Our fans have been incredible again this season, and I’m sure many of them will continue to support us on our journey, hopefully towards play-off success.”
Jordan Ford from the Harrogate Town Supporters Club told the Stray Ferret the cut-outs are an “excellent idea and one which I hope the Town fans embrace”.
He also said the supporters club has organised a 20ft x 10ft flag to display at the stadium which includes pictures of fans.
Several sports team around the world have asked fans to buy cut-outs so they can feel part of the action whilst bringing in much-needed revenue. However, last weekend Leeds United were forced to apologise after an Osama Bin Laden cut-out was spotted at Elland Road.
Visit this website to purchase a cut-out.