Harrogate Town vs Stevenage - Issue 5 by pixelbuilders

v STEVENAGE // SAT 25 SEP // 3PM // SKY BET LEAGUE TWO

OFFICIAL MATCHDAY PROGRAMME 2021-22 SEASON // ISSUE 05 // £3

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The EnviroVent Stadium, Wetherby Road Harrogate HG2 7SA Tel: 01423 210600 Email: enquiries@harrogatetownafc.com BOARD Chairman Irving Weaver Vice Chairman Howard Matthews Chief Executive Officer Sarah Barry Managing Director Garry Plant Directors Angus Taylor Dave Riley Associate Director Mike Partridge Finance Director Julian Davis Marketing & Brand Director Ryan Scott Life President George Dunnington Vice Presidents Clive Dunnington David Batty FOOTBALL First Team Manager: Assistant Manager: Goalkeeper Coach: Chief Scout: Head Physiotherapist: Assistant Physiotherapist: Sports Psychologist: Fitness Coach:

Simon Weaver Paul Thirlwell Phil Priestley Lee Barraclough Rachel Davis Cyra Smith Phil Lee Darren Simpson

IN THIS ISSUE 4

OPERATIONS Club Secretary: Abbey Smith Community Development: Iain Service Tom Blackburn Youth Development: Josh Falkingham Josh Walsh Child Welfare & Safeguarding: Dave Riley Supporters’ Liaison Officer: Phill Holdsworth Facilities Manager: Ady Fletcher Head Groundsman: Iain Bullock 1919 Venue Manager: Tricia Lightfoot Ticketing Manager: Hamilton Mattock Retail Manager Claire Kontominas Club Chaplain: Rob Brett PA Announcer Alan Tootill MEDIA Media Manager: Media Assistants: Club Photographer: Graphic Designer:

Hal Boxhall-Dockree Henry Whitaker Brody Pattison Danny Pugsley Matt Kirkham Rich Saltmarsh

The parent company of Harrogate Town Football Club is Harrogate Town AFC Ltd and the ultimate controlling party of Harrogate Town AFC Ltd is R.I. Weaver who is the significant shareholder. Company Reg. No. 2523873

MATCHDAY PROGRAMME Design: Rich Saltmarsh Contributors: Henry Whitaker, Leigh Edwards, Rich Saltmarsh, Hal Boxhall-Dockree, Mark Walker, Simon Weaver, Josh Falkingham Photography: Matt Kirkham Printed by: JJ Sports Promotions

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MANAGER’S NOTES

SIMON WEAVER We’ve had two away trips in the past week and first up was Port Vale, a game where things seemed to go against us from minute one and a game where I don’t think we deserved anything from it. The reactions probably weren’t what they needed to be, but it was two fantastic strikes that made the difference - goals worthy of winning any football match. There were lessons to be learned from all of us, including myself. The first substitution was probably the wrong one at the wrong time. We needed to nail the middle of the park physically and Lloyd Kerry would have done that. Hindsight is a great thing though so we had to take it and move on to the long journey to face Crawley in midweek. We were wanting the lads to bounce back and we really did. To score within two minutes of the game kicking off was great and I thought the front two, Luke Armstrong and Jack Muldoon worked tirelessly up top. We were dominant throughout the first half so to then be behind at the break following a two minute spell of madness did temporarily put us in the slumps. Saying that, the reaction from the lads in the

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second half was brilliant and to get a goal early into to the half gave us the opportunity to really kick on for the three points. The red card for Crawley handed us more of the ball and it looked in the last minute like Luke had got the winner for us but for a magnificent reaction save from the Glenn Morris in the Crawley goal. I think on reflection we will look back on the result against John Yems side as a good one, knowing we played some fantastic football, and if we go back one year, we were only just beginning our journey in the Football League. We’ve come a long way and on the seven hour trip back to Harrogate on Tuesday night, we were already getting excited for Saturday’s fixture with Stevenage at The EnviroVent Stadium. We’re really enjoying our home games and after feeling the atmosphere from our last home match, against Newport County, we can’t wait to be back playing in front of a roaring home crowd again.

Simon

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CAPTAIN’S NOTES

JOSH FALKINGHAM We’re back home this weekend and face Stevenage in what will be yet another tough League Two contest. Recent outings have seen us travel to Crawley and first Port Vale where if I’m honest, the performance was nowhere near the standards that we’ve set. Looking back on it, as much as there wasn’t too much in the game, I don’t think we implemented our style of play enough and we probably deserved nothing from it. Port Vale was a tough place to go. They’re a well organised side who made it difficult for us and it was two outstanding goals which sent us away empty handed. However, Tuesday night at Crawley was completely different. We were fully in control for 85 minutes. They had a five minute spell and all of a sudden we found ourselves 2-1 down which was so frustrating, especially after the game as we thought we should have returned to Harrogate with all three points. That night was more like us though and a great reaction from the defeat to Port Vale. There wasn’t a hangover from last Saturday and I think that shows the character of the group. Once we all met on Monday, we all wanted to put things right and continue the good start we’ve had to the season. A point is a positive result and it got us back on track and although it might feel like a couple of frustrating away days, the performance against Crawley was a good one. We’re eight league games in and we know there’s more to come and things to work on going forward. As a team, we’ve conceded too many goals that are killing us really, as it’s making us score three goals to win a game and we can’t afford to do that every week. We’ve got to make sure as a team that we’re better defensively.

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We’ll be working hard ahead of Saturday’s match with Stevenage to put it right and keep the good start going. They’ll be a really solid team, they’ve brought in some good players from other League Two clubs so they’ve got the experience you need in this division. They’ll look to make life difficult for us and the game against them last season is a reminder of that. We’re looking to make sure our home form is really good and compared to last season, it’s already a massive improvement. We’ve got to keep getting the fans in and they were all fantastic for the Friday night fixture against Newport County. Hopefully they’ll be there in their numbers again right behind us making it an uncomfortable afternoon for Stevenage.

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ACTION REPLAY CLICK HERE TO WATCH MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

VS.

NEWPORT COUNTY

FRIDAY 10 SEPTEMBER 2021 THE ENVIROVENT STADIUM KO 7.45PM // ATTENDANCE 2,670

2-2 Muldoon 38 Armstrong 44

Bennett 4 Willmott 38 (HT 2-2)

MATCH STATS

■ TOWN ■ NEWPORT

POSSESSION % 68

32 TOTAL SHOTS

9 SHOTS ON TARGET

3 PASSES

493

239 FOULS

8 CORNERS

2 OFFSIDES

2 YELLOW CARDS

1 RED CARDS

TOWN

Oxley, Page, Falkingham, Burrell, Hall, McArdle, Thomson (Power 66), Pattison, Muldoon (Orsi 84), Armstrong, Diamond Unused subs: Fallowfield, Smith, Kerry, Cracknell

NEWPORT

Day, Norman (Lewis 77), Haynes, Upson, Farquharson, Wilmott, Dolan (Azaz 45), Fisher (Abraham 84), Bennett, Demetriou ❚, Cooper Unused subs: Clarke, Lewis, Telford, Cain, Townsend

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ACTION REPLAY CLICK HERE TO WATCH MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

VS.

PORT VALE

SATURDAY 18 SEPTEMBER 2021 VALE PARK KO 3PM // ATTENDANCE 5.435

2-0 Worrall 27 Wilson 47 (HT 1-0)

MATCH STATS

■ PORT VALE ■ TOWN

POSSESSION % 49

51 TOTAL SHOTS

6 SHOTS ON TARGET

2 PASSES

392

402 FOULS

12 CORNERS

4 OFFSIDES

0 YELLOW CARDS

3 RED CARDS

PORT VALE

Covolan, Gibbons (Benning 55), Jones ❚, Smith, Worrall (Martin 89), Garrity (Taylor 70), Wilson (Lloyd 66), Conlon ❚, Proctor, Pett, Cass Unused subs: Amoo, Politic, Stone

TOWN

Oxley, Burrell, Page ❚ (Fallowfield 35), McArdle, Hall, Thomson, Falkingham, Pattison (Power 9, Kerry 45 ❚), Diamond ❚ ❚, Muldoon, Armstrong (Martin 66) Unused subs: Orsi, Cracknell

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ACTION REPLAY CLICK HERE TO WATCH MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

VS.

CRAWLEY TOWN

TUESDAY 21 SEPTEMBER 2021 THE PEOPLE'S PENSION STADIUM KO 7.45PM // ATTENDANCE 1,791

2-2 Lynch 43 Ashford 45+1

Armstrong 2 Davies OG 52 (HT 2-1)

MATCH STATS

■ CRAWLEY ■ TOWN

POSSESSION % 37

63 TOTAL SHOTS

13 SHOTS ON TARGET

5 PASSES

296

495 FOULS

9 CORNERS

9 OFFSIDES

1 YELLOW CARDS

1 RED CARDS

CRAWLEY

Morris, Francomb (Davies 38), Dallison, Powell ❚, Nichols ❚, Ferry, Ashford (Marshall 80), Tsaroulla, Payne (Nadesan 45 ❚), Lynch, Hessentaler Unused subs: Appiah, Khaleel, Bansal-Mcnulty, Jones

TOWN

Oxley, Fallowfield, Burrell, Hall ❚, McArdle, Falkingham, Thomson, Kerry, Muldoon, Armstrong, Power Unused subs: Smith, Martin, Orsi, Sheron, Cracknell

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PLAYER IN FOCUS

RORY MCARDLE “He’ll be that kind of big brother figure for the rest of the squad. Having a player with so many EFL games under his belt and that nous talking alongside the rest of the back four will make a big difference.” That’s a quote from Town manager Simon Weaver speaking just after 34-year-old centre half Rory McArdle put pen to paper on a contract with the North Yorkshire club. With close to 500 professional appearances including two promotions, an FA Cup run and a League Cup Final at Wembley, McArdle arrives ticking all the boxes when it comes to a defender with experience and success. This is the story of Rory McArdle’s journey to Harrogate Town. Born in the Steel City of Sheffield, McArdle grew up and still is a Sheffield Wednesday fan. He attended games as a youngster and had dreams of one day stepping onto the turf at Hillsborough in the famous blue and white striped shirt. At the age of 12, McArdle was scouted by Barnsley’s academy and he spent a year with The Tykes before being released. However, it wouldn’t be long before his next academy move came along but it did so by complete chance. A friend and neighbour of McArdle was in Wednesday’s academy and mentioned to the coaches about the defender’s situation. McArdle was invited to train with the under 14s for the remaining few weeks of the season and then got an unexpected phone call on a Friday night asking if he would feature for Wednesday against Newcastle. Illness to one of Sheffield's youngsters provided McArdle with an opportunity and it was one he took. Before he knew he signed with Sheffield’s academy. McArdle would go on to stay with The Owls until he was 19 and played with the likes of Jamie Vardy and now England Rugby Union scrum-half

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Danny Care. The defender admits both were “a bit crackers” but they added to what was a successful Wednesday team. The group stayed together right through to under 16s and in their final year together won nearly every game. McArdle explains how the physicality of the team was simply too much to handle for the opponents. “We had a big team which gave us a massive advantage as we just overpowered teams. It was a good group but only three of us went on to get scholarships with Wednesday. That’s when we realised it became much more serious and the expectation levels went through the roof.” Neither Vardy nor Care would join McArdle in The Owls’ under 18s side but it was a “big moment” for the defender who wasn’t expecting anything. Once in the youth team, McArdle got hit with the harsh reality of a young pro. He describes it as a “learning curve” with the jobs such

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“I remember walking into the manager's office on my first day at Rochdale and Gareth Griffiths was there. He looked about 6ft 6 and I thought wow, this guy is huge. All the lads were so physical but it was an opportunity I loved,” McArdle continues. “I played 20 odd games that season and I never thought that would happen.” The defender would then make his Sheffield Wednesday debut in 2006, coming on as a substitute against Plymouth Argyle and playing upfront for The Owls as they went through an injury crisis. It would be McArdle’s sole appearance for his boyhood club and he soon returned to Rochdale on loan before signing a permanent deal with the Greater Manchester club in January 2007. In that season, Rochdale finished 5th in League Two and for the first time in their history, made it to Wembley for the Play-off Final.

as cleaning the training ground and stadium late in the evening being all part of the scholar experience and although tough, something he “wouldn't have wanted to change” as it "kept the lads grounded”. During his two year scholarship, McArdle was called into Northern Ireland’s under 19s, a team he qualifies for through his dad who was born in Belfast. It was an enjoyable experience for the Sheffield lad who found it a great opportunity to play without pressure while still learning from other players and coaches. In 2004, McArdle signed his first professional contract with Sheffield Wednesday in what was a “massive moment” for the defender. He was unsure where his future would be heading but the coaches at Wednesday quite clearly saw a player in McArdle. He went out on loan to Rochdale at 18-years-old and loved his time at The Dale playing men's football fighting for points week in, week out. The defender does however say it was a “real eye-opener”, especially after meeting at the time captain Gareth Griffiths.

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Rochdale faced Stockport County and McArdle opened the scoring in the 24th minute with a near-post run header. It was a goal that pleased his mates who had put bets on for him to score first but the result didn’t go the defender's way as Stockport came back and ended up winning the final 3-2. In the following campaign, McArdle and his teammate's secured playoffs again but this time lost out to Gillingham in the semi-finals. It was tough to take for the squad but they bounced back again and in the 2009-10 season, a 41-year wait for promotion was over. The Dale secured the third automatic promotion spot following a 1-0 win against Northampton in April 2010 and it was a massive moment for McArdle and the club. “When we finally got over the hurdle it was a fantastic achievement and the fans were buzzing,” McArdle recalls. “It was quite a young team so the togetherness was really good and it showed on the pitch. As we had come so close in previous seasons it meant a lot to get promoted. We did hit a sticky patch towards the end but securing promotion before the season ended meant the last couple of games were a celebration.” Rochdale were now a League One club and McArdle had been offered a new deal to stay with

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The Dale. However, after five seasons and over 120 appearances, the defender felt it was the right time for a new challenge. At the same time, McArdle made his senior debut for Northern Ireland, coming on against Turkey. It would be the first of a handful of appearances that saw the defender travel across the world. Israel, Chile and Lichtenstein were all countries that stand out but the game he remembers most is Northern Ireland vs Portugal in 2013. “I didn’t play in the game but we had them at home and it was a miserable night. They went down to 10 men and Cristiano Ronaldo played and I thought I've got to sit down and watch this. He did nothing in the game but scored a hattrick and we lost 4-2. I expected him to be all over the pitch but he was just in the right place every time and it’s done him well in his career.” Back on the club scene, McArdle would join Aberdeen in 2010 after deciding to leave Rochdale. The defender was keen to experience the atmosphere in the likes of Celtic Park and Ibrox, as well as play for a club with a history as rich as Aberdeen’s. Although the defender enjoyed the lifestyle in Scotland and playing for The Dons, the move just didn’t work out as well as everyone hoped and so McArdle moved back to Yorkshire, signing for Bradford City in 2012. With the signings brought in and Phil Parkinson in charge, McArdle thought the club “had a good chance” of achieving promotion. What a season it turned out to be… The Bantams would go on an astonishing League Cup run which would see the Yorkshire club become the first-ever League Two outfit to reach a major Wembley Cup Final. The remarkable run saw McArdle and his teammates first defeat League One Notts County and Championship side Watford before needing extra time to overcome Burton Albion - a game where with ten minutes to go, the Bantams were two goals down. A penalty shoot-out victory against Wigan then set up a mouth-watering tie at Valley Parade against English giants Arsenal. Arsene Wenger put out a side that included Santi Cazorla, Aaron Ramsey and Lukas Podolski but

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McArdle could sense they “weren’t up for it” on a freezing cold night in West Yorkshire. An 87thminute equaliser from Thomas Vermaelen took the tie to penalties but once again, Bradford came out on top and were in the semi-finals. They’d beat Premier League side Aston Villa 4-1 on aggregate to reach Wembley and it was a moment McArdle remembers fondly. “My Mrs was at the game and I remember her telling me that she saw grown men crying in the crowd. When you hear little things like that you realise how big an achievement it was. At the time as players, we were just enjoying it and on the crest of a wave. There were 80,000 for the League Cup Final against Swansea, we packed out Wembley. The fans didn’t stop singing for the entirety of the game and for them, it wasn’t about the result it was about being able to watch their team in a cup final. Especially after the previous 3-4 years of struggle.” Although losing 5-0 in the final, their push for promotion didn’t stutter and the Bantams earned their spot in the Play-Off Final against Northampton, a side McArdle had already tasted promotion success against. In the build-up to the match, McArdle explains how the final was treated like any other game. “Since we had already been to Wembley, it was just another game for us. We’d done the suits and pre-match hype against Swansea so the playoffs

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Stead would turn out to play a role in McArdle eventually joining up with Simon Weaver’s squad. In the 2014-15 season, McArdle and Stead made a combined 95 appearances for the Bantams, including in the FA Cup run which saw the Yorkshire outfit cause a massive upset when they beat Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea at Stamford Bridge 4-2. Stead scored a stunning goal - a goal he’s reminded about daily - just before half-time to keep Bradford in the contest, and in the second half they scored three goals in the final 15 minutes to knock Chelsea out of the competition.

were tracksuits and nothing changed. It showed on the day, we were 3-0 up after half an hour.” The centre half was once again on the scoresheet at Wembley, scoring in the 19th minute, four minutes after James Hanson got the opener. Nahki Wells added to the tally just before the half-hour mark and it killed the contest. It was a Bantams blitz. “It was a crazy first season for me”, McArdle says with a sudden realisation of the success. It was nice to get promoted at Wembley and everyone here will be aware of that. Losing at Wembley is the opposite feeling though, especially the 3-4 weeks that follow. It’s one of the worst feelings I've had. To score three before 30 minutes allowed us to enjoy the rest of the game. It took the sting out of it and you could sense it in the crowd.” Bradford didn’t look out of place in League One and finished 11th in their first season back. Everyone was happy with the progress and the next season saw a familiar face in Jon Stead return to Bradford City. McArdle would travel into training with the former Town striker and the pair made a good bond.

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“Every time I speak to Steady I bring up his goal just to annoy him a bit,” McArdle grins. “Against Chelsea, under Mourinho at Stamford Bridge, a place where they hadn’t lost in so many games, they were flying. Being 2-0 down it was backs to the wall and we were thinking here we go. But in the second half, I remember standing on the halfway line thinking we were on top and we needed to capitalise on it and thankfully we did. It’s scenes you’d never imagine and feelings that are hard to describe. I was at the cricket the other week and I was speaking to a Bradford fan who reminded me that Fabregas, Willian and Hazard came on in that game. That just shows how well we were doing.” The Bantams' run would come to an end in the quarter-finals against Reading but at the end of that season, McArdle won the club’s Player of the Year award. “It was a proud moment, especially being a defender,” he says. “It was strange though as we had a half-decent season and normally a winger or attacker will win the award. It was a massive achievement and the recognition from the players was the big one.” In the next two seasons, Bradford twice missed out on promotion to the Championship through the playoffs. First, they lost to Millwall in the semifinals and then the next year, lost again to the

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Lions but this time in the final following an 85thminute winner from Steve Morrison. McArdle had now spent five years with Bradford and made just short of 200 appearances for them. He felt it was a “good time to leave” and did so, joining Scunthorpe United who were also challenging at the top end of League One. The defender was named captain at the end of his first preseason with The Iron and had a good first year, finishing in the playoffs but falling short against Rotherham. An exodus of key players that summer saw Scunthorpe struggle and they were relegated to League Two at the end of the 2018-19 campaign. “It was tough to take,” McArdle admits. “After doing so well over the previous six years to then be struggling, it wasn’t nice. “We lost a lot of experience in the group which unsettled things a bit too much and I didn’t have as good a season either. We wanted to put it right the following campaign but of course Covid struck.” With financial uncertainty, Scunthorpe said there would be no renewals for players with expired contracts, subject to change if fans returned. McArdle was one of those players and so packed his bags and moved himself and the family down to Exeter.

The defender spent the 2020-21 season with the Grecians and although loved the area and the club, struggled to adjust during the pandemic. “It’s a great place to live and a 10-minute drive to the beach. On a summer's day, I and the family would have fish and chips and spend time on the beach but it was tough during lockdown with a young family being so far away from everyone we’re close to. It put a lot of things into perspective for me.” McArdle played around 20 games for Exeter before injury forced him out of the line-up. At that point, the family decided a move back north was needed with their eldest child about to settle into school. When Simon Weaver got in touch with McArdle’s team, it got his attention. “When I found out about the Gaffer’s interest and spoke to him and Steady, as well as knowing about the club and success of recent years it didn’t take too long to sort. I spoke to Stead about here and he had nothing but good things to say. His opinion is one I trust 100% so I had no doubts about joining.” The defender has joined to provide experience and competition in the backline and has so far impressed Weaver with his performances as well as his attitude on and off the pitch. McArdle has been “impressed” with the entire squad and believes where we sit in the league is fully deserved. “From coming in on the first day, everybody made me feel so welcome it felt like I’d been here much longer than just a few days. It sounds quite simple but it did feel like that. We are where we are in the league and it's thoroughly deserved but we’re not getting carried away with it. It's early days but we wanted to hit the ground running and that’s exactly what we’ve done. Everyone is really fit, really intense and the standards are there. If anyone dips below the standards you get found out and you get told. There’s no slacking and that’s worked in our favour so far. We’ve just got to keep building each game and see where it takes us.”

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1976

NICKNAME

The Boro

The Lamex Stadium CAPACITY 7,800

KEY INS & OUTS Arrivals Sacha Bastien Gillingham Arthur Read Brentford Jake Taylor Exeter City Brad Barry Barrow Jamie Reid Mansfield Town Bruno Andrade Salford City James Daly Bristol Rovers Jake Reeves Notts County Joseph Anang West Ham United (Loan) Max Melboune Lincoln City (Loan)

Departures Marcus Dinanga Altrincham Femi Akinwande Braintree Town Inih Effiong Woking Danny Newton Solihull Moors Romain Vincelot retired Arthur Iontton released

THE AWAY END STEVENAGE

Stevenage Borough achieved promotion to the Football League in 2009-10, winning the Conference title with two games to spare. It also marked a significant moment as the club dropped ‘Borough’ to become Stevenage FC. In their debut season the club found themselves four points above the relegation zone in January, but a run of nine wins from 11 propelled them into the play-offs and after beating Accrington Stanley in the semi-final they beat Torquay United 1-0 in the final to earn back-to-back promotions into League One. Their stay in League One lasted three seasons before dropping back into the fourth tier in 2014. After finishing sixth and a play-off semi final defeat to Southend United in their first season back in League Two, mid-table finishes followed, before Boro found themselves bottom of League Two in 2019-20 when the season was suspended due to the Coronavirus pandemic and after initially having been relegated, well-publicised disciplinary matters at Macclesfield Town meant Stevenage were reprieved and retained their League Two status. Last season, Stevenage were again expected to struggle and the early signs were worrying as just one win in the first 14 league games had Boro precariously placed at the lower end of the table, but just seven league defeats from late November ensured a very comfortable 14th place finish. This season, after winning their first two, Boro are on a run of six without a win in the league and will be keen to put that right today.

Alex Revell

Appointed: February 2020 Age: 38

IN THE DUGOUT

Alex Revell is one of the younger managers in the EFL and this is his first managerial appointment at the club where he finished his playing career having enjoyed a 20-year playing career as a striker, amassing over 600 career appearances. Revell began at Cambridge United where he played 60 times in a four year stint before joining Braintree Town in 2004 where he found the net 35 times in 69 appearances. This earned him a move to Brighton & Hove Albion in 2006. In early 2008, Revell moved to Southend United, then Leyton Orient in July 2010, Rotherham United in 2011 before joining Championship Cardiff City in 2015. He signed for MK Dons in early 2016 after a brief loan spell at Wigan Athletic and then moved to League One Northampton Town in June 2016 before joining Stevenage in January 2018. He announced his retirement in July 2019 to take up a coaching role at the club, however in January 2020, came out of retirement to aid the first team’s battle against relegation before being appointed manager of Boro in the February.

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Michael Zemanek/Shutterstock

FOUNDED

#ProudToBeTown

Joseph Anang Age: 21

The Skipper

Scott Cuthbert

Age: 34

Joining Stevenage on a seasonlong loan deal from West Ham United, Joseph Anang became Alex Revell’s fourth new addition to the Boro squad this summer after Jake Taylor, Arthur Read and James Daly. A promising prospect between the posts, the 21-year-old has yet to make a first-team appearance for the Hammers but has played twice in the EFL Trophy. For the past two seasons, the Ghana-born England U20 international has been first choice for the Hammers Under 23s, playing all but one league game for the development squad, as they won the Premier League 2 Division 2 title in 2020.

Age: 24

MID

7 Michael Zemanek/Shutterstock

Michael Zemanek/Shutterstock

Elliott List

DEF IN A PT A C

One to Watch

Now in his fourth season at Stevenage having joined from Luton Town in July 2018, Scott Cuthbert is a key component in the Boro team both as a defender and a leader. After graduating through the Celtic Academy and loan spells at Livingston and St. Mirren he joined Swindon Town in July 2009 where he made 80 appearances. He moved on to Leyton Orient in 2011 where he spent four years and made 133 appearances, and following his release, the 34-year-old signed for League Two Luton in 2015 and played another 97 games before switching to Stevenage for the 2018-19 season.

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Michael Zemanek/Shutterstock

Between the Sticks

Elliott List enjoyed his best goalscoring season in professional football last term, leading the way for Stevenage with 11 goals in 44 appearances. Joining The Boro from Gillingham in August 2019, the 24 year-old started his youth career at Crystal Palace before joining the Gills in 2015. After a brief loan at Braintree Town, List went on to make 85 appearances for Gillingham, scoring seven goals in his four years there before joining Stevenage. In his first season at the Lamex, he played 21 times and scored twice for Boro before his clinical season in front of goal last time out.

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REST OF THE PLAYING SQUAD Luther James-Wildin

2 3

Elliot Osborne

James Daly

Ben Coker

Charlie Carter

Arthur Read

Jake Reeves

Bruno Andrade

Jamie Reid

10-YEAR RECORD

Chris Lines

Ross Marshall

Luke Norris

Terrence Vancooten

Brad Barry

RECENT LINE-UP V FOREST GREEN ROVERS

Jack Smith

Jake Taylor

Sacha Bastien

4 6

Luke Prosser

7 8

NORRIS

ANDRADE

LIST

12 13

DALY

REEVES

TAYLOR

JAMES-WILDEN

16 17 18

COKER

CUTHBERT

MARSHALL

20 21 22

L1$

ANANG

11/12 12/13 13/14 14/15 15/16 16/17 17/18 18/19 19/20 20/21

HOW'S THEIR FORM League Position 21st / League Points 8 W2 28

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Port Vale

Walsall

21 Aug (h) League Two

28 Aug (a) League Two

D1-1

L0-1

Swindon Town

Sutton United

Forest Green Rovers

4 Sep (h) League Two

11 Sep (a) League Two

18 Sep (h) League Two

D1-1

L1-2

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L0-4

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E R E H IS T R E T T E B A O T Y A W R U O Y BUY ? R A C T NE X O O Z A C YEAH!

Buy or finance a car online and we’ll deliver it to your door with a 7-Day Money Back Guarantee.

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CLASSIC CAMPAIGNS FOOTBALL HISTORIAN LEIGH EDWARDS SELECTS TEN POST-WAR STEVENAGE 'CLASSIC CAMPAIGNS'....

1990/91

Stevenage Borough stormed to the Isthmian League Second Division (North) title with a club record 107 points in 1990/91. Boro were never seriously challenged and won all 21 home matches, slamming seven goals past Clapton, Finchley and Hornchurch at Broadhall Way. Paul Fairclough's side also hit Hemel Hempstead and Finchley for six and lost only three matches, at Hemel Hempstead, Saffron Walden and Ware. Jimmy Hughes was leading scorer as Stevenage's total of goals was just two short of the Isthmian League record of 124. Noel Blackwell was Player of the Year as they won the title by a 25-point margin.

1991/92

Martin Gittings was leading marksman with 29 goals as Stevenage Borough won the Isthmian League First Division title in 1991/92. The club's record goalscorer formed a deadly striking partnership with Andy Walker as Boro won promotion for the second year running under Paul Fairclough. Ex-Wealdstone captain Paul Bowgett marshalled an experienced defence with Noel Blackwell, Ian Whitehead and Miguel Luque. Goalkeeper Richard Wilmot was Player of the Year, while other heroes included Shaun Debnam, Micky Nunn, Shaun Marshall and Gary Roberts. Boro lost only six games as they won the title with 82 points.

1993/94

1997/98

1995/96

2006/07

Paul Fairclough guided Stevenage Borough to the Isthmian League Premier Division title in 1993/94. After leading the table for a considerable period, Boro suffered a bad patch over Christmas and slipped from being ten points clear at the top down to fifth place. They responded in style by dropping just six points in their final 12 matches and ending with six straight wins to clinch the title with 97 points. They also reached the FA Cup fourth qualifying round for the first time, losing 2-1 at home to Nuneaton Borough, and were unlucky to lose 2-1 at Kettering in the FA Trophy. Martin Gittings was leading marksman with 27 goals.

Barry Hayles was leading marksman with 29 goals as Stevenage Borough won the Conference title in 1995/96. Boro won their opening three matches and overcame a lean spell to gain 5-1 wins at home to Kettering Town and Northwich Victoria. Barry Hayles grabbed a hat-trick in an 8-0 demolition of Runcorn that heralded a superb 17-match unbeaten run, including a 6-2 victory at Slough Town. Paul Fairclough's team scored 101 goals as won the Conference title with 91 points, finishing eight ahead of Woking, but Stevenage failed to meet the deadline for work on their ground and the Football League rejected them.

30 I HARROGATE TOWN AFC MATCHDAY PROGRAMME

Stevenage Borough shocked the football world as they took eventual finalists Newcastle United to an FA Cup fourth round replay in 1997/98. Boro received a bye to the first round proper and triumphed 5-0 at home to Carshalton in a replay, then beat Cambridge United 2-1 in a second round replay and won 2-1 at Swindon Town to secure a fourth round tie at home to Newcastle United. Guliano Grazioli's equaliser cancelled out Alan Shearer's opener in a 1-1 draw watched by 8,040 at Broadhall Way but the England striker scored twice in the replay as Newcastle won 2-1. Boro also reached the FA Trophy fourth round.

Stevenage Borough won the FA Trophy for the first time in 2006/07. Boro made a poor start in the Conference but George Boyd grabbed a hat-trick in a 6-0 demolition of Stafford Rangers. They soared up the table after dropping just two points in eight games before Boyd moved to Peterborough United for a club record fee in January. Steve Morison finished top scorer with 23 goals as Mark Stimson’s side finished in eighth position. Boro defeated Merthyr Tydfil 7-0, Leigh RMI 3-1, Morecambe 3-0, Salisbury City 3-0 and Grays Athletic 3-1 in the FA Trophy before beating Kidderminster Harriers 3-2 in the Wembley final.

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2008/09

Stevenage Borough won the FA Trophy for the second time in three seasons in 2008/09. Graham Westley returned as manager but Stevenage had a disappointing first half to the campaign. Boro then soared up the table with a thrilling run, losing just once in 24 matches. Steve Morison was top scorer with 23 goals as they finished fifth but lost to Cambridge United in the play-offs. Stevenage defeated St Albans City 4-1, Farnborough 2-0, SteveBurton Albion 4-0, Forest Lowndes Green Rovers 4-0 and Ebbsfleet United 4-2 in the FA Trophy before beating York City 2-0 in the Wembley final. Boro also won the Herts Senior Cup for the first time.

2009/10

Stevenage Borough stormed to the Conference Premier title in 2009/10. A 2-1 defeat at leaders Oxford United in their fifth game was a turning point as Graham Westley’s side remained unbeaten in their next 15 matches. They eventually overtook Oxford United at the top and cemented pole position with a 6-0 victory at Eastbourne Borough in early March. The only points dropped in their last 15 games were in a 1-0 defeat at home to Luton Town and Stevenage won the title with 99 points, deprived of a new record total by Chester City’s sad demise. Boro also reached the FA Trophy final but lost 2-1 to Barrow at Wembley.

Stevenage players celebrate promotion to the Football League in 2009/10

hat-trick in a 4-1 win at Hereford as results gradually improved and Stevenage beat MK Dons, AFC Wimbledon and top-flight Newcastle en route to the FA Cup fourth round, losing 2-1 at home to Reading. They won six successive games in March and qualified for the play-offs in sixth place. After beating Accrington 3-0 in the semi-finals, Boro defeated Torquay United 1-0 in the final.

2011/12

Stevenage reached the FA Cup fifth round for the first time in 2011/12. Gary Smith’s side

beat Hartlepool United 1-0, Stourbridge 3-0, Reading 1-0 and Notts County 1-0 in the FA Cup before holding Tottenham Hotspur to a 0-0 draw in the fifth round. Joel Byrom’s penalty gave them a shock early lead in the replay but they eventually lost 3-1 in front of 35,757 at White Hart Lane. Boro also qualified for the League One play-offs in sixth place with 73 points after losing just one of their final 16 games. They drew 0-0 at home to Sheffield United in the play-off semi-final first-leg but lost 1-0 at Bramall Lane in the second-leg.

2010/11

Graham Westley plotted Stevenage’s 2010/11 League Two play-off final success. They began life in the Football League with a 2-2 draw at home to Macclesfield and won just one of their opening seven games. Loanee Chris Holdroyd grabbed a

Stevenage players swamp goalscorer John Mousinho during the 2010/11 League Two Play-Off Final win at Old Trafford.

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I SQUAD SPONSORSHIP

George Thomson

Lewis Page

Aaron Martin

A: Kai & Kallum Takacs

Joe Cracknell

Connor Hall B: Adam Barnett

ASSISTANT MANAGER

FIRST TEAM MANAGER

Jack Muldoon P: Andrew Allerton & Olly Hodson B: Felicity Britton

Simon Weaver

N A LO

Simon Power

Paul Thirlwell

Jack Diamond

Rory McArdle

Luke Armstrong

Phil Priestley

Lee Barraclough

Rachel Davis Fraser MacDonald and Jackie Wilson

WHY NOT SPONSOR A PLAYER?

ASSISTANT PHYSIO

FIRST TEAM ANALYST

FITNESS COACH

Alex Pattison

P: Amelie Coombes & Co.

H: Happy 80th Birthday David Farrar

Darren Simpson

H: Saints Heritage Society

N O

Warren Burrell

Nathan Sheron

H: Elliot Marks A: Aidan Marks

Lloyd Kerry

Will Smith

H: Orange Electrical

Josh Falkingham

Danilo Orsi

H: Graham Carr B: Ady & Jack Fletcher

CHIEF SCOUT

Ryan Fallowfield

GOALKEEPER COACH

Mark Oxley

PHYSIOTHERAPIST

IN A PT A C

Sponsor Codes: P: Premier Player Partner H: Home A: Away B: Boots G: Gloves

Glen Cruickshank

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Show your support for your favourite Town player by sponsoring them for the 2021/22 season. Packages are available from £75.

Cyra Smith

For more information please email garryplant@harrogatetownafc.com

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2021/22

HOME SHIRT ON SALE NOW!

Order at harrogatetownafc.com/online-store or visit the Club Store on Commercial Street #ProudToBeTown I www.harrogatetownafc.com

ACADEMY

BRADFORD CITY

3-1

HARROGATE TOWN

The Town Academy travelled to Bradford City last Saturday and after an excellent week of training, the lads went into the fixture with a feel-good factor and a good understanding on how to compete at this level. With a lack of luck in previous fixtures, the message was simple keep playing, keep a positive work ethic and our style of play and quality will shine through. The game started and it was evident Bradford had some real quality and a clear pattern of play, but our message and game plan remained the same. Not like us, there was a lack of competition to win first, second and third balls, which set the standard and lead to the Bantams opening the scoring on 15 minutes. With Bradford on top, they got a second four minutes later, which instantly put Town on the back foot. Despite a poor energy, we still battled and got ourselves back into the game with some

excellent play down the righthand side from Brad Williams who beat the fullback and delivered a great cross which Bradford turned into their own net. With a feeling of being on top, a good high press from Emmanuel Ilesanmi, we got through and created a clear-cut chance for the equaliser, with the ball falling to Ollie Lamb who unfortunately couldn't convert the chance. After that, some poor defensive play at the back allowed Bradford to increase their lead and make it 3-1 at half time. With a clear message at half time, we went out and improved all over the pitch. With chances being created at both ends, it was Town that had the best chance of the second half with substitute Will Barker winning a penalty. Ben Tweed stepped up but his strike unfortunately went wide of the upright. With some further scrappy play for the remainder of the second half, the game finished 3-1 to Bradford City.

34 I HARROGATE TOWN AFC MATCHDAY PROGRAMME

Academy Fixtures 2021-22* 6 Aug 14 Aug 21 Aug 28 Aug 11 Sep 18 Sep 25 Sep 2 Oct 9 Oct 23 Oct 30 Oct 13 Nov 27 Sep 4 Dec 18 Dec 8 Jan 15 Jan 12 Feb 19 Feb 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Burton Albion (A) Lincoln City (H) Huddersfield Town (H) (Cup) Grimsby Town (A) Huddersfield Town (H) Bradford City (A) Tranmere Rovers (A) (Cup) Rotherham United (H) Salford City (A) (Cup) Mansfield Town (H) Scunthorpe United (H) Doncaster Rovers (H) Huddersfield Town (A) Grimsby Town (H) Burton Albion (H) Lincoln City (A) Bradford City (H) Rotherham United (A) Mansfield Town (A)

Rotherham United Grimsby Town Lincoln City Scunthorpe United Doncaster Rovers Huddersfield Town Bradford City Burton Albion Mansfield Town Harrogate Town

P 6 6 6 6 5 5 4 6 5 5

W 5 4 3 2 2 2 2 2 1 1

D 0 2 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0

L 1 0 3 3 2 2 2 4 3 4

L2-3 W1-0 L2-4 L1-2 L1-2 L1-3

GD 10 6 3 -1 -4 -6 0 -4 0 -4

Pts 15 14 9 7 7 7 6 6 4 3

* Fixtures subject to change. Please refer to the website for up to date fixture details.

Academy Coach Ross McKay said “As always, we take positives from the game both as individuals and collectively. The lads are working very hard day in, day out in training and this journey is a long one. I’m confident that each player will develop both on and off the ball. We will look to work harder on the basics this week with next week’s Cup opponents, Tranmere Rovers certain to provide a tough test” Town: Giles, Tweed, Birmingham Liddle, Attree, Wilson, Williams, Horbury, Ilesanmi, Dixon, Lamb Subs: Dean, J. Barker, W. Barker, Sweete

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Introducing the next generation of Town stars..

FACT FILE

Bobby Attree

Bobby Attree DOB: 8th February 2005 Birth Place: Hull Position: Centre Back Squad Number: 45 Height: 6ft 1 Foot: Right Boots: Adidas Copas Football Hero: Declan Rice Team Supported: West Ham United

What first made you get involved with Town? When I was at Hull we played against Town's U17 side and they were really good on the night and the coach was good too, so when I had a chance to trial I jumped at the opportunity. What do you consider are the strengths of your game? I feel I am good in the air, have a good range of passing and tackling. I am also a good talker and like to organise on the pitch. How do you think your game has developed whilst at Town? I have developed into a better defender and my positioning is improving too. I feel more confident and I am getting physically stronger too.

Biggest influence in your football progression so far? I have many influences - I always used to play midfield until I saw West Ham train one day and James Tomkins invited me on the pitch for a kick around, and from that moment, I wanted to be a centre back. I have many more, but the main one is Terry Boyle who was my coach at Hull City who I loved as a coach as he encouraged me and taught me alot. My dad has also always been there for me and done everything he can to make sure I can always get to where I need to be as well as giving advice. What are you hoping to achieve with the Academy this season? This season I personally want to develop and improve as much as I can. I want to perform at a

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consistent level, and as a team to get results to finish as high as we can in the league. What are your long-term ambitions, football wise? My main ambition is to get a pro contract here at Town as I would love to be the first academy graduate to break into the first team and play at the EnviroVent What is the best thing about being involved with Town? Harrogate Town is such a family club. Everyone knows everyone and we've even had Irving and Simon Weaver come to watch our Academy games which gives us a massive boost. There is a clear pathway from the Academy to the First Team so the opportunity here is massive.

HARROGATE TOWN AFC MATCHDAY PROGRAMME I

For more details about the Community Foundation, please email community@harrogatetownafc.com or visit www.htafccommunity.co.uk

FOUNDATION BACK DELIVERING PROGRAMMES IN SCHOOLS

We have a really exciting year ahead of us at the foundation. We are welcoming four new members of staff who will help with the growth, development and impact the foundation continues to make in the local area. Throughout the last academic year we interacted with over 5000 children in the Harrogate and District area. We have noticed more young people wearing Harrogate Town football kits and clothing due to the continuous success on and off the pitch... Tom Blackburn Community Officer

With the school year restarting we are really glad to be back delivering our school programmes in a number of partner schools. During lockdown we supported 20 local primary schools through virtual/online challenges, activities and live workouts. This September we’ve been back in the schools engaging with young people and it’s been great. We’ve been delivering a wide

range of school activities with our main programme being Premier League Primary Stars which includes our professional coaches delivering high quality PE whilst upskilling the teachers to become more confident and competent to deliver PE. We also deliver a variety of afterschool clubs for primary and secondary schools, the sessions are tailored to meet the needs of the school.

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FIRST FANS' FORUM DATE ANNOUNCED We are pleased to announce that the first Fans' Forum for Harrogate Town Supporters will take place at The Cedar Court Hotel on Wednesday 29th September 2021. Doors will open at 6:30pm, with the forum set to commence at 7pm. The forum will provide attendees the chance to hear all the upcoming news from Club representatives, the Community Foundation, the Independent Supporters Club, the Supporters Trust, and First Team Manager Simon Weaver, who will be discussing a wide range of topics and will be available to answer any questions you may have! Attendees must reserve their seat in advance and submit any questions they wish to ask via Supporter Liaison Officer Phill Holdsworth. Please email: phillholdsworth@harrogatetownafc.com

FANS' FORUM with Special Guest Simon Weaver

Wednesday 29th September 2021 7pm at The Cedar Court Hotel

TOWN TO 5K

Social Running Group

FREE TO JOIN PLUS

Get active and start your fitness journey with us! ›› Qualified Run Leader ›› Every Thursday 5.30pm ›› Friendly & Fun ›› Every other Saturday 9am ›› New Runners Welcome ›› Meet at the Library For more info please contact HTAFC Community Foundation Call 07832 323324 or email community@harrogatetownafc.com

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New Beginners Group starts Tuesday 21st September at 5.30pm from Stray Rein

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LADIES

TOWN LADIES First XI Fixtures/Results 2021-22*

U17 GIRLS LEAGUE OPENER ENDS IN FRUSTRATING DRAW GUISELEY GIRLS U17s

3-3 HARROGATE TOWN GIRLS U17s

Chloe Hickson's Under 17 Girls opened their West Riding League campaign against Guiseley last saturday. After a scrappy start, Town started to settle and take control of the game. On the half hour mark Eva Jenkins was denied by a great double save from the Guiseley keeper, but from the resulting corner, Town opened the scoring courtesy of Robyn McKendrick's header. Five minutes later, Guiseley equalised from an unstoppable shot that flew into the top corner. Town continued to dominate with Bella Devereux, Eva Jenkins and Niamh Tyssen all seeing shots well saved by the Guiseley keeper. On the stroke of half-time, however, Guiseley took the lead as a cross looped fortuously into the net to put the visitors 2-1 up.

After the restart, Town took hold of the game again. The pressure was relentless, however Town were continuously denied by the woodwork and the outstanding Guiseley keeper. It looked like it wasn’t going to be Town’s day until midway through the half, Niamh Tyssen took on two defenders and released Eva Jenkins who rounded the keeper and slotted home to make it 2-2. Town continued to pepper the Guiseley goal, hitting the woodwork three times before, on 85 minutes, Tyssen picked up the ball, beat two defenders and unleashed a thunderbolt into the top right hand corner for a deserved lead. Guiseley pushed for an equaliser and the girls held out until, in the eighth minute of injury time (despite the ref indicating only four minutes of added time!), a Guiseley player

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5 Sep 26 Sep 3 Oct 10 Oct 17 Oct 24 Oct 31 Oct 7 Nov 14 Nov 21 Nov 28 Nov 5 Dec 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Farsley Celtic (H) Hartlepool United (A) TBC (H) (FA Cup QR2) Redcar Town (A) Sheffield Wednesday (H) South Shields (A) Sunderland West End (H) Wakefield Trinity (A) Wallsend BC (H) York City (A) York City (H) Farsley Celtic (A)

Sunderland WE Redcar Town Ossett United Wakefield Trinity York City Farsley Celtic Harrogate Town South Shields Hartlepool United Sheffield Wed Wallsend B.C.

P 3 2 2 3 2 2 1 1 2 2 2

W 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0

D 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

L 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 2 2 2

W3-2 14.00 14.00 14.00 14.00 14.00 14.00 14.00 14.00 14.00 14.00 14.00 GD Pts 2 7 6 6 6 4 3 4 2 4 1 3 1 3 -1 0 -4 0 -6 0 -10 0

* Fixtures subject to change. Please refer to the website for up to date fixture details.

hit a speculative long range effort that skidded off the surface and found its way into the back of the net for a late equaliser. Although feeling hard done by and bitterly disappointed, the Town girls can take much pride and confidence into next weeks home game against Ilkley Town – 10am at Rossett Sports Centre. Town: McHugh, Abbott, McKendrick, Pounder, Delaney, Devereux, Dennis, Johnson, Jenkins (c), Tyssen, Corner, Taylor, Ashby, Pritchard

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GETTING TO KNOW...

Shannon is sponsored by

LADIES CENTRE MIDFIELDER

Team Northwood Hill 231011

Tell us a little bit about your footballing background? I started playing football at the age of 6, and spent my childhood playing for my local club with lads, until I had to find a girls team. Whilst playing for my local girls team I was scouted by the North Yorkshire girls centre of excellence where I played age 14-17. I then moved on to Leeds United Ladies where I spent seven seasons, where I fulfilled my dream of playing at Elland Road in front of a supportive crowd!

how much fun and exciting the game can be and how enjoyable football is when you’ve got a great set of girls and manager around you.

Shannon Beal

What attracted you to Town? After spending so many seasons at Leeds United, I decided to take a break from football, try some new hobbies and travel. After two years of no football in my life, I got a message from an old friend, Kez, explaining the sort of team she wanted to build at Town. A team of not just talented footballers but also good people. This was enough for me to join.

How do you think the last 10 weeks have gone? I think the last 10 weeks have been full of important lessons. That was always Kez’s plan to get us out of our comfort zone, push us beyond our limits and experience different tests, but also bring us together as a team. This was crucial for us to win our first game of the season, that was a very tough physical game. What do you think of the squad? I really think we have such an interchangeable and intelligent squad which is really going to benefit us this season.

6 FACT FILE

DOB: 6th November 1996 Birth Place: Scarborough Nickname: Bealy Boots: Adidas Preditors Football Hero: David Silva Team Supported: Leeds Utd Pre-match Meal: Porridge Post-match Meal: Roast Music: A mix but mostly Indie Favourite holiday: The Lakes

What do you consider are the strengths of your game? Calm on the ball, reading the game, positive communication. What are the goals you would like to achieve at Town? To finish the season with a great group of girls knowing that we gave 100%. Hopefully that will give us promotion. What team do you support and who’s your favourite player? Leeds United. Kalvin Phillips, he has become an all-round incredible centre midfielder as well as a good, modest person. What are your long-term ambitions, football wise? To keep enjoying it. Playing at Harrogate has reminded me

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I LEAGUE TWO ROUND-UP

by Mark Walker, PA Media

WEEKEND FIXTURES FRI Barrow v Newport County SAT Crawley Town v Bradford City

Harrogate had to settle for a 2-2 draw at 10-man Crawley in Sky Bet League Two's sole midweek match, but moved level on points with second-placed Leyton Orient.

Nombe's effort secured a 2-0 home win against Sutton. Hartlepool were held 0-0 at rock-bottom Oldham and Rochdale missed the chance to move into the playoff places as they drew 1-1 at Mansfield.

Simon Weaver's side, bidding to bounce back from their first defeat of the season at Port Vale on Saturday, made a flying start as Luke Armstrong headed his sixth goal of the season in the second minute. Crawley hit back through Joel Lynch and Sam Ashford to lead at half-time before Archie Davies' own goal restored parity. The visitors pressed after Crawley striker Ashley Nadesan had been shown a straight red card for an off-the-ball clash with Connor Hall in the 65th minute, but could not find a winner.

Kieron Morris's penalty and Elliott Nevitt's header secured Tranmere a 2-0 win against Salford as both sides ended the game with 10 men. Salford's Ibou Touray and Tranmere's Jay Spearing were both shown straight red cards for separate dangerous tackles.

Harrogate had slipped to third at the weekend after winger Jack Diamond was sent off for two yellow cards in a 2-0 defeat at Port Vale. Goals either side of Diamond's dismissal on the stroke of half-time from David Worrall and James Wilson ended Harrogate's unbeaten start. Forest Green extended their lead at the top after a comprehensive 4-0 win at Stevenage, with Kane Wilson, Matt Stevens, Jamille Matt and Jake Young all on target. Rob Edwards' side sit four points clear of Orient, who leap-frogged Harrogate with a 3-1 win at Bristol Rovers. Harry Smith, Theo Archibald and Aaron Drinan all struck first-half goals for the O's and Brett Pitman's injury-time penalty was scant consolation for Rovers. In Saturday's early kick-off, Northampton skipper Fraser Horsfall's late equaliser salvaged his side a 1-1 home draw against Swindon, who had led through Tyreece Simpson. Exeter climbed up to fifth as Ben Goodliffe’s own goal and Sam

40 I HARROGATE TOWN AFC MATCHDAY PROGRAMME

Forest Green Rovers v Tranmere Rovers Harrogate Town v Stevenage Hartlepool United v Exeter City Leyton Orient v Mansfield Town Rochdale v Oldham Athletic Salford City v Northampton Town

Jack Payne’s 22nd-minute strike saw Crawley win away for the first time this season as they notched a 1-0 success at Colchester. Scunthorpe squandered a two-goal lead in a 2-2 draw at Carlisle, James Clarke's late goal against his former club clinched Newport a 2-1 win against Walsall and Bradford drew 1-1 at home against Barrow.

TABLE 2021/22 As of 22nd September 2021

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

Forest Green Rovers Leyton Orient Harrogate Town Northampton Town Exeter City Hartlepool United Port Vale Rochdale Bradford City Swindon Town Tranmere Rovers Crawley Town Newport County Carlisle United Barrow Colchester United Salford City Sutton United Walsall Mansfield Town Stevenage Bristol Rovers Scunthorpe United Oldham Athletic

Scunthorpe United v Port Vale Sutton United v Carlisle United Swindon Town v Colchester United Walsall v Bristol Rovers

HOME P 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 7 8 7 8 8 8 8 8 8

W D 3 0 3 0 2 2 2 1 2 2 4 0 1 2 1 2 2 2 1 1 3 0 2 2 1 1 1 3 1 2 0 1 2 2 2 0 2 1 2 1 1 2 2 0 1 1 0 1

L 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 2 1 0 1 0 1 2 1 1 1 2 1 2 2 3

F 9 9 8 5 6 6 4 3 8 3 4 6 4 5 6 1 5 4 6 8 3 3 3 1

AWAY A 6 2 6 4 1 1 3 3 4 4 1 4 4 4 6 3 2 3 5 9 6 5 8 6

W D 3 1 1 3 2 1 2 1 1 2 0 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 2 2 0 2 1 0 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 3 1 0

www.harrogatetownafc.com I

L 0 0 1 1 1 3 1 1 2 0 2 3 2 2 2 0 3 2 3 2 3 3 1 3

F 9 7 7 2 5 2 5 9 3 6 0 4 5 4 5 6 2 2 2 2 4 3 3 3

A GD Pts 2 10 19 5 9 15 5 4 15 1 2 14 4 6 13 5 2 13 3 3 12 7 2 12 5 2 12 3 2 12 2 1 11 8 -2 11 7 -2 11 5 0 10 4 1 9 4 0 9 6 -1 8 5 -2 8 6 -3 8 5 -4 8 7 -6 8 8 -7 7 5 -7 7 8 -10 4

#ProudToBeTown

#ProudToBeTown I www.harrogatetownafc.com

HARROGATE TOWN AFC MATCHDAY PROGRAMME I

Date

I FIXTURES & RESULTS 2021-22

Opposition

Res

Att

Sat 7

Rochdale

Comp

3-2

1,841

Pts Pos 3

Starting XI Oxley

Fallowfield

Burrell ❚ f

McArdle

Hall

Falkingham

Sat 21

Barrow

2-1

1,564

Oxley

Page

Burrell

McArdle

Hall

Falkingham

Tue 24

Leyton Orient

2-0

3,942 9

Oxley

Page

Burrell

McArdle

Hall

Falkingham

Sat 28

Exeter City

1-1

1,883 10

Oxley

Page ❚

Burrell

McArdle

Hall

Falkingham

Tue 31

Mansfield Town

3-1

Cracknell

Fallowfield

Sheron ❚

Smith

Hall

Kerry ❚

AUGUST

825

SEPTEMBER

Sat 4

Mansfield Town

3-1

4,599 13

Oxley

Page ❚

Burrell ❚

McArdle

Hall

Falkingham ❚

Fri 10

Newport County

2-2

2,670 14

Oxley

Page

Burrell

McArdle

Hall

Falkingham

Sat 18

Port Vale

0-2

5,435 14

Oxley

Page ❚

Burrell

McArdle

Hall

Falkingham

Tue 21

Crawley Town

2-2

1,791

Oxley

Fallowfield

Burrell

McArdle

Hall ❚

Falkingham

Sat 25

Stevenage

15:00 15:00

OCTOBER

Sat 2

Oldham Athletic

Tue 5

Newcastle United U21s