Will Smith 36 HTFC Ladies

100 CLUB WILL SMITH

The newest addition to the Harrogate Town 100 club is our number 5, Will Smith! The 23-year-old centre half joined Town in June 2019 and since then has won promotion from the National League and lifted the FA Trophy at Wembley Stadium. We sat down to chat to Will about those first 100 games in Harrogate Town colours…

by Henry Whitaker

SIGNING FOR TOWN…

Coming into it I didn’t really know whether I’d be starting straight away, I just saw it as a new chance to impress people. After leaving Barnsley I wanted to prove that I was good enough and better than what they were thinking of me. When I arrived, I did what I could to get into the starting line-up and when a little bit of luck comes your way, you have to take it.

SETTLING INTO THE SIDE…

II remember playing on the opening day of the season and I did feel like I was out of my depth. Every player in their team was massive and I wasn’t that big myself. We then went to Barrow, and I scored two goals which gave me a big confidence boost and I kicked on from there, really. I feel like trust was built quite quickly and it’s such an important thing in football. When you’re thrown in at the deep end you know you have to go and perform, and I think that was probably the best thing for me.

continued overleaf...

Contemporary new homes

MAKE IT YOURS

PROMOTION IN THE DEBUT SEASON…

Not many people get to play at Wembley and I remember Steady (Jon Stead) talking to me about it being his first time at Wembley at 30 odd years old. To play at Wembley at 21 years old and win, it was the best day of my life for me and the club.

It’ll always be one of the standout moments for me. It’ll appear on my phone every now and then and makes me remember how special a day it was. It’s hard to explain that feeling of getting promoted as a player, it’s just an inner feeling that I can’t really put into words.

You strive to be the best possible person for yourself and the team so to get promoted was the icing on the cake that season. It was obviously the first time in the club’s history that it had happened, so it was a big achievement for everyone. Afterwards we had a few drinks, and players and staff got together and talked about what a memorable season it had been. WINNERS AT WEMBLEY, AGAIN…

A NEW CHALLENGE IN THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE…

There was just excitement going into out first season in the Football League. I knew we had the players to really compete and to win 4-0 on the opening day of season against Southend, it just continued to carry us on that wave.

I think our first season in the Football League could be described as a positive one. We blew some teams away and finished above Barrow who of course won the National League when we went up, that was a positive to take. The main goal was to finish as high as possible but really to stay in the league and we did that.

You’re in the moment when winning and it’s a great feeling to win trophies. To go to Wembley twice and win both times, there’s no better feeling. To achieve that at 21 years old as well, I can say I’ve done well but there’s always more to go for as an individual and a team. We know it was upsetting that fans missed out on both Wembley trips, but we had our jobs to do and brought the silverware back to Harrogate each time.

continued overleaf...

INJURY FRUSTRATION…

I was picking up little knocks in preseason and that’s not the best as you want to give yourself the best shot to be in the starting XI come the opening day of the campaign. It’s all part of being a footballer though, so it’s about getting on with it and working hard to get back into the team, which I feel I’ve done. I recently picked up another injury and then illness as well which was really frustrating as you never want to miss out, especially after missing three months the previous season. I feel like I’ve now got stronger, fitter and healthier and that can only benefit me.

ONE HUNDRED AND COUNTING…

I try to take each game as they come as each is so important. 100 games though is a nice landmark and you have to strive to do better and aim high. It all starts with working hard in training and putting that into the games and being the best I can.

You always want to improve and challenge yourself. Right now, that would be to put together 10-15 good games and help the team all I can. For every footballer the goal is to play at the highest level you can, but the focus has to be the present and then the future will sort itself out.