In our second blog in this series, we are branching out slightly more North this time. It was Wrexham last week, now we move to Harrogate, in our quest to review the fortunes of as many local lower league football teams as we possibly can, before we all burst into a giant ball of flames. Enjoy.
The Story
Now we’ve had some shocks in 2020. Let’s have it right. But I can guarantee you now, if there two fellas, stood on chairs in the middle of a busy high street in December 2019, with one preaching that a global pandemic would take over the world next year and the other claiming Harrogate Town would be in the Football League in 9 months time, then the Harrogate preacher would have been forced into a straight jacket within seconds. As it turns out, whilst both would have looked crazy, they’d have also been 100% correct. To say its been an incredible journey so far for “the sulphurites”, would be an understatement. From the Yorkshire Leagues in the 1950s, all the way to the Football League in 2020, it has been a long and enthralling ride for the Harrogate faithful. Steady progression and solid foundations have been key elements in their rise and now they are thoroughly enjoying the rewards, as they currently sit 4th in League Two after a fine start to the season.
The Climb
Harrogate didn’t actually get out of the Yorkshire Leagues until the early 80s, when they were promoted to Northern Counties pyramid. As previously mentioned, the clubs planning and ambitions went hand in hand, with preparation for their rise being put in place, as they installed new floodlights in their Wetherby Road ground. The ground is situated next to the local disteict hospital, but there were no accidents or emergencies over at Wetherby, and as the pyramid grew further, they moved into the Northern Premier League Division 1 in 1987. They joined current EFL clubs like Fleetwood Town, Accrington Stanley, Morecambe and promotion pals, Barrow, in this new set up. Some years of consolidation followed before an eventual promotion to the Northern Premier Division. It’s not always easy to drive your way up the divisions at that level, certain clubs have made it look easy in previous year. Specfically the likes of Salford and Fleetwood Town in recent years, the key difference there is the size of the bank accounts compared to other clubs at that level. Harrogate Town were going about their business in a proper and sustainable way, it was slow progress but it was always progress. Their unexpected promotion to the Conference North back in 2004, allowed them the opportunity to smell what might lie ahead for them. The taste of success and smell of the Football League was only a potential two seasons away, whilst these two promotions were going to be the hardest of their history to date, the sound of Harrogate Town was beginning to rumble.
The Spotlight
November 2012, the clubs first ever victory in the FA Cup first round over Torquay United, another sign of progress, another rung of the ladder. The expectation was beginning to grow in North Yorkshire, they had fans that weren’t just there to watch a game of live football, they wanted them to win and be successful. That taste was growing stronger, hence the 2017 decision to move the club into professional status. As decisions go, I don’t think I’m going out on a limb when I say its been a good one. An incredible 3-0 victory against Brackley Town in the playoff final later on that season, secured their National League status, the first time the club had reached those dizzy heights. There was no resting on their laurels though, with ambitious chairmen Alan Irving allowing to club to thrive and move forward, without breaking the bank. A first season finish of 6th showed no signs that the National League was a step too far and if it wasn’t for a play off loss to AFC Fylde then Harrogate could have achieved EFL status even earlier! Ironically, money doesn’t always mean always success, as AFC Fylde lost in the playoff final and were relegated the next year, meanwhile Harrogate had the season of dreams. Covid 19 restrictions obviously curtailed the National League season early, meaning Harrogate ended up finishing 2nd on ppg. Boreham Wood were brushed past in the semi finals before only Notts County stood in their way of their Football League dream. George Thomson, Connor Hall and Jack Diamond. Three names that Harrogate fans will never forget. They were the goalscorers in a 3-1 victory over County, in a monumental evening for The Sulphurites. This football club were no longer to be in the shadow of other local rivals, York, Leeds, and Bradford. They were making history of their own, showing that it can be without the backing of billionaire owners.
Whats Next?
At the time of writing Harrogate currently sit 4th in League Two, with an away fixture against Colchester United this afternoon. With a relatively small squad and a 37 year old Jon Stead leading the line, even the most optimistic of Harrogate fans would surely agree that staying up there will be a difficult task. As we well know though, the Town doesn’t conform to the usual when it comes to building successful football teams. They aren’t a team of bank rolled mercenaries who have dropped divisions to earn a quick buck (Darren Gibson has just stopped reading) they are a sustainable football club, with a desire to win. If I was a fortune teller, I wouldn’t be writing blogs, I’d be in the bookies. The future for Harrogate is whatever they want it to be, there is nothing to suggest that the club can’t keep going on this upwards spiral. As long as the owners and the manager still have the drive for it, which as long as they still have two legs and two arms, then I can’t see that changing. The final word is that Harrogate Town’s future does look incredibly bright, they are a team that have gone under the radar for so many years but now they can finally enjoy their moment in the sun. Up the Sulphurites, Groove Out.
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