Nearly Ten Years On, Weaver Ready For The Next Challenge

The Harrogate Town manager hadn’t been uploading spot-the-difference selfies from 2009 to facebook or twitter.

In fact he hadn’t even heard of the online craze. Funny thing is that he’s matured better than most of us.

Just short of a decade ago, Weaver picked up The Non-League Paper and spotted something that caught his eye.

On the inside back cover, there was an advert staring back at him in black and white.

Vacancy: Harrogate Town manager. Apply within. Or something along those lines.

The 31-year-old had just scored a play-off final winner for Ilkeston Town. He should have been looking forward to a new league and three maybe four more years, a final flourish to a career which saw him lace up his boots at no fewer than 13 clubs.

Problem is, his ankle was “made of chocolate” and the temperature was rising.

Ahead of this weekend’s live BT Sport game with Hartlepool, he said: “I’d had three leg breaks and it hit me as soon as I saw the ad that maybe it was time to look at football from another perspective.

“I said to myself that it would be good to go along and get some interview practice, if that’s the path I was going down. It was 20 minutes from home and I wasn’t expecting to even get a response.

“But the club were in trouble. They finished bottom of the Conference North and had their budget slashed.

“It turned out they wanted someone just like me as none of the bigger names wanted it. Someone who was naive, keen and wouldn’t run a mile at the first sign of trouble!

“Nearly ten years later I’m still here. It’s been a great ride.”

Not just still there, still there and flourishing. With crowds standing at around 220 when he turned up, they could be looking at 3,000 on Saturday for a middle of January fixture which is live on the TV.

“I take pride in that,” he tells us. “You’ve got to. We’ve worked really hard and if the game sells out then that’s tremendous.

“We’ve had fantastic crowds this season. Families have found us, that’s what makes me happiest more than anything. We are where they spend their time together on a Saturday afternoon now.

“In the early stages I did ask myself ‘will it actually catch fire here?’ but it has. It has in a big way.”

A few years after taking over, he managed to convince his father Irving to buy the club and give the town of Harrogate the sporting kick it needed.

“He’s invested in the area and its people,” added Weaver Junior. “The facilities here are fantastic and they’re only going to get better. It’s been a brilliant few years but we’re building a sustainable club which, fingers crossed, can have a big future.

“This isn’t a chuck-money-at-it place - it’s year-by-year growth and we’re really seeing signs of progress.”

He hopes to showcase the club in the best possible way this weekend, even if their league form is probably the worst it’s been for a few years.

“Hartlepool is a big game for us,” he added. “I hope we can get a lift from our FA Trophy win at Dover and take it into the next few games.

“I’m looking forward to comparing notes with their manager Richard Money. He’s experienced as they come in this league.

“But that’s as far is it will go - not all the managers in Yorkshire go spying on other clubs!”