VETERAN Harrogate Town goalkeeper James Belshaw has completed his move to boyhood club Notts County for an undisclosed fee.

Nottingham-born Belshaw, 35, – who had a spell at Meadow Lane as a schoolboy – spent two spells at the North Yorkshire outfit, having re-joined the Sulphurites in January 2024 from Bristol Rovers.

Belshaw, who initially joined Harrogate from Tamworth in 2017 and spent four years at the club before switching to Rovers, made 284 appearances in total for Simon Weaver’s side.

The keeper played a huge part in the club’s rise to the English Football League, helping Town to National League North promotion in his first season at the club in 2017-18 before going up to the EFL two years later at Wembley.

Harrogate Town goalkeeper James Belshaw, who has completed his move to boyhood club Notts County. Picture courtesy of Harrogate Town AFC.

placeholder image — Harrogate Town goalkeeper James Belshaw, who has completed his move to boyhood club Notts County. Picture courtesy of Harrogate Town AFC.

First-choice custodian for most of this season, the Midlander dropped down to the bench in Saturday’s 1-1 League Two draw at Crewe Alexandra, having lined up a move to Notts, the team who he supported as a boy.

Ahead of his departure, Harrogate – fighting for their lives at the foot of League Two – brought in young Ipswich Town loan keeper Henry Gray, who will battle it out for the number one role with the experienced Mark Oxley, who stepped in for Belshaw last weekend, for the remainder of 2025-26.

On the exit of Belshaw, Weaver told BBC Radio York: "Belly has done a lot for the club in the promotion seasons and also when he came back two years ago.

"There's no animosity and we completely respect his decision to leave.

"We’re very thankful for his efforts here and obviously wish him well at Notts County, which is the club he supported as a boy."