Harrogate Town v Rochdale - Sulphurites feel better placed to deal with League Two

Josh Falkingham believes that Harrogate Town are better equipped for life in League Two than they were 12 months ago.

The Sulphurites kick-off 2021-22 with a home showdown against Rochdale having strengthened their squad over the course of the summer and with the added benefit of having a full pre-season under their belts.

Last year’s preparations were hindered by the fact that the club did not know which division it would be playing in until the first week in August due to the Covid-19 enforced delay to the conclusion of 2019-20.

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That situation also meant that Town’s players barely had any time off to rest and recuperate before reporting back to training, and Falkingham is confident that he and his team-mates head into the new campaign in a much better place.

BRING IT ON: Harrogate Town's Josh Falkingham. Picture: Jonathan GawthorpeBRING IT ON: Harrogate Town's Josh Falkingham. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe
BRING IT ON: Harrogate Town's Josh Falkingham. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe

“The gaffer has brought in a good set of lads, there’s more Football League experience in the squad now, we’ve had a full summer off and also had time to spend working on a lot more stuff on the training ground,” the 30-year-old former Leeds United midfielder said.

“So I definitely believe that we are in a better place than we were this time last year.

“We also learned a lot last season. There were some difficult periods, but for a lot of the lads it was our first time playing in the Football League.

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“Those experiences will stand us in good stead and we’ll have a better idea of how to deal with certain situations and different stages of the season.

KEY SIGNINGS: Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver
. Picture by Gerard BinksKEY SIGNINGS: Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver
. Picture by Gerard Binks
KEY SIGNINGS: Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver . Picture by Gerard Binks

“We don’t go into this season riding that wave of momentum you get as a promoted club, but we are still definitely better equipped.

“Plus, we’ve got the fans to come back and that is a massive factor. Having them behind us will really drive us on.”

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