Harrogate Town v Walsall: Simon Weaver urges players to show home fans their caring side

Simon Weaver has asked his Harrogate Town players to show Wetherby Road they care, and insisted that whatever the League Two table says, there is a lot riding on their final 10 games, starting with today’s visit of Walsall.

Harrogate will neither go up nor down this season, but that does not mean the games are meaningless in the eyes of the manager.

He is already thinking about 2022-23, not only in terms of football, but in getting as many fans through the gates as possible.

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Today, and Tuesday’s match against Leyton Orient, are good opportunities to showcase what Weaver saw at Prenton Park in midweek.

Luke Armstrong, right, will be suspended for Harrogate Town's clash at home to Walsall after his midweek sending off at Tranmere Rovers 
Picture: Bruce RollinsonLuke Armstrong, right, will be suspended for Harrogate Town's clash at home to Walsall after his midweek sending off at Tranmere Rovers 
Picture: Bruce Rollinson
Luke Armstrong, right, will be suspended for Harrogate Town's clash at home to Walsall after his midweek sending off at Tranmere Rovers Picture: Bruce Rollinson

“We’ve got a good opportunity to impress the home fans and impress upon them how much we care,” he said.

“We want to finish the season on a high. There’s individual aims amongst players to get another contract and the team aim is finishing in an exciting vein of form so we can bring in fans for next season. We’ve got to think season tickets, we’ve got to think momentum for next season.”

Asking his players to show they care was not a dig. Weaver was as pleased with his team’s attitude in Tuesday’s 2-0 defeat at Tranmere Rovers as he was bemused by Luke Armstrong’s sending-off, which leaves the Sulphurites without him today.

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“I was very proud of them, so was Paul (Thirlwell, Weaver’s assistant),” he said. “We competed superbly well as we always do but aligned with that we showed great footballing ability and on another night we could have won or drawn.

“We’re missing out on a superb player for Saturday and we’ll miss him but it’s up to the other lads to step up to the plate.”

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