Why Leeds United's Premier League promotion could be good news for Harrogate Town

The Whites will be back in next season's Premier League, meaning three fewer home league games and more matches on Sunday to satisfy the voracious broadcasters.

Weaver is hoping that means more Leeds supporters based in and around Harrogate pay their local League Two team a visit after the Sulphurites showcased their wares in a spirited FA Cup performance at Elland Road in January.

Only Accrington Stanley, who have one game still to play at the Crown Ground, and Salford City have had lower average gates than Harrogate's 2,968 this season as the Yorkshire club look to build themselves as a Football League outfit.

But the last seven home attendances have all been excess of 3,000, with two topping 4,000.

"The Leeds game was good for us and there were probably some people who'd never been to our games before, even some Leeds fans," said manager Weaver, who has been in charge since the club were in Conference North, two divisions down.

"I'm glad Leeds have gone up to the Premier League because on the days we're playing and they're not we might get some Harrogate or Wetherby-based Leeds fans who might want to watch us because we made a good impression that day.

"The whole thing's growing off the pitch with Sarah Barry, our chief executive and Jo Towler, our head of commercial.

"There's much more interest, more schools involved, season tickets are going up.

"I think there's an excitement growing again, which is great.

"Block by block it's got to be that.

"You have to be patient, grit it out through disappointments and build again.

"It's first-generation support so it's never going to be easy.

"When we went to Walsall we had a pocket of fans. It doesn't help your cause until you get to a stage where you're filing the stand behind the goal.

"That influences everything as a footballer, not least the self-esteem.

"We're nowhere near where I want us to end up as a club. That's exciting."

Harrogate have only been a Football League club for five years, so securing their place for a sixth season was a big relief for Weaver. The roots of that came at around the same time as the glamour Cup tie with Leeds, and has been built on home form.

Defeat to Notts County on Saturday was Harrogate's first at Wetherby Road in 11 matches.

"There's been some testing times this season and I'm just so glad everybody's grabbed the moment and stuck together," said Weaver.

"It's the Barrow game, the week before we played Leeds, that I always go back to. That triggered the response we've been given since.

"We were able to sign a few reinforcements since January and we've regained our gritty edge and that capability to have a real competitive edge.

"Good home form has seen us there."

It is another reason why building their fanbase is so important to the Sulphurites.