Signings give Harrogate 'quality in depth we haven't had since we came up to the Football League' says manager Simon Weaver

On Wednesday the Sulphurites added 22-year-old Liverpool midfielder Tom Hill to Tom Cursons, Olly Sanderson, Bryant Bilongo, Bryn Morris and Eko Solomon as the new faces at Wetherby Road.

Hill, whose only first-team appearance for the Reds was in a 2019 League Cup tie at Aston Villa scheduled 24 hours before a World Club Cup game in Qatar, has signed an 18-month contract after joining on a free transfer.

The efficiency with which Harrogate, their kitty boosted by three televised FA Cup games, have been able to do their business and the quality of the recruits has given manager Weaver a lift.

"Quite often in the past things have dragged on because people have had other options and have wanted to wait until the last minute but it's been quite smooth, really," he said. "I'm delighted to be able to strengthen the squad with a couple of additions, good youth from the majority that have come in, and there's good hunger.

"There's possibly one more but it depends really on whether anyone might go out. We set ourselves certain targets and we've achieved them.

"We've been very depleted for a large part of the season so we wanted reinforcements. If it remains the same, I'll be happy."

The options it gives Weaver are significant. As one of the league's smallest-budget teams, rotating the squad to minimise injuries and back up performances twice a week has been hard since promotion into League Two in 2020.

"Liam Gibson's return is just around the corner, and add that to Ellis Taylor's creativity in the final third and it gives us that bit of spark and excitement," enthused Weaver. “The newcomers are really to add a quality in depth that we haven't had since we came up to the Football League.

"We've been lucky enough to dip into some of the funds from the FA Cup run and get some useful acquisitions.

"You look over your shoulder at the cover and you think it's not just about 11, 12 players. We've got a good squad to choose from."

Since Morris’ debut at Barrow, Harrogate have taken seven points from a possible nine in the league, with Bilongo, Sanderson and Solomon making substitute appearances against Cheltenham Town and Colchester United.

Hill and Cursons have signed in time to make their debuts at Doncaster Rovers on Saturday.