Harrogate Town begin discussions over extending Toby Sims' stay at Wetherby Road

The 25-year-old joined the League Two Sulphurites as a free agent during the January transfer window following his return from a stint playing in the USA and was handed a deal until the end of 2022/23.

Despite his lack of Football League experience, the former Pittsburgh Riverhound has quickly established himself as a reliable and consistent performer, making the right-back position his own in recent weeks.

And having been so impressed by Sims’ performances, Town boss Simon Weaver has wasted little time in initiating talks regarding a new contract.

“Toby is here to stay and I have reassured him of that,” he told the Harrogate Advertiser.

"I took him to one side and spoke to him in training this week and told him to forget about the red card at Crawley and move on from it.

"I also wanted to reassure him that we want to keep him around. There was no paperwork exchanged because it was just in the middle of a training session, but I wanted him to know that we want him to stay beyond the end of the season.

“We love him to bits and we are going to sort something out. Fans want to see players playing for their team who give 100 percent, and that’s Toby.

"I think the fans also want to see that we are being proactive as a club when it comes to securing the futures of good players and I think it’s important for the lads themselves to see that.”

Sims has gone on to make 10 appearances in Town colours since signing on shortly after the turn of the year, starting each of the Sulphurites’ last eight matches at right-back.

And while the speed of his emergence may have come as a surprise to some supporters, Weaver insists that he knew he had a talent on his hands as soon as he started working with the ex-South Carolina United man.

"I saw him close up in training from when he joined us before Christmas and was taken aback by how passionate he is in every single session,” the Harrogate chief added.

"In training he goes hell for leather and then he takes that into games. I love that in a player. He is typical of the kind of lad I am endeared to.

“Whether it’s a fitness session where he wants to be right at the front, or a small-sided game where he’s really giving it everything, he’s so committed.

"So it’s not a massive surprise to me personally that he's been a leading light for us in recent weeks. He’s been an all-action hero, a real good-news story for us and he’s thoroughly deserved his place in the team.

"And that made it a particularly galling moment when he was sent off at Crawley. It’s a real blow that he will miss the next three games, but he’ll come back from it.”

Sims’ red card for throwing the ball at an opponent means that he is suspended for this weekend’s home clash with Barrow and will also miss the upcoming trips to Newport County and Tranmere Rovers.