Harrogate Town decide against offering deals to trialists including ex-Chelsea winger

The Wetherby Road club, who are preparing for their first-ever Football League campaign, have fielded a number of trial players during recent friendlies against Middlesbrough Under-23s and Brighouse Town.

And while manager Simon Weaver was quick to praise the efforts of all of those who have featured, he has revealed that he doesn’t believe that any of them are the right fit at this moment in time.

Ex-Chelsea winger Charlie Wakefield and Norwich City left-back Caleb Richards were among those whom the Town boss ran the rule over, with the former really catching the eye.

"We're not pursuing anything with any of the trialists," Weaver said.

"It's sink or swim for these lads when they come in on trial and they’ve come here and worked really hard.

"It's just difficult because we need to add something different to the squad.

"We're looking for that option of out-and-out pace in the wide areas. Charlie Wakefield does offer that and he did well, but at the moment we've decided against making an offer.

"That's not to say that these lads aren't good players, but we've informed them of our decision now to give them the best chance of being able to go and get sorted out at another club as soon as possible."

Wakefield, 22, came through Chelsea's youth system but never made a senior appearance for the Blues.

The flying winger joined Coventry City in January 2019, but was released this summer having featured just nine times due to injury problems.

Twenty-one-year-old Richards signed for Norwich from Blackpool and has subsequently spent time on loan with Tampa Bay Rowdies in the USA and Town's former National League promotion rivals Yeovil.

Weaver's men face League One Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Saturday in their final friendly of the summer, with two additional trialists named among the substitutes.