Harrogate Town make former York City goalkeeper Pete Jameson available for transfer

The 30-year-old remains under contract at Wetherby Road but will be allowed to move on having expressed his desire to play regular first-team football.

Having joined the Sulphurites from local rivals York City last summer, Jameson began 2022/23 as Simon Weaver’s first-choice stopper, starting all but one of the club’s opening 27 League Two fixtures.

He has however not featured since losing his place to Mark Oxley in mid-February, with his rival for the number one shirt’s fine form between the sticks earning him a new two-year contract.

Jameson took to social media last week to announce his departure via an Instagram post, with boss Weaver subsequently confirming that he won’t stand in the former Darlington custodian’s way should another club make an approach for his services.

"I’ve had a conversation with Pete, who has asked to leave, and we are going to circulate his name,” the Town chief told the Harrogate Advertiser.

"He is still under contract here for next season but we won’t stand in his way if a club makes an approach and the circumstances are right.

"Pete came to see me and he told me that, at his age, at this stage of his career, he really wants to be a starting goalkeeper, which is something I understand.

"He is already travelling quite a long way to get here every day and obviously he lost his place in the side during the second half of the season.

"Mark Oxley has come in and done really well in recent months, so I’m not in a position to be able to guarantee Pete games, so we’ve agreed to make him available.”

Genuine competition for the number one shirt has driven up standards this season, particularly in the case of Oxley, and Weaver is keen to ensure Town end up in a similarly strong position next term.

"The aim will be to have two quality goalkeepers pushing each other hard next season, just as was the case this year,” Harrogate’s manager added.

"But, we’ve only had that conversation with Pete fairly recently, so we’ll need some time to explore our options.

"Ideally, we will be searching for someone who understands that we have ended this season with a goalkeeper in the team who has been in great form, but is capable of coming in and putting pressure on him for that place.”

Jameson, who has made 31 competitive appearances for Town since joining the club, wrote on Instagram on Tuesday: ‘Another season done, I just want to thank @HarrogateTownAFC for giving me my first chance playing in the EFL. It’s been a rollercoaster of a season, plenty of ups and downs, but glad the club stayed up.

‘I wish the club all the best moving forward and I’m looking forward to a new challenge next season. But now time to enjoy the summer and recharge the batteries’.