Harrogate Town reluctantly let Chanse Headman leave for Bromley FC after player's 'head was turned'

The 21-year-old left Wetherby Road last week after 2025/26’s League Two champions eventually agreed to meet the Sulphurites’ asking price, and paid them an undisclosed transfer fee.

Headman only arrived in North Yorkshire from Premier League Brentford as recently as mid-January, making 16 appearances last term as Town battled unsuccessfully to beat relegation from the Football League.

But having impressed during his first run of games in senior football, the promising youngster became the subject of interest from Bromley, who are now preparing for life in the third tier of English football.

Upon joining the Ravens, Headman revealed that he wanted to move closer to home and join to the South London club “as soon as possible” after learning of their interest as well as confirming that he had been “in talks” with them “for a while.”

Despite the fact that Harrogate have banked a substantial profit from the sale of a player they signed on a free transfer, Weaver says he would rather Headman had stayed put, but accepts that was never going to happen once Bromley approached him with the promise of League One football down in the capital.

“My first thoughts were disappointment, because I think Chanse would have done really well in our current set-up,” the Town boss told BBC Radio York.

"But, the nature of the game means that he was obviously aware of the interest and had had his head turned. And it is going to be turned if a League One club comes in for him, who are local to where he is from.

"I don’t blame Chanse, it is just the way that football is, that sometimes approaches are made. Once an offer is made for any of our players, I always tell them, but maybe other clubs don’t trust that.

"I’d always do what’s right by the player, and to be fair, this was right for the club because Bromley met the valuation. There was a bit of wrangling and pleading of poverty for a couple of weeks, but eventually they came up with it.

"Chanse came in and did well for 16 games, and it’s a big profit for us as a club on the business side, although I would have preferred not to have the money, and to have the player available for selection. But once a player’s head is turned, it is turned, and you have to get on with it.”

Headman scored twice during his 16 League Two appearances for Town, with both of those goals coming during the first half of a memorable away-day success at Tranmere Rovers in March.