Harrogate Town return is not 'just another game' for Bristol Rovers goalkeeper James Belshaw

James Belshaw spent four seasons as Harrogate Town's number one prior to signing for Bristol Rovers this summer. Picture: Matt Kirkham

The 31-year-old made 184 appearances for the Sulphurites prior to leaving Wetherby Road this summer and going on to establish himself as Joey Barton’s number one.

A two-time promotion winner and Simon Weaver’s regular first-choice between the sticks during his four years with Town, Belshaw was stripped of the number one jersey following Mark Oxley’s arrival in July and told that he was free to find another club.

Naturally, he will return to the EnviroVent Stadium for the first time with a something of a point to prove.

James Belshaw has been playing regularly for Joey Barton's Bristol Rovers this term. Picture: Getty Images

“The politically correct answer is probably to say this is just another game and it’s business as usual, but there probably is an extra incentive for me to perform and play well if I am selected,” Belshaw told the Harrogate Advertiser.

“It’s my old club, so this is probably a bigger game for me than it is for most of the other players who are going to be involved.

“It was the first match that I looked for when the fixtures came out and I’ll be coming back to a place that holds a lot of fond memories for me.

“I think it will be strange turning right when I walk down the tunnel and going into the away dressing room. It will be weird, not just for me, but probably for some of the Harrogate lads when they see me in a Bristol Rovers tracksuit.

“But, as a professional footballer, you just have to block out the emotion and everything else and make sure that you do your job. At the end of the day, I’m coming back to Harrogate to help Bristol Rovers get three points.”

Given that very little has changed in terms of the make-up of Town’s playing squad since Belshaw departed in July, Rovers’ back-room team have unsurprisingly looked to him for some insight in the build up to Saturday’s contest.

“Let’s just say that I’ve been called into a few meetings with the analysts recently,” the former England ‘C’ international added.

“Obviously I know a fair bit about Harrogate, but there’s only so much preparation you can do. Once the game starts, a lot of it goes straight out of the window anyway.

“It’s alright knowing, or thinking you know what the opponent or opposing players are going to do, but it’s about actually reacting to what happens out on the pitch.”