Harrogate Town sign midfielder Will McGowan from National League rivals Gateshead FC for undisclosed fee
Harrogate Town have completed their second signing of the summer, bolstering their midfield with the addition of Will McGowan.
The 23-year-old arrives at Wetherby Road from fellow National League outfit Gateshead, with whom he has spent the last two years, and follows ex-Chestefield man Bailey Hobson into the Marcy Fitness Stadium.
The Sulphurites have paid an undisclosed fee for the former Sunderland trainee, who still had another season to run on his contract with the Tynesiders.
And although he has played the vast majority of his senior football to date below National League level, Town believe that the attack-minded McGowan will help to provide the “goals and excitement” that manager Simon Weaver has said he is prioritising this summer.
“We’re really excited about what Will can bring to the club,” said Lloyd Kerry, Harrogate’s Head of Player Recruitment.
“He’s a really creative player and we think he’ll suit what we’re about. We need to add goals and creative players to the squad, so he ticks a lot of boxes.
“He looks after the ball very well, his set-piece deliveries stand out and there’s a lot of exciting attributes to his game, so hopefully he can kick on and become a mainstay in the team.”
In addition to his quality on the ball, McGowan has also proven himself to be an extremely durable individual, and played 43 of a possible 46 National League North matches on loan at Darlington last term (43 starts).
His contribution saw him win multiple end-of-season awards, including players’ player of the season, fans, player of the season, and manager’s player of the season.
Deployed as a central midfielder or in a slightly more advanced role, McGowan was particularly impressive during the first half of the campaign.
He contributed an assist in each of the Quakers' first three league matches, netting his first goal during a 4-1 success at Marine in early September.
He then went on to enjoy something of a purple patch over the winter months, finding the back of the net on a further six occasions, while also chipping in with three more assists between November and January.
But, having scored seven and set up six in his first 26 appearances, McGowan then managed just the one strike in his final 17 outings, despite continuing to start games on a regular basis.
The Newcastle-born midfielder was similarly productive during two separate loan spells at Darlington the season before, scoring four and assisting four more in 16 National League North matches.
He also featured 15 times (10 starts) in the National League for parent club Gateshead in 2024/25, making three assists.
It was his form for Blyth Spartans during 2023/24 that earned McGowan that transfer to the Heed, with six goals and two assists registered in 45 games in National League North.
Prior to that transfer to Blyth in 2022, McGowan had two years with South Shields where he racked up 76 appearances, following on from a youth career spent at Sunderland and Doncaster Rovers.
On securing a move to Harrogate, the player said: “I’m delighted to get this over the line, grateful for the opportunity and can’t wait to get going.
“This feels like the right step for me now and my career, it’s a step up in level to what I think is a great club and a perfect opportunity for me to prove myself.”