Harrogate Town to say 'goodbye' to at least six first-team players as retained list is confirmed

No fewer than 14 senior members of the Sulphurites’ first-team squad are out of contract this summer, and the club will definitely be saying ‘goodbye’ to at least six of those players.

Left-back Matty Foulds, midfielders Stephen Dooley, Dean Cornelius and Matty Daly, and winger James Daly have all been released by manager Simon Weaver.

In addition, right-back Toby Sims, whose deal was also up next month, has seen his contract terminated early by mutual consent to allow him to take up an opportunity overseas.

It remains to be seen whether long-serving club captain Josh Falkingham will remain at Wetherby Road in a coaching role having been offered the opportunity to do so after it was confirmed last month that this season would be his last in a playing capacity.

Meanwhile, Liam Gibson, whose deal is also up, has been been invited back to train with the club for pre-season, as has fellow defender James Moorby, who graduated from Town’s academy 12 months but has not featured for the first team.

Six players – goalkeeper Mark Oxley, influential centre-half Anthony O’Connor, last term’s leading goal-scorer Josh March, midfielder Levi Sutton and club stalwarts Jack Muldoon and Warren Burrell – have been offered new contracts.

The departure of James Daly comes as arguably the biggest surprise, given that he has been a mainstay of Weaver's side for the majority of the season, starting 32 of their 46 League Two fixtures, while making a total of 45 appearances in all competitions.

The former Crystal Palace and Bristol Rovers man contributed four goals and two assists, though all of those arrived before Christmas and his form did tail off slightly during the second half of the campaign.

The 25-year-old initially joined Town from National League Woking in the summer of 2023, but ended up heading back to the fifth tier when he joined Aldershot on loan last January, remaining there until the conclusion of 2023/24.

In total, he played 62 times in Harrogate colours, chipping in with five goals and two assists.

Namesake Matty Daly's exit comes of less of a shock given that he seemingly fell out of favour after the turn of the year.

Although he missed a couple of short spells through injury, the ex-Huddersfield man was a regular starter during the first half of 2024/25, making 17 appearances and scoring once.

But he was too often a peripheral figure during those games, and once Weaver strengthened his squad in January, Daly slipped down the pecking order.

He started the 2-0 home defeat to Salford City on New Year's Day, but did not play another minute after that and failed to even make the substitutes' bench for 15 of the Sulphurites' last 22 league fixtures.

A player who had brief Premier League experience following his time with Everton, Daly originally joined Town on loan from Huddersfield in 2022/23 and made a very decent impression, netting eight times in 39 appearances, while providing two assists.

Having put pen to paper on a permanent contract following his Terriers exit, Daly became an even more influential member of Weaver's side the following year, weighing in with 16 goal contributions (six goals, 10 assists) in his 46 outings.

The 24-year-old leaves Harrogate having played 102 times for the club, bagging 15 goals and providing 12 assists.

Foulds was another player who signed for Town on a permanent deal in 2023 having initially impressed while on loan.

The left-back arrived in North Yorkshire from local rivals Bradford City during the January transfer window and played a key role in helping the Sulphurites avoid relegation as part of a new-look defence.

He started all of the 21 games that he was available for during that loan spell, doing enough to earn himself a permanent switch ahead of 2023/24.

Foulds went on to play 41 times that season and registered three goals, but was nowhere near as involved this term.

Having appeared 19 times before Christmas, the 27-year-old did not see any action whatsoever until he was drafted in to cover an injury crisis at Morecambe on the final day.

In total, the former Everton trainee made 82 appearances for Weaver's men, contributing that trio of goals and as many assists.

Central midfielder Cornelius joined Harrogate from Scottish Premiership outfit Motherwell in the summer of 2023.

He made an excellent start to his time in England, producing a fine display on debut during a 1-0 victory at Doncaster Rovers on the opening day.

But, as he seemingly struggled to get to grips with the physicality of League Two football, he was unable to consistently deliver that same level of performance in the centre of the park.

Nevertheless, Weaver kept faith with the Scotsman, and he played 43 times in all competitions in 2023/24, managing two goals.

This term, he was often used as an inverted right-winger and did a good job in that role, featuring on 42 occasions and again netting twice.

Having reported a minor knee issue in early May, Cornelius was not involved in any of Town's last six matches of the campaign.

He leaves the club having made a total of 85 appearances, during which he scored four times and provided two assists.

Stephen Dooley's release would not have been something that many Harrogate supporters would have predicted as being at all likely during the early part of 2024/25.

He was one of Town's better performers and received plenty of praise from his manager prior to suffering a nasty head injury in November's FA Cup win over non-league Gainsborough.

Having returned to action, the Northern Irishman played four games, but then did not feature for two months following the arrivals of Bryn Morris and Ben Fox.

He did make five more appearances during the final weeks of the campaign, taking his season tally to 28.

Having joined the Sulphurites from Rochdale in 2022, Dooley suffered an injury nightmare during his first year in North Yorkshire and barely featured.

But, he played a key role at heart of Simon Weaver’s midfield in 2023/24, making 25 appearances as the club achieved their highest-everFootball League finish.

A tidy and composed midfielder, his form earned him a new one-year deal last summer, but on this occasion, an extension has not materialised.

In total, 33-year-old Dooley played 65 times for Town over the course of his three seasons at the club, scoring once.

A product of Newcastle United's youth system, defender Gibson's time with Town has been significantly impacted by injury.

He made 34 appearances (30 starts) during his first year at the club having signed from Morecambe, but has managed just 11 this term, with four of those coming from the bench.

But, the 28-year-old began 2024/25 injured, then having worked his way back to fitness and returned to action in late August, suffered another hamstring issue which sidelined him for six months.

He recovered in time to take his place on the substitutes bench against Accrington on March 1, but has had to bide his time in recent weeks making just one brief substitute appearance against Stanley prior to being handed a start in Town's penultimate match.

But, he pulled his hamstring again in that 3-1 home loss to Notts County and is now expected to face a couple of months of rehabilitation time.

Town currently have nine senior professionals tied down to contracts until 2026 or beyond, plus academy youngsters Lucas Barnes and Marcus Etherington, who have recently been handed their first professional deals.