Harrogate Town's Joe Leesley 'learned a lot' as a person during Stevenage FC loan

Joe Leesley feels that he learned a lot as a person during his loan spell in the Football League with Stevenage.
Joe Leesley in action for Harrogate Town against Notts County during the early weeks of the 2019/20 campaign. Picture: Matt KirkhamJoe Leesley in action for Harrogate Town against Notts County during the early weeks of the 2019/20 campaign. Picture: Matt Kirkham
Joe Leesley in action for Harrogate Town against Notts County during the early weeks of the 2019/20 campaign. Picture: Matt Kirkham

The Harrogate Town winger made 10 appearances for the League Two outfit between January and March and says the experience helped him grow as a man.

”I definitely learned a lot. Not so much as a player, but as a person – massively,” Leesley told the Harrogate Advertiser.

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“I think there were areas where I needed to develop and moving away from my comfort zone definitely helped me to do that.

“I’d been on loan at Stockport earlier in the season, but I knew some of the boys there. When I walked into the dressing room at Stevenage for the first time I didn’t know anyone.

“I’ve been at Harrogate a long time and feel very comfortable here, so it took some adapting to life away from the club, however the experience definitely benefited me.”

Another positive to come out of Leesley’s time at Stevenage was the game-time he got operating in a different position to his usual berth on the left wing.

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“I played a little bit of a new position at left-back, but I think it went well. It suited me getting up and down,” he added.

“I played there quite a lot when I was younger and Graham Westley [Stevenage manager] just chucked me in there before our game against Salford.

“He said ‘I reckon you can do well there’ and to be fair I think I had a bit of a stormer. I got a few plaudits for my performance after the game.

“I feel comfortable at left-back and I’ve had a couple of conversations with the gaffer [Simon Weaver] about it. I’ll throw my name into the hat for any position where I think I can do a job for the team.

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“I’m itching to get the boots back on and try and get back in the Harrogate team. Obviously, that’s going to be very difficult when everyone has been playing so well, but I’ll be trying my hardest.”

Leesley, a veteran of 134 starts for Town, has never made any secret of his desire to play in the Football League since joining the club in 2016.

Having now had a taste of the level, he is desperate for more.

“Playing in the Football League remains my ambition,” the 26-year-old said.

“I’ve been there and got the T-shirt, but the experience just made me hungrier for more.

“Hopefully, I’ll be able to play in League Two again next season, but this time with Harrogate.”