Harrogate Town's new owner-manager Simon Weaver insists he will 'continue to be judged on results'

After 17 years managing the Sulphurites, the 48-year-old has now become a co-owner of the club, having taken over from his father, Irving Weaver, who has relinquished his majority shareholding after more than a decade and a half at the helm.

Alongside incoming local businessman Jonathan Blezard, Weaver Jr is now responsible for all matters off the pitch, as well as the team’s success on it.

Such a dynamic is far from common in the game. Marc White, the founder, owner, chairman and manager of National League South outfit Dorking Wanderers is an exception to the rule - though Dorking are not a full-time team.

Last season, former England international Andy Carroll, who is a member of the ownership group at Dagenham & Redbridge, briefly took charge of first-team affairs in a caretaker role.

Historically, there are some other notable examples. Michael Knighton acted as chairman-manager at Carlisle United in the late 1990s, with Ron Noades’ 1998/99 Division Three title-winning campaign with Brentford arguably the most high-profile success story.

The concern for the section of Town’s fanbase who look past Weaver Jr’s achievements in securing two historic promotions in the space of three seasons between 2018 and 2020 and believe that he has always been ‘bulletproof’ while his father was in charge at Wetherby Road, will be that the Sulphurites boss is now accountable only to himself.

The Town supremo was however quick to address the issue, immediately after his and Blezard’s takeover was formally announced on Friday afternoon.

"My position and my role as manager will not change, and my ambition remains exactly the same –to become the best football manager I can possibly be and to keep pushing this team forward,” Simon Weaver said.

“I fully accept that, as manager, I will continue to be judged on results in exactly the same way as any other manager in football. Becoming a co-owner does not change that responsibility or the standards I expect of myself.

“I love the challenge of management, and I will continue to give everything I have to developing the team and helping us achieve success on the pitch.

“At the same time, I'm hugely excited about working closely with Jonathan on the wider and longer-term vision for the club.”

Simon Weaver’s long association with Harrogate began in 2009 when he was appointed manager by Bill Fotherby, with Irving Weaver then taking over the club two years later.

Following an indifferent six-year period, the club went full-time in 2017 and immediately earned promotion from National League North - the sixth tier of English football - via the play-offs.

Two years later, Town went up again, beating Notts County 3-1 at Wembley Stadium in the National League play-off final to secure their place in the Football League.

Within 12 months, the Sulphurites were back at Wembley, where they won the FA Trophy courtesy of a 1-0 success over Concord Rangers.

Having punched above their weight in League Two for more than half a decade, the club was relegated from the fourth tier following a 2-1 home defeat to Barnet on the final day of the 2025/26 campaign.

Despite the disappointment of that demotion, everything that was achieved under his stewardship means that Irving Weaver’s tenure can only be viewed as a success.

The challenge for Weaver Jr and Blezard will be to find a way to carry this on.

“As chairman, my dad has played an enormous part in the progress of Harrogate Town, and I can’t thank him enough for the trust he has placed in me,” Simon Weaver said.

“He has been an incredible leader throughout his life in business, bringing those same values into football – honesty, hard work, integrity and determination.

“Those qualities have been central to the club’s progress, and I think the journey during his time as chairman speaks for itself.”

Looking ahead, Simon Weaver is confident that the arrival of 42-year-old Blezard - a successful Harrogate-based businessman with a background in sports analytics and trading - means that Town’s future is bright.

“Jonathan and I have built a very strong rapport over the last 14 months. We share the same work ethic, ambition and desire to keep pushing Harrogate Town forward,” he continued.

“Jonathan is an extremely astute and intelligent person, but what has impressed me just as much is his humility. There is no ego attached to it; he simply wants to help the football club become better.

“We both understand the responsibility we're taking on, and it's a commitment we're thrilled to make side by side. This is an exciting time for the club, and we intend to embrace that challenge together.”

Saturday saw Simon Weaver take charge of his first game in his new dual role as Town were held to a 1-1 draw by Bury in the fourth qualifying round of the FA Cup.

The sides will go head-to-head once again in Tuesday night’s replay at the Marcy Fitness Stadium.