Professional switch '˜does not bring extra pressure' - Town boss

Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver says that there is no extra pressure attached to the club's decision to begin operating on a full-time basis.
Harrogate Town manager Simon eaver, rightHarrogate Town manager Simon eaver, right
Harrogate Town manager Simon eaver, right

It was announced this week that Town will go fully professional from the start of the 2017/2018 campaign, in a bid to help them realise their ambition of earning promotion from National League North.

And while Weaver is certain that the switch from part-time football will be a huge benefit to his side, he does not feel that it will bring with it any immediate requirement to secure promotion.

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“This is an exciting development for both the club and myself, and in no way do I see us going full-time as something that increases the pressure to succeed,” he said.

“It’s not as if we will be the only professional team at this level, the likes of Fylde and Kidderminster are full-time too and this status doesn’t guarantee success, but I would be very surprised if it doesn’t help us progress.

“I think about this club day and night and I put an awful lot of pressure on myself to succeed as it is.

“Obviously the circumstances here are quite unusual in that my father is the chairman of the club, but there is a different kind of pressure there on top of that which comes with being a football manager, because he’s my dad and I absolutely do not want to let him down.

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“Last season, and at the start of this campaign, we’ve been up there challenging, and my father knows that but for the avalanche of injuries we suffered, we still would be.

“I’m confident in my own ability to achieve the promotion that we want, and you can’t underestimate how much of a massive leap in the right direction going full-time is for our football club.”