'Rare breed' Jack Evans' departure for Notts County a 'sad loss' for Harrogate Town

The 25-year-old central midfielder has left Wetherby Road to join the League One Magpies for an undisclosed transfer fee just a year after his arrival from Halifax.

Evans’ all-action style of play and tireless work-rate in the engine room meant that he quickly established himself as a key player for Weaver as well as becoming a fans’ favourite.

He wore the captain’s armband on numerous occasions during his 48 league and cup appearance for the Sulphurites, but was unable to save the club from relegation from League Two last term.

So brightly did Evans shine in the fourth tier, it seemed inevitable that he would be the subject of interest from Football League clubs following Town’s demotion.

And although Weaver reassured supporters in June of his intention to build his team for the upcoming season around his skipper, that expected interest, followed by firm transfer bids, eventually materialised.

"It is a good move for Jack to a League One club,” Weaver told the Harrogate Advertiser. “It’s a step up in class for him to that level and that’s two step-ups he has made now in two seasons after he joined us from the National League last summer.

"I am pleased for Jack and proud of how much he improved during his time time with us, but at the same time I am disappointed for my own reasons to lose my captain and someone who has been a great player for Harrogate Town.

"It is a sad loss and it is hard to mask the disappointment that we feel because he is a rare breed. There aren’t too many players who offer everything that he does.”

On the circumstances which led to Town’s decision to reluctantly accept a bid for arguably their most important player, Weaver explained: "We’d had contact from a couple of clubs who were interested in Jack, but these were only conversations and neither of them made an offer.

"A couple of bids did then arrive from Notts County that were rejected because we didn’t want to lose Jack. But, he was aware of the interest.

“Jack and I had a couple of chats and he wanted that opportunity to play League One football.

"There was then an escalation of the fee offered and Notts ended up meeting our valuation of the player pretty quickly. They didn’t mess about in that regard.

"The fee had to be worth it for us, because the club always comes first, but we feel that we have struck the right balance on this deal.”

With Evans contracted to Town until the summer of 2028, Weaver told BBC Radio York last month that he planned to “build around him” and that his captain would “lead the charge and our fightback.”

At that point, the club had received no formal approaches for the Warrington-born midfielder, who did indeed report back for pre-season training and play in both of Harrogate’s opening two pre-season friendlies prior to Notts upping the ante.

"I expected the timing to be sooner, to be honest,” Weaver added. “But, we can’t control how other people operate, and that is just football.

“Perhaps it was the case that Notts County decided after their first friendly or two that a centre midfielder of Jack’s class was what they needed in terms of their squad.

"It is disappointing to lose him, but you have to accept it for what it is, and we wish Jack well.

"We weren’t going to hold him and his career ambitions back if our valuation was met, and he deserves a chance to play at a higher level than he was last year.”

Evans, who won Town’s Players’ Player, Supporters’ Player and Away Travel Player of the Season awards last season, has signed a three-year deal deal at Meadow Lane.