Reading FC target Reece Smith joins Harrogate Town from Maidenhead United

The 23-year-old, who can play on the left wing or as an attacking midfielder, was unveiled as the League Two Sulphurites’ sixth summer signing on Wednesday afternoon.

A fine 2024/25 campaign, which saw Smith score six goals and assists 11 followed on from a return of 11 goals and six assists the season before - form which reportedly made him the subject of serious interest from League One Reading earlier this year.

But, the Maidenhead academy graduate has ultimately opted to follow 18-goal striker McCoulsky to Wetherby Road, putting pen to paper on a two-year deal.

“I had a really good connection with Shawn on the pitch last season and that’s hopefully something I can bring to Harrogate,” Smith said.

“As soon as I spoke to the manager and staff, it was clear to me. This felt like the right place and when I visited the area my family and I immediately fell in love with it.

“I can’t wait to get out there and play for the club, give it absolutely everything I can and put in some good performances.”

While Smith’s creativity in the final third is what has really caught the eye over the course of the last two seasons, Town believe that he is capable of excelling at both sides of the game.

“We’ve been really impressed with what we’ve seen of Reece so far,” said Lloyd Kerry, Harrogate’s head of player recruitment.

“He’s a creative left winger who travels well with the ball and commits full backs.

“He’ll work hard and do the other side of the game as well,you don’t play as many games as he has at National League level if you don’t do that.

“We feel he can step up with the ability he has got and coming into a full-time environment he’ll only go from strength to strength.”

Smith follows McCoulsky and fellow striker Mason Bennett, midfielder Jack Evans and defenders Tom Bradbury and Lewis Cass in joining Town during the close season.

And he becomes the fourth player to leave Maidenhead for Harrogate in recent years after McCoulsky, Danilo Orsi and Zico Asare, who remains under contract for the 2025/26 campaign.