Simon Weaver backing youth and 'appetite' to save Harrogate Town during relegation dog fight
The perceived wisdom is that you need plenty of experience, first and foremost, in any successful survival battle.
If Harrogate Town manage to retain their cherished English Football League status come the close on play on May 2, then they will have taken a largely different approach.
It remains to be seen if the Sulphurites’ policy will pay off, and there are serious doubts, let's be honest, following a brutal weekend for the Wetherby Road outfit.
A 2-0 home loss to Notts County in League Two on Saturday lunch-time was bad enough, but unfortunately worse was to follow with Town's three direct relegation rivals in Newport County, Barrow and Crawley all winning in the 3pm kick-offs.
It meant that Simon Weaver's side dropped to the foot of League Two and, because of their vastly inferior goal-difference, are effectively five points adrift with six games to play in 2025/26.
It has intensified the pressure ahead of the Easter programme which sees Harrogate call in at play-off chasing Grimsby on Good Friday before welcoming a resurgent Bristol Rovers the following Monday.
Having invested in youth during a busy January transfer window, Weaver looks like having to stick with it.
In fairness, one of the club’s better performers in recent times has been defender Cathal Heffernan, 20, brought in from Newcastle United.
Fellow centre-half Chanse Headman, also 20, has had his moments too as has on-loan Brighton & Hove Albion left-back Jacob Slater, 21.
Twenty-year-old Ipswich loanee Henry Gray has been generally solid between the sticks, and further forward, Wigan Athletic midfielder Tobias Brenan, 19, and QPR winger Emmerson Sutton, 19, have added something to the division’s least potent front line.
There remain a few 'older heads' in the shape of veteran Jack Muldoon, Bryn Morris and Liam Gibson, but Weaver has undoubtedly made a decision to try a different formula in attempt to beat the drop.
On placing his faith in young players as the club desperately try to cling onto their League status, Weaver said: "Yes, I went all in on it, really.
"I don't like gambling, but we found ourselves in a situation where we had players with recurring injuries, an ageing squad and an ageing core.
"In January, James Belshaw went to Notts County. It was a good move for him and very local for him and his childhood team he supported.
"It enabled me, with that money, to be able to go on and bring younger players in. They've all fared really well, so it's boosted us. But we do feel that it's been a strength of ours.
"Players are coming with a good appetite and (eventually) moving on.
"We've got a group of younger players. We always say it's not the ceiling coming to play for us. Go and play for someone higher and earn bigger wages.
"There's been a huge change in the six years since we've been at the club.
"You can see it and you can feel it."
Harrogate’s Good Friday clash with Grimsby gets underway at Blundell Park at 3pm.