Tom Cursons impresses on Harrogate Town debut but will be given time to 'acclimatise' to Football League life
Simon Weaver was impressed by Tom Cursons’ Harrogate Town debut, but has stressed that he will ease his new signing into Football League life gradually and allow him time to "acclimatise" to his new surroundings.
The Sulphurites paid an undisclosed fee to non-league Ilkeston earlier this month to secure the services of the free-scoring 23-year-old, who netted 25 goals in 30 appearances for the sixth-tier club, including a nine-minute hat-trick.
And while Town's manager is confident that Cursons has the ability to make the grade in League Two, he is wary of asking too much too soon of a player who has moved up three divisions and never played full-time football before.
"There's an acclimatisation at first, that has to be allowed to happen in training, and we have been talking about that with Tom," Weaver explained.
"He has enjoyed it so far, and he's still only in his first few days. He is acclimatising to the pace of training and every day he is up against the likes of Anthony O'Connor and Liam Gibson, who have played in League One and hundreds of games in League Two, so it's good for him to get used to that.
"Obviously the fitness level for League Two compared to the league below Conference North is a big difference.
"It's a big step-up in fitness as much as anything, so I am just trying to boost that up with other members of staff at the minute to help him hit the ground running."
Cursons was included in a matchday squad for the first time since arriving in Harrogate when Town travelled to Doncaster Rovers on Saturday.
And, although he remained an unused substitute during that 1-0 loss, he made a 15-minute cameo in Tuesday night’s 2-1 defeat at MK Dons, catching Weaver’s eye in the process.
"I thought he looked great,” the Sulphurites boss added. “He was pressing with intelligence as well as aggression, he affected the first ball straight away against a big centre-half and he looked after the ball with a channel run and got his shoulder in.
"Everything points towards him being a really good player for us, and we are excited, it's great.
"His professional debut is a proud moment for him and his family, and he deserves it."