Winning promotion to the EFL as a family was special, now it's time to prove we belong, says Harrogate Town boss Simon Weaver

Securing promotion to the Football League would mean a lot to any manager under any circumstances.
Simon and Irving Weaver with the National League play-off final winners' trophy. Pictures: Matt KirkhamSimon and Irving Weaver with the National League play-off final winners' trophy. Pictures: Matt Kirkham
Simon and Irving Weaver with the National League play-off final winners' trophy. Pictures: Matt Kirkham

Bridging that gap from non-league to the promised land of the EFL is widely-regarded as one of the hardest things to do in the professional game.

With just one automatic promotion berth up for grabs, there is almost no margin for error. Masterminding an escape from the National League takes some doing.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

For Harrogate Town boss Simon Weaver, pulling off such a feat at only the second attempt is special. It represents, without a doubt, his greatest achievement in football both as a player and a manager.

Simon Weaver has masterminded two promotions in the space of three years.Simon Weaver has masterminded two promotions in the space of three years.
Simon Weaver has masterminded two promotions in the space of three years.

The only thing more special? The fact that he did it alongside his father - Irving (club chairman) and mother - Dorothy - as part of a genuine family affair, the like of which has not been seen before.

The magnitude of what the Weavers have achieved did not sink in straight away.

Indeed, it took until Town embarked on an open-top bus tour around Harrogate the weekend after their Wembley play-off final triumph over Notts County before the unique nature of the success story he’d written really registered with Weaver Junior.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“That was when it really sunk in. There were times on that open-top bus when I couldn’t even look at him [Irving] because I thought we’d both end up in tears,” he said.

“It was the same with my mum, who often gets forgotten about in all of this. But, it wouldn’t have been possible without her, the solidarity she’s shown from baking cakes for the players to all the other little things. There’s such a special family bond. It’s deep.

“I’m not embarrassed to say that either. People have always said ‘your dad is the chairman, you’ve got an easy job’. When that happens all I do is think ‘thank you for mentioning it. That’s just inspired me to go again.’

“My parents have stood by me all through my life, so to be able to achieve promotion to the Football League - a special achievement on it’s own - with them by my side was incredible. The looks in their faces on that bus - I’m just proud that we’ve been able to share this experience as a family.

“It certainly does make it all the more special.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

While the Weavers’ unusual father-son relationship within a footballing hierarchy has of course drawn plenty of ire over the years, it’s ultimately proved to be a successful one.

But how does it work in practice? What is Irving Weaver like to work for? How has he brought the best out of his son?

“I haven’t worked for many chairman have I, but I think he must be right up there,” Simon Weaver added.

“He just lets us get on with the football. He never interferes and his man-management skills have been amazing for me and for others at the club.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“You want to do it for him. It’s a bit like his parenting really, there’s something about him that makes you willing to run through brick walls for him - and not just because he’s my dad.

“He finds them somehow, the right buttons to press and you never want to cheat him at all.”

So, job done for the Weavers in terms of realising their ambition of transforming Town from a struggling sixth tier outfit into a Football League club.

But what next? A trip to Southend United and their League Two debut awaits this weekend, a fixture which represents the start of a new chapter, not the end of the story as far as Simon Weaver is concerned.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We’re delighted to have the prospect of playing in the Football League just a few days away,” he continued.

“We’ve worked so hard to get here and we feel that we deserve our place at the table. There’s no trepidation, we want to make our mark and compete and remain 100 per cent true to ourselves.

“We view this as an opportunity to show our fans, and prove to ourselves that we do belong in the Football League.

“It will be very much like when we went up to the National League two years ago. We’ve got to respect the level and sample what it’s about before making any grand statements of intent. I don’t want to make a rod for my own back.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“But, we’ve set off on this journey by not setting limits and we’re fresh from a promotion and full of optimism. We don’t just want to survive in League Two. Once we find our feet in this division, we’ll be striving for more - that’s just in our nature.”