Harrogate Town Manager Simon Weaver is hoping acquisitions off the pitch and the team's form on it will continue to grow the club's fanbase.
Harrogate Town Manager Simon Weaver is hoping acquisitions off the pitch and the team's form on it will continue to grow the club's fanbase. Unbeaten Town are currently second in League Two after six games ahead of their visit to Port Vale this weekend. And having taken on ex-Stray FM boss Sarah Barry and marketing expert Ryan Scott in recent weeks, Simon hopes that the club will be able to reach a wider audience. When asked what Town can do to attract more supporters, Simon said:
"We need to be at around 2,500 fans every home game and we'll be aiming to do that. "You can wish for continuous wins and we'll be pushing for that to improve as a football team, but I just think we've got a good community section doing really good things in the surrounding area. "We've got to reach out wider - that's why we've got Ryan Scott in now as a Director with his marketing skills - these people can help plug the club further and wider than what we are doing."The club have taken on ex-Stray FM Managing Director Sarah Barry in a bid to grow the club's appeal within the Harrogate community. Talking about what Sarah will bring to the club, Simon said:
"She'll really drive through initiatives and she sees that as a key part of her role, and it's her mere presence to be honest because she's very popular in Harrogate. "There's growing interest in the football side but off the pitch as well. "We do need people's support, not just because it receives a popular reaction from the players when they see the ground brimming with numbers."Harrogate Town were held to a 2-2 draw against Newport last time out, coming from behind twice at the EnviroVent Stadium. And ahead of their trip to Port Vale that could see them go top, Simon praised the "relentlessness" of his team. He said:
"It was the relentless nature of the performance - we were very upbeat in terms of our reaction to conceding both goals. "It's a sign of respect that a top side like Newport come and park the bus and make it hard for us to penetrate with our passes. "I think if there was going to be one winner it was us, however they were worthy of a point because they were very resolute as well."Harrogate Town travel to Port Vale's Vale Park Stadium on Saturday 18th September. Listen to the full chat as Your Harrogate's Pete Egerton caught up with Town boss Simon Weaver: [audio mp3="https://vouchers.yourharrogate.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/SW-Pre-Port-Vale-180921.mp3"][/audio] Read more local stories from Your Harrogate here.
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