Harrogate Town AFC

Watch the Gaffer's pre-Swindon interview here…



The Gaffer on whether he feels we're in an injury crisis at the moment…

Yeah, it would seem so. Yet we've got such a terrific record since going full time four seasons ago, probably one of the best records around for not sustaining injuries. It's just patches teams go through but we're always analysing what we're doing training and what we're doing in games.

We've had a big debate today behind the scenes on how we could help the players even more. You've always going to be introspective and look to improve but we've got a really honest group of players.

We know that they're very professional with their prehab work after training has finished as well as games. Sometimes, if you really delve deep and know that they're really honest and trying all we can, you just have to ride it out and make sure we continue to be professional and hopefully get through this patch.

On managing players ahead of the long trip to Swindon…

We're going to obviously travel a long way to Swindon but if you look at the life of football over the last few days, obviously it was back late the other night but buzzing from the win, day off yesterday, then in today for a little walk and stretch and travel down tomorrow to Swindon.

We'll have five a side games there and talk about what we're going to do the next day, as well as set pieces. We're not overburdening the players physically, we're just in the middle of a League Two typical season

It's another big challenge and we're right in the midst of a heavy spell of tough games. That's why the other night was a really tough place to go but we can feel proud of coming through that unscathed injury wise but also buzzing from the three points here.

We're just going to try and keep trying to find ways to win at these tough places, but they don't come much bigger than Swindon at this level. We've been watching coverage of them the last couple of nights and they're a good, flowing football team if you allow them.

On how we plan to approach Saturday's fixture…

One or two ways but I won't be revealing how just yet. We're looking forward to it though and I think if we greet each game and each new stadium with real enthusiasm and energy, then it will stand in good stead just as it has done the last few months. We've got to respect them as a club historically and what they're doing at present with a new manager.

On the chance to make it three away wins in a row…

I think it just shows great character for any team who builds up a good away record. It shows that you want to travel together, that the atmosphere is good and that even when you're depleted with injury, I think creates an extra buzz in the team knowing that, yeah, we're a bit deflated, but we now have to dig in.

On the intensity of the League Two season…

It's just like any other season but from our experience of League Two so far, we know that you can't get too up beat or too down, but it's exciting being three points off second. What a position to be in and we've got to keep perspective and think, OK, there's going to be blips for every team in the league. But if we can just keep looking upwards and say, we know there's three points between us and second, then we're in a fantastic place.

#ProudToBeTown