Harrogate Town AFC

Town are back at home tomorrow when they face Hartlepool in a lunchtime encounter at The Envirovent Stadium.

Both sides will be on the hunt for all three points to kickstart their seasons having hit the quarter mark of the 2022/23 campaign.

BUY TICKETS

Our opponents

Pools are currently one place and one point ahead of Town in the table, albeit having played a game more.
Having won once so far, drawing six of their 13 games, they have conceded 23 goals to date.

However, since the appointment of Keith Curle as interim manager they have taken five points from the four games that the experienced manager has been in charge.

Recent meetings

Hartlepool had the upper hand last season, with three goals in seven minutes from David Ferguson, Mark Cullen and Matty Daly capping a fine turnaround after having fallen 2-0 behind at home.

They also followed this up with a 2-1 win at The Envirovent Stadium as goals from Luke Molyneux and David Ferguson wiped out Luke Armstrong's early strike.

Pools also came out on top in the Papa Johns Trophy clash earlier this season, coming out 2-0 winners.
The man in charge

Keith Curle replaced Paul Hartley in the dugout on an interim basis just over a month ago after a start to the season that left Pools in the bottom two. Curle has managed to steady the ship so far, winning one and drawing two of his games in charge.

Curle has previously managed Oldham Athletic, Carlisle, Notts County, Carlisle, Torquay, Mansfield and Chester. He also had a distinguished playing career that saw him earn a big money move from Wimbledon to Manchester City, also later playing for Wolves as well as earning three England caps.

Ones to watch

Josh Umerah, a summer signing from non-league outfit Wealdstone has shone so far, netting six times. Forward Wes MacDonald, who arrived from Morecambe, has three goals.

Clarke Oduor has a pair of assists in limited playing time on loan from Barnsley.

The defensive ranks have been settled so far this season with ever present goalkeeper Ben Killip playing behind a defence that includes Alex Lacey, Euan Murray and David Ferguson.

This week the club also added Theo Robinson from Bradford City after the forward arrived on a free transfer.

Recent history

The club were originally founded in 1908 and elected to the Football League in 1921 in Third Division North before being placed into the old Fourth Division. They won promotion for the first time in 1967/68 but were relegated a season later.

Subsequent promotions were achieved in 1990/91, 2002/03 and 2006/07 with the club narrowly avoiding promotion from League One following a playoff final defeat to Sheffield Wednesday in 2005.

Their 96-year stay in the league was ended following relegation in 2017, with promotion back to the EFL achieved last season in dramatic fashion.

Brian Clough began his famous managerial career at the club, with the record appearance holder Ritchie Humphreys, who made 543 appearances, and all-time leading scorer Joshie Fletcher with 111 goals.

Team news

Simon Weaver remains without Will Smith, Max Wright and Dior Angus, however George Thomson is edging nearer a return having returned to training from a long term lay-off.