Harrogate Town out of cup after players catch coronavirus

Harrogate Town have been forced to bow out of the Carabao Cup after players in the squad tested positive for coronavirus.

While the club tried to reschedule their round one fixture, which was due to be played tonight, they were unable to organise it in time.

The club released a statement this evening which said:

“The available date proposed would not have provided enough time for logistical arrangements to be made, or tickets to be sold for the round two tie.

“In accordance with the Carabao Cup rules, Harrogate Town will therefore forfeit the tie.”

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Harrogate Town said yesterday evening that “a number of individuals” are unable to play or train due to a positive test or contact with someone who has tested positive.

Two trips in League Two to Crawley Town and Leyton Orient are also off, which were due to be played on August 14 and August 17 respectively.

Those who purchased a ticket for the Rochdale game tonight will receive a full refund.

Harrogate Town postpones three matches due to covid outbreak

Harrogate Town said tonight it has postponed the club’s next three games after players in the squad tested positive for coronavirus.

It will mean tomorrow night’s Carabao Cub fixture against Rochdale at the EnviroVent Stadium will not go ahead as planned.

Two trips in League Two to Crawley Town and Leyton Orient are also off, which were due to be played on August 14 and August 17 respectively.

The club said this evening that “a number of individuals” are unable to play or train due to a positive test or contact with someone who has tested positive.

If Harrogate Town are unable to re-arrange the cup fixture against Rochdale before the next round then they would have to forfeit the tie.

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Those who purchased a ticket for the Rochdale game will receive a full refund if it cannot go ahead.

A spokesperson for the club said:

“Due to positive covid cases within our playing squad, our next three fixtures have been postponed, including tomorrow’s Carabao Cup fixture against Rochdale at The EnviroVent Stadium.

“Our SkyBet League Two trips to Crawley Town and Leyton Orient on Saturday 14th and Tuesday 17th August have also been postponed.

“In respect of rescheduling the Carabao Cup game, the League will consider any proposal put forward by the Club as under the rules, if a fixture is not able to be re-arranged ahead of the following round, then a club would have to forfeit the tie.

“It means a number of individuals are unable to play or train due to either a positive test or the requirement to self-isolate in line with government and English Football League guidance.

“The club will continue to work with covid protocols as set out by the EFL to ensure the safety of our players and staff.

“All supporters who had purchased a ticket for our Carabao Cup fixture will receive a full refund should the game not be rearranged, or their ticket will be valid for the new date of the fixture.”

Harrogate Town removes ticket sales from website for tomorrow’s match

Harrogate Town have taken down a link to purchase tickets for their Carabao Cup first round game against Rochdale AFC tomorrow night.

The move has led to speculation that the club has again run into problems with North Yorkshire County Council around ground safety.

Fans had been able to purchase tickets for tomorrow’s match through the club website until the option was removed. Rochdale fans are also unable to buy tickets through their website.

Some fans have reported online that they were able to purchase tickets at the club’s shop on Commercial Street today.

The Stray Ferret approached Harrogate Town for comment several times this afternoon but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

We also asked the county council if it has issued the club with a safety certificate for the game but did not receive a response.

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It is the latest twist in the safety saga, which it appeared had been resolved.

North Yorkshire County Council banned fans from attending a friendly against Sunderland on July 24 after identifying 17 “unacceptable risks” for fan safety at the club’s EnviroVent Stadium on Wetherby Road.

These included problems with the CCTV system, the ground’s control room and stewarding.

With less than three days to go until the club’s first league game of the season on Saturday, which coincidentally was also against Rochdale, the county council issued a safety certificate and fans from both clubs were able to attend.

Supporters had hoped this was the end of the matter but the situation appears confused again now.

Gallery: Harrogate Town fans return for start of season

Harrogate Town fans flocked to Wetherby Road in numbers today for the return of league football.

Supporters packed inside the EnviroVent Stadium to welcome back Harrogate Town as they opened their 2020/21 League Two campaign against Rochdale.

Town fans were robbed of the experience of visiting Wembley stadium for the National League play-off final, which coincidentally was a year ago this weekend.

Fans were then left to follow the club through their laptop and mobile phone screens for most of last season as the covid pandemic saw football played behind closed doors.

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But, after a record number of season ticket sales, the Town faithful are back and hopefully for the entirety of the League Two campaign.

For many supporters, today was the first chance to watch Town play league football in the flesh.

Here’s a selection of pictures from the first EFL game back at Wetherby Road.

Harrogate Town fans returned to Wetherby Road for the start of the 2021/22 League Two season.

Harrogate Town: What to look out for in the new season

Harrogate Town will be looking forward to focusing on football after what has been a difficult summer off the pitch.

With concerns over fan safety at Wetherby Road seemingly concluded, Simon Weaver’s men host Rochdale AFC tomorrow afternoon in what will be many supporters’ first chance to watch Town play league football in the flesh.

The club finished last season in 17th, which was their first-ever campaign in League Two, and the bookmakers are predicting them to finish in the same position this season.

But tempting odds of 7/1 to gain promotion reflects the unpredictability of the division and fans will expect the team to steer well clear of the relegation positions.

New signings

Last season’s new signings were more miss than hit and Weaver will be hoping more of his new arrivals can make an impact during this campaign.

Town averaged just over a goal a game last season and striker Luke Armstrong has joined from Salford to complement Aaron Martin and offer a more clinical goal threat. Armstrong spent last season on loan at Hartlepool in the National League, scoring a commendable 13 goals in 28 appearances, which included a goal at Wembley in their play-off final that saw them promoted.

Talismanic forward Jack Muldoon has been handed a new contract but fringe strikers Jon Stead and Mark Beck have left the club, retiring and joining York City on loan respectively.

Seven new signings have joined the squad so far, including the highly-rated Lewis Page who is West Ham United academy graduate.

The new signings are:

Mark Oxley (goalkeeper), Rory McArdle (defender), Luke Armstrong (striker), Danilo Orsi (striker), Alex Pattison (midfielder), Lewis Page (defender), Nathan Sheron (midfielder).

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Number 1

Manager Simon Weaver has shown a ruthlessness as he begins to dismantle the core of his squad that saw them rise up from the National League North.

Many Town fans were surprised when popular goalkeeper James Belshaw left the club to join Bristol Rovers who play in the same division.

He’s been replaced with Mark Oxley, an experienced stopper who’s played in the EFL for Southend United. However, he had a debut to forget in a pre-season friendly against Rotherham, which led some fans to cast envious glances towards what they’ve lost in Bristol.

The twelfth man

Town fans were of course robbed of the experience of visiting Wembley stadium for the National League play-off final, which coincidentally was a year ago this weekend.

They then had to contend with watching the majority of the season on laptop screens and mobile phones via the EFL’s streaming service while coronavirus restrictions continued.

The club have announced they have already sold a record amount of season tickets for the new season — and thousands of fans cheering on the team each week should make a difference to the club’s home form, after a season of empty stands.

Details of Town’s 46 league games are available to view here.

Delight for fans as Harrogate Town allowed spectators on Saturday

Harrogate Town have been given the all clear to allow home and away fans into the ground for the opening match of the season against Rochdale on Saturday.

The announcement will come as a relief to supporters of both clubs as speculation mounted that the game would be played behind closed doors.

This was after North Yorkshire County Council identified 17 “unacceptable risks” at the club’s EnviroVent Stadium, including issues with the CCTV system, control room, and stewarding.

It appears the issues have now been resolved after the club issued a statement this afternoon saying it had now been given permission to sell tickets by the council’s safety advisory group, which has the final say on whether supporters can attend.

Visiting Rochdale supporters will be housed in the Myrings stand and EnviroVent seated terrace.

The club also apologised to both sets of fans for the uncertainty.

“We would like to thank our supporters for their patience at this difficult time and to those who have sent positive messages of support.

“We would like to apologise to both our supporters and Rochdale supporters for the delay in confirming arrangements at Saturday’s fixture and the subsequent inconvenience this has caused.

“It has been a difficult process but the safety of everyone at the stadium is paramount and cannot be compromised.”

Tickets for the game, as well as a Carabao Cup fixture on August 10, also against Rochdale, are available to purchase here. No tickets will be sold at the turnstiles.

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Rochdale fans frustrated by ‘embarrassing’ ticket situation at Harrogate Town

With fans still in the dark about whether they will be allowed to attend Harrogate Town‘s opening match of the season, supporters of opponents Rochdale have given a damning assessment of the situation.

Town’s League Two campaign is set to kick off on Saturday at the EnviroVent Stadium on Wetherby Road against the Lancashire club.

There’s about 72 hours to go and it’s still unclear whether fans will be allowed inside the ground after North Yorkshire County Council identified 17 “unacceptable risks” at the stadium, including issues with the CCTV system, control room, and stewarding.

The council’s refusal to issue a safety certificate meant fans were unable to attend the friendly against Sunderland on July 24. Home fans were permitted to watch the final pre-season friendly against Doncaster Rovers on Sunday but no away fans were let in.

No tickets are on sale yet for this weekend’s Rochdale match. A club spokesperson told the Stray Ferret last night it was working “tirelessly and vigorously” behind the scenes to resolve the situation.

But the uncertainty so close to kick off has frustrated Rochdale fans who are unsure whether to plan to make the trip across the Pennines.

Josh Dolan told the Stray Ferret he hoped to take his 18-month old daughter to her first game.

Mr Dolan said the English Football League should intervene and questioned whether Town’s off-the-field operation is set up for the rigours of the professional game. He said:

“How can the EFL not get involved because if this was any other team, like Barrow, Rochdale or Oldham they’d be on us like a ton of bricks? It makes me think are they even ready for the football league? It’s embarrassing for your club really”.

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Mr Dolan said Harrogate Town should have communicated the situation better to supporters:

“I would like to say let the fans know in advance due to people that have booked hotels and travel. In a nutshell, they need to liaise with the fans instead of keeping them in the dark”.

Another Rochdale fan, Nathaniel McNulty, is also looking forward to visiting Harrogate for the first time.

He said:

[It’s a] new ground for many, if not all of us, and I was going to make a day of it. I’d not bought tickets for the train just yet, but, like many other Dale fans, I think this is where my frustrations lie. I just want to get it booked and organised for the first game of the season.”

He said he understood that safety concerns needed to be addressed and was skeptical about fans being allowed in.

“It almost feels like delaying the inevitable.”

Football ground safety expert: Harrogate Town situation could damage reputation of club

An expert on safety at football grounds believes the current situation at Harrogate Town could damage the reputation of the club if fans are unable to buy tickets to the season opener on Saturday due to safety concerns at the EnviroVent Stadium.

With less than four days until kick-off, frustrated Town fans are in the dark about whether they can attend the League Two opener on Saturday afternoon against Rochdale AFC.

It’s the same for Rochdale supporters who have taken to social media to criticise Harrogate Town with some saying they have bought train tickets and booked hotels.

Playing the game in front of an empty ground would be a major embarrassment for the Wetherby Road club who will shortly begin their second-ever season in the English Football League.

“Unacceptable risks”

North Yorkshire County Council banned fans from attending a friendly against Sunderland on July 24 after identifying 17 “unacceptable risks” for fan safety at the club’s EnviroVent Stadium on Wetherby Road. These included problems with the CCTV system, the ground’s control room and stewarding.

It’s unclear if these issues can be overcome in time for Saturday’s kick-off.

Martin O’Hara, national council member for the Football Supporter’s Association and chair of the South Yorkshire Police Independent Advisory Group that is responsible for ground safety, told the Stray Ferret that if NYCC bans fans from attending it would damage the reputation of the club.

He added:

“It is very unusual that a club wouldn’t be allowed to open it’s gates at the start of the season.”

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Mr O’Hara said there are “generally workarounds” for safety problems at grounds but it remains to be seen if expensive and complex systems such as CCTV can be rectified in time.

He also said the uncertainty raises questions about the status of the hundreds of season tickets that have been sold.

Mr O’Hara added:

“I would expect there to be a lot going on behind the scenes with the Safety Advisory Group (SAG) at the council, the local police and the club”.

What needs to happen?

The safety standards at football grounds are set by the government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

These are included in a document called “The Green Guide” that has been written by regulator the Sports Ground Safety Authority (SGSA).

The SGSA issues guidance to council SAGs and has its own inspectors who work with them. Before each fixture, the local authority issues a safety certificate and enforces the safety standards.

Harrogate Town released the following statement this afternoon:

“The club are continuing to work with the Safety Advisory Group and Sports Ground Safety Authority to ensure supporters are able to attend Saturday’s EFL opener against Rochdale. As soon as any further information is available it will be communicated.”

Harrogate Town friendly tomorrow to allow only home fans

Harrogate Town‘s friendly against Doncaster Rovers at 2pm tomorrow will be played in front of home fans only.

The club issued a statement on Thursday confirming that supporters can attend with tickets that can be purchased here.

However, the statement added the club had decided not to sell tickets to away supporters from Doncaster.

It also urged fans not to turn up without tickets as they would not be available on the turnstiles.

The club was forced to play last weekend’s friendly against Sunderland in front of an empty stadium after North Yorkshire County Council identified 17 “unacceptable risks” that led fans to be banned just 24 hours before kick-off.

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It is still unclear if the club’s first game of the English Football League season against Rochdale next Saturday will be played in front of fans. Tickets are not currently on sale.

The Stray Ferret was contacted by a season ticket holder this morning frustrated about what they said was a lack of communication from the club about ticketing arrangements for the new season.

Town are due to entertain Rochdale twice within three days: Saturday’s opening league fixture is followed by an EFL Cup fixture on August 10.

Rochdale issued a statement on Friday afternoon saying the club had yet to receive details of ticketing arrangements for the two fixtures. It said:

“As soon as details are received from our hosts we will share with all supporters. Regrettably, until further details are received, we are unable to answer any queries from supporters about either of these two fixtures.”

A Harrogate Town spokesperson said the club did not have an update on the Rochdale game yet.

Council: 17 ‘unacceptable risks’ at Harrogate Town forced us to ban fans

North Yorkshire County Council has revealed 17 “unacceptable risks” led it to ban fans from Harrogate Town’s friendly against Sunderland on Saturday just 24 hours before kick-off.

The risks included an inadequate level of stewarding, the CCTV system not being tested under match conditions and the ground’s control room, which oversees fan safety, not being connected to a phone line or the public address system.

In a statement sent today to the Stray Ferret, Matt O’Neill, assistant director for growth, planning and trading standards at NYCC, said the council sent a trading standards officer to last Wednesday’s friendly against Rotherham after safety concerns were raised.

It said the club submitted a risk assessment and stewarding plan on the morning before the Sunderland fixture that identified seven unacceptable risks. This was reviewed by NYCC officers, who found another 10 risks.

The statement said:

“We therefore concluded that there were 17 areas of unacceptable risk in total.”

The statement added the council was in discussions with the club to overcome the issues before the first home fixture of the new English Football League Division Two season against Rochdale on August 7 but that “the safety of everyone entering the facility must come first”.

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The Stray Ferret requested an interview with Harrogate Town’s managing director Garry Plant today but was told he was on leave. Nobody else from the club was put forward for an interview.

The club released a statement this afternoon that said it was “working hard behind the scenes to rectify the issues raised”.

It added:

“We would like to reiterate our sincere apologies to those supporters who had planned to attend but could not, through no fault of their own.

“Clearly this is a testing period for the club and we appreciate your continued support as we work through the issues raised.”

Fans have voiced concerns that the club’s opening home game of the new season will be played in front of an empty stadium due to unresolved issues.

Katherine Swinn, speaking on behalf of the Harrogate Town Independent Supporters Club, told the Stray Ferret yesterday that fans had “numerous unanswered questions”.

She said:

“I think the club have dealt with the situation very poorly. The lack of communication is appalling. This situation needs to be addressed urgently and a full and frank statement provided by the club otherwise the speculation will continue.”

Here is the full statement from Matt O’Neill, assistant director for growth, planning and trading standards at NYCC.

“Following safety concerns raised with us, our trading standards officers attended the match held last Wednesday night between Harrogate Town FC and Rotherham United.

“At this point it was clear there were a number of urgent matters to be addressed at the football ground, if the Sunderland match was to go ahead as planned last Saturday.

“The risk assessment and stewarding plan the club subsequently provided on Friday (23 July) morning identified seven unacceptable risks. Our officers reviewed the risk assessment and found that mitigation measures in place for a further ten risks were insufficient and we therefore concluded that there were 17 areas of unacceptable risk in total.

“These included an inadequate level of stewarding and a lack of effective communication between stewards and lack of confirmation about medical support. They also included the fact that the control room where safety of the ground is overseen, was not connected up to the public address system or the fire panels, had no phone line and a CCTV system which had not been tested under match conditions.

“Discussions now continue to see what can be done to find a safe solution looking ahead. The safety of everyone entering the facility must come first.”

“Together with partner agencies in the Safety Advisory Group we pulled out all the stops to try to support the club to deal with a range of safety measures that had to be addressed to enable the match to go ahead.

“Safety standards are put in place to protect the spectators and ensure a safe match by the Sports Ground Safety Association (an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport) and, as the public would expect, they must be met.”