Harrogate AFC, as it then was, was founded in 1919, playing in the West Riding League, also joining the Yorkshire League one year later, when they moved to their current home on Wetherby Road. The club disbanded in 1932, then reformed as Harrogate Hotspurs in 1935, playing in local amateur leagues. The name Harrogate Town was finally adopted in 1948, joining the Yorkshire League in 1957 and remaining there (spending time in each of its three divisions)  until it was wound up in 1982. The Sulphurites then moved into Division One North of the Northern Counties East League. Two successive promotions took them to its Premier Division in 1986. In the following season, they moved to Division One of the Northern Premier League, playing alongside the likes of Fleetwood Town, Accrington Stanley and Curzon Ashton in what was effectively the seventh tier of English football. In 2002, Harrogate were promoted to the Premier Division, and were among the teams eligible to join the Conference North two years later, when a unified sixth tier was formed. The team remained there (later renamed the National League North) for 14 seasons, and at the end of the truncated 2019/20 were promoted, via the playoffs, to the EFL League Two, alongside champions Barrow. In the same season, Harrogate won the FA Trophy, beating Canvey Island upstarts Concord Rangers at Wembley, having seen off Notts Country, AFC Fylde, Eastleigh, Darlington and Hartlepool Utd on the way. The team then spent six seasons in League Two, during which their best finish was 13th. 2025/26 was a very challenging season, with the team in or near the relegation places for much of the season, and they finally finished 23rd, above Barrow, the same team they had been promoted alongside.

Simon Weaver became manager of Harrogate Town in May 2009. He is the longest serving manager in at least the top six tiers of English football. His longevity in post may in part be explained by the clubs ownership history: Irving Weaver, his property magnate father, bought the club in 2011, one year after the club had finished last in the National League North, but escaped relegation due to financial irregularities elsewhere – at Chester, Farsley Celtic, and Northwich Victoria.

In 2014 the Town became a full-time professional team, and in May 2018 won promotion to the National League by beating Brackley Town 3-0 in the play-off final. Two years later, in August 2020, Harrogate were in the National League play-offs after the season was curtailed. They went on to beat Notts County 3-1 in the final at Wembley and won promotion to the EFL for the first time in their history. The team spent six seasons in League Two, without ever looking as though they might be able to climb higher up the pyramid, with five finishes in the bottom half of the table. In 2025/26 they were relegated back to the National League, remaining under Simon Weaver’s leadership – and now, from October 2026,  also his co-ownership, alongside that of a local businessman, after his father sold his stake.

On the pitch, Simon Weaver played as a defender. His first two professional appearances were for Doncaster Rovers during their legendarily chaotic and disastrous 1997/98 season, when they were relegated from the Football League and their owner conspired to get their ground burned down. He then played for a variety of non-league and lower league clubs including Ilkeston Town, Nuneaton Borough, Lincoln City, Kidderminster Harriers, Scarborough, Boston Utd, King’s Lynn before finally, in 2009, arriving at Harrogate Town, as player-manager, becoming a full time manager in 2011. Since then, he led the team to promotion to, and relegation from, the EFL (seemingly their first relegation since 1978), as well as to Wembley in 2020 as winners of the FA Trophy.

Following the disappointment of relegation from the EFL, Harrogate have got off to a cracking start to their first season since 2019/20 in the National League. They won 10 of their first 15 games, placing them behind only Boreham Wood in the League Table.

There was a definite rebuild of the team over the summer, with incoming players including: centre-back Tom Lees from Peterborough Utd, left-back Ethan Bristow from Tranmere Rovers, centre-forward Ciaran McGuckin from Rotherham, goalkeeper Rory Watson from York City and attacking midfielder (who has already netted five goals for the Sulphurites) Bailey Hobson from Chesterfield.

The team will be hoping that their early performance will carry on throughout the season, and maybe even provide a prompt return to the EFL for one of the smallest teams ever to play there.

It might be discreet to draw a veil over the last appearance of Harrogate Town at The New Lawn, in January 2024. While it was only a 2-0 defeat for Rovers, there was a general sense at the time that it was one of the worst performances by Rovers in living memory…..and it proved to be the final game of the brief period of Troy Deeney as manager….and he pulled no punches in his public criticism (on BBC Radio Gloucestershire) of what he thought of the team’s shortcomings after the game was over. Very much one best forgotten.

The appearance before that, in April 2022, was also one to forget. The final home game of the season – in which FGR, under the guidance of Rob Edwards,  had soared during the opening months, and still were in the race for the first or second place after a shakier second half. A “festival of football” on and around the ground, home fans allowed into much of the West Stand as well as the other three….only for it to end 3-1 in favour of the Yorkshiremen and Rovers being dislodged from the top of the table for the first time since September.

We have to go back to March 2021 for a home win over Harrogate – when Kane Wilson and Chris Stokes made it 2-1 for Rovers

Forest Green Rovers F.C. – The New Lawn, Another Way, Nailsworth, Stroud, GL6 0FG

Parking is available in the adjacent school car park, just a short walk from the stadium. Spaces cost £15 per car and must be booked in advance by calling 0333 123 1889 (Monday, Thursday and Friday at 11am to 2pm) or by emailing reception@fgr.co.uk.

Alternatively, you can use the Park and Ride service from Renishaw (Bath Road, Nailsworth, Stroud, GL5 5EY). It opens at 10am  and costs £6 per car (card only).

If parking on surrounding streets, please be considerate of local residents.

Rovers Raffle – organised by the Supporters Club to subsidise away travel, ground improvements, Academy teams etc. Tickets cost £1 each (cash or card accepted) with winners announced at half time or check winning numbers here – Raffle Results – Forest Green Rovers Supporters Club

Fan Zone – Fan Zone to the right of the ground entrance, behind the North Stand. Open to home & away supporters. The Fan Zone has a food truck, bar, toilets and a large marquee with picnic benches and live music from about 11:30am.

The Green Man  – Normally home fans only,  serves food and drink.

Gym Bar – Open in the East Stand, and open to other home supporters after the match.

Club Shop – Opens 12pm. TNL is a cashless stadium. To find out about hospitality and events, please email hospitality@fgr.co.uk.