Simon Weaver: Harrogate Town promotion to EFL 'a dream come true'
- Published
Harrogate beat Boreham Wood and Notts County in the National League play-offs to secure promotion
Harrogate Town's promotion to the English Football League is "fairytale stuff", according to boss Simon Weaver.
The North Yorkshire side secured a first promotion to the EFL thanks to a 3-1 win over Notts County in the National League promotion final.
Weaver took over the club in 2009 and led them to their highest ever league finish this season.
"It's a dream come true. It's an unbelievable experience," he told BBC Radio York.
"The players are so driven, my job is easy with this group. They want it so much. It's really refreshing and it's great to manage."
After football was halted in March because of the coronavirus pandemic, clubs in the fifth tier voted to end the season in April and the Football Association ratified the decision in June.
There was a period of time when it looked uncertain whether play-offs would be held, leaving Harrogate, who were second when football was stopped, unsure if their hopes of promotion would be dashed.
"The decision-making process was taking so long and there were conflicting reports of what was happening. Would it be curtailed? Would there be play-offs? We would go up as second in the rulebook, if it was curtailed? You were hanging on to any little bit of hope," Weaver added.
"I prepared my backroom staff. I said 'I think the dream is fading for this year, we have to just get on with it'.
"But then we've had the play-offs and its just been fairytale stuff."
What next? Rip up the pitch
Weaver's father Irving bought the club in 2011 and the former Lincoln City defender said promotion was also a reward for his hard work.
"Of course there'll always be people shouting 'nepotism' but all I can do is work my socks off and try and make my dad proud," Weaver said.
"He's a fantastic person and hopefully I've learnt a bit about his leadership because it's second to none."
Harrogate, who only turned professional for 2017-18 and won promotion to the National League that season, now face a very tight turnaround before the League Two season gets under way on Saturday, 12 September.
In accordance with EFL regulations they will need to rip up their artificial pitch and replace it with grass.
Weaver said the players will get two weeks off before coming back in for pre-season before their debut campaign in the EFL.