Injury-hit Harrogate must 'fight the odds' - Weaver

Simon Weaver is the longest-serving manager in the English Football League

Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver said his team must "fight the odds" and stay in League Two, amid a "perfect storm" of injuries.

His side are second-bottom of the league, one point from safety, having lost 10 of their 17 games this campaign.

They have also lost six out of seven league matches since their last victory, away to Gillingham on 27 September.

On Saturday, they visit Barnet, who have lost once in the division during the same period.

"It's the first time in our Football League history - half a decade of being at this level - and never dropping into the bottom two," Weaver told BBC Radio York.

"Fortunately, there are a lot of games to play. It's where we finish that is the vital thing.

"It starts with hard work, there have been no days off.

"Despite being caught up in a perfect storm with injuries, we have got to fight the odds again this year."

'A new buzz'

Midfielder Ellis Taylor is expected to be out for about three months with a thigh strain, while defender Bobby Faulkner is recovering from hamstring surgery.

Forward Conor McAleny has returned to training this week, while long-term midfield absentee George Thomson continues his rehab.

"To see an inspirational player, [Thompson], one of the best players in our history out with the ball, passing, getting his boots on again, really does give us a new buzz," Weaver said.

"It gives us hope that a return is around the corner. We would hope for some full-on training by the end of December and in the start of the new year. I'd dearly love to get him involved in the selection process.

"[Faulkner] has had his operation, it was successful. He is hoping for [the] end of January [to return]. We'll have to be led by the experts on that one."

Under Weaver, Harrogate have finished between 13th and 19th in each of the past five full seasons.

He has been managing the club since 2009, comfortably making him the longest-serving manager in the top four divisions ahead of Manchester City's Pep Guardiola and Arsenal's Mikel Arteta, who are the only other two to have joined their clubs before 2020.