ALL ABOARD!

Harrogate eager to inspire 3g re-think

- Matt Badcock

HARROGATE TOWN’S promotion-winning manager Simon Weaver hopes becoming the first 3G club to win promotion into the Football League will re-ignite the artificial pitch conversation.

Town beat Notts County 3-1 at Wembley to secure their place in the top 92 of English football for the first time in their history.

The Yorkshire club are also the inaugural team to go up from the National League having played on an artificial surface.

Current EFL rules prohibit plastic pitches so Harrogate are being forced to rip up theirs to put down grass. If they refused, they would be automatically relegated to Step 2.

Weaver says the pitch, which they’ve played on for three years, has been the platform to launch the club to two promotions in three seasons.

SWITCH GAVE US LIFT-OFF – TOWN