Harrogate Railway’s Rob Youhill is enjoying life at Station View
With his long flowing blonde locks, Harrogate Railway winger Rob Youhill is making a name for himself in the Evo Stik Division One North – and enjoying himself at the same time.
The 27-year-old terrorises defences for fun and he been a key figure in Railway’s brilliant season so far. He is instantly recognisable from the stands and his hair has attracted the odd jibe.
“I get a bit of stick from fans, but never from players,” he tells sportsperformer.net.
“The only players I get stick from are players I have played with. (Former Ossett Town captain) Ryan Qualter calls me Jesus and I just say I’m a ‘hot’ Jesus.
“With the Ossett Town lads, the Robbie Savage shout comes out, but have you seen Robbie Savage? I’m way better looking than him.
“I just turn round and give the ‘hot’ Jesus shout. But it’s funny because the times I have been given stick is the games I haven’t played so well in.”
Youhill played for Railway at 16 before moving onto Tadcaster Albion where he was club captain and player of the season in 2006.
He then moved to America to attend Hofstra University and during his time in New York, the midfielder played for the likes of New Jersey Express and Ocean City. He also represented Great Britain in the World University Games.
He returned in 2011 to sort out his visa, but has since stayed in the UK and is teaching at Askham Bryan College with Railway boss Billy Miller.
When he began playing again in the UK, Youhill initially signed for Tadcaster until Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver snapped him up.
After a year at Wetherby Road – which included loan spells at Railway and NPL Premier Division champions North Ferriby United last season – Youhill decided to settle down and sign permanently for Railway in the summer.
What he saw in the Villagers’ dressing room played a major part in his decision to return to Railway.
“I’m not dual-signed with Harrogate Town because I decided not to,” he said.
“Since I came back from America, it’s been playing there and then playing there. I played five games for Tadcaster when I came back and then I signed for Town.
“My form was up and down and last year when I came to Railway I felt like this is where I should play. I thought to settle down in a position and care about who we were playing next week and care about where we were in the league.
“I wanted the camaraderie with the lads. I got that from playing at North Ferriby because their camaraderie is ridiculous in a good way. I liked it and it made me jealous that I was on the outside of it.
“Everyone has that mentality here and we’re almost like a family because we have been here so long.”
Rob Youhill in action for Harrogate Railway
Two goals and plenty of assists have followed. There is a Youtube video of Youhill running from his own half and somehow twisting and turning past six Farsley AFC players before crossing for Nathan Cartman to score on Boxing Day.
The goal was bizarrely and cruelly ruled out for offside, but the clip underlines Youhill’s ability and why he is an asset to Miller’s team.
Have any higher-ranked teams showed interest in him begs the question?
“There has been a few shouts, but nothing that has taken my fancy,” he admits.
“It seems strange, but why when you are enjoying your football, why do you want to change it?
“I’m in a situation where the financial gain means nothing. It’s brilliant here and I’m really enjoying it
“It is nice playing the right way with a good group of lads
“It is very different to when I was here when I was 16 or 17, but different in a good way. I played a few times in the first team when the face fitted.”
Rob Youhill
Times have changed and it is well-known that Rail boss Miller is not a shouter or raver and Youhill likes the atmosphere.
“Now it is ‘if you’re good enough you’ll play,” he says, “there is a lot of positivity. Bill does it the right way. There is no shouting or anything like that which you usually get at other clubs.
“Billy got asked at Warrington ‘why don’t you shout?’ He said: ‘I don’t need to because everyone knows their jobs’.
“There are times when he’s needs to have a little shout, but it’s like a parent who never shouts at his kid. The parent suddenly shouts and the kid looks totally shocked and listens up.”
So will Youhill return to New York? He’s here for the “foreseeable future” in his own words.
But, he does admit that playing for both Harrogate clubs and working at Askern Bryan wasn’t the original plan before.
“I only came back to get my visa and I was supposed to go back out there,” he adds.
“I still have a car out there if anyone wants to buy it. Coming back was literally a holiday.
“I left everything out there. I have a TV, bed and clothes and to be fair it is still all out with no-one claiming it. If anyone wants to go out to New York and claim a TV then go for it. Give me a shout.”
Whilst he continues to enjoy playing for Railway and working at Askham Bryan, his TV and car look set to remain unclaimed.
Interview and photos by James Grayson (Twitter: @jamesAgrayson)