Evo Stik Division One North top-goalscorer Nathan Cartman says his love of playing for Harrogate Railway made the decision to sign a contract an easy one. Photo: Caught Light Photography
Signing a contract at Harrogate Railway means Nathan Cartman can just enjoy his football and not have to deal with nuisance phone calls this season.
The Evo Stik Division One North’s top-goalscorer pledged his future to Harrogate two weeks ago after an ‘unofficial approach’ from an un-named club.
Striker Cartman, who doesn’t drive and believes he usually receives “three or four” approaches a season, is uninterested in moving away from Station View and was all too happy to sign the contract forms.
He told Non League Yorkshire: “I just want to enjoy my football.
“I’m settled here and I feel at home.
“Basically a club got in touch with me and I obviously spoke to them, but I tell Billy everything because we’re pretty close.
“He went away and spoke with Ash who said ‘we need to sort this out because someone is going to end up taking him’.
“They spoke to the chairman and put me on a contract which I’m happy about.
“The club is going forward. The lads are playing good football and that’s why I wanted to sign to stay here.
“It’s not about the money (signing the contract).
“I love being here. Billy and Ash have had me a while now, but it’s also the set of lads.
“They’re all on my stag do next year. All of them are very good mates.”
Cartman’s love for Harrogate was summed up by his equalising goal in the 3-2 defeat in the FA Cup second qualifying round tie at Colwyn Bay.
In a moment fit for the club’s talisman, Cartman slotted home on the hour mark to send the large band of travelling into raptures and he even ran into the arms of club chairman Nigel Corner.
Assessing the season, Cartman said: “Personally I’m top goal-scorer in the league at the minute by a couple of goals.
“I’m only five off what I got last season which was 20 and we are only in October.
“Personally it is going well. As a team I think if we cut out the mistakes we could easily be further up the table.
“We do score goals and as a team we do work hard for each other.
“The FA Cup run was good and to go to Colwyn Bay and give them a game like we did was fantastic.”
Cartman has been a loyal player to Harrogate manager and his assistant Lee Ashforth.
The forward, who was with Leeds United as a youngster, began his association with Miller at Liversedge in 2011.
He admits he does enjoy playing under his manager – even if there is one dislike.
“There’s no swearing or shouting, it’s just go and enjoy your football,” he said.
“In the changing rooms he tells you what he wants and that’s what we do.
“It’s a nice environment. The banter is good. Ash tries it most of the time, but he hasn’t got any banter so he gets the lads to kill him for his clothing.
“The one thing Billy doesn’t like is music which a few lads have questioned this season, but it is what it is, as Billy says all the time.
“I’m been used to it for four years so it doesn’t bother me.”
Cartman added his 15th goal of the campaign to his collection during Saturday’s FA Trophy defeat to Spennymoor Town.
So what would it mean to surpass last season’s haul of 20?
“I’m not too bothered because I want the team to do well and finish as high as we can,” he added.
“To break the 20-goal barrier in consecutive seasons would be good.”