Dan Thirkell has been a stalwart at Harrogate Railway for almost ten years. Picture: Caught Light Photography
Having played under six different managers and in every single position, Dan Thirkell is well-qualified to give his opinion on how well Harrogate Railway have done this season.
And the versatile player has put Billy Miller’s Evo Stik Division One North play-offs team at the top of his favourites list.
It is a glowing comment considering it is from someone who played in the Railway team which reached the second round of the FA Cup in 2007.
Thirkell said: “It has probably been the most enjoyable season since I’ve being here.
“There has been some good times along the way, but footballing-wise and results along with the lads, the gaffer and the backroom staff, it is fantastic.
“The league position at the moment doesn’t lie and Billy is probably the most successful manager in terms of league-wise.
“Don’t get me wrong, there were two brilliant cup runs, but this is the best environment and the squad I’ve being involved in.
“Bill is very honest with you, but I like everything around the club such as the professionalism.
“My first involvement was when we first got promoted under Martin Haresign and they were good years.
“It has been a roller-coaster because there have been ups and downs, but the club is heading in the right direction now.
“Up until recently we have been getting to Christmas and looking over our backs. Now we’re up there challenging and we’ve still got belief that we can push ourselves in(to the play-offs).”
Now 26, Thirkell has been playing for Harrogate for nine years since breaking into Haresign’s NCEL promotion-winning team in 2006 as a 16-year-old.
He had played for Railway’s junior teams since the age of nine – apart from a brief spell with Scarborough – and was featuring alongside current Rail star Rob Youhill in the club’s under 19s team, ran by the Youhill’s dad Graham, when he got the call-up to the first team.
He have never looked back and stayed loyal to the Station View as Haresign, Vince Brockie, Dave Morgan, Phil Sharpe and Nigel Danby all took and then vacated the manager’s office.
Thirkell has scored goals, own goals and been sent off on the odd occasions and even has experience of all the positions available on the field.
He said: “Honestly, I think I have played in every one of them.
“I have played in goal a couple of times. The first time was at Skelmersdale and James Mann, the goalkeeper, got sent off.
“That was under Phil Sharpe and the first thing was a penalty and I had to pick it up out of the net.
“I’ve played upfront because I used to be quick, would you believe, so Sharpey used to play me up there. I’ve also played both wings.
“This season I started at centre-half then went to right-back and left-back and now I’m really enjoying playing in midfield. It is a bit of a new lease of life.”
In his nine years at first team level at Station View, Thirkell has never been one to grab the limelight.
Even during the club’s finest hour in 2007 as Rail’ prepared to face Mansfield live on the BBC, his brother Matt got more attention from the local media than him, despite he wasn’t even a player.
“I was on the way back from sixth-form and I had a withheld number ringing me and I don’t usually answer them and I wish I hadn’t done,” he said.
“I can’t remember who it was, but it was the Harrogate Advertiser and it was in the run-in to the Mansfield game so I thought I was going to get asked for a couple of words.
“We had a mascot on the day, Barmy the beaver and after the niceties had gone, it was ‘anyway your brother is the mascot for the FA Cup game, is there any chance we can have his number’?
“That was a kick in the balls. But he was brilliant that day and you can see him on Youtube if you look.”