Current Harrogate Railway manager Lee Ashforth
Harrogate Railway are welcoming back one of their greatest managers this weekend.
Martin Haresign makes his return to Station View for Railway’s scheduled Evo Stik Division One North clash with Kendal Town.
The former Farsley Celtic player and manager was in charge of Railway between 2003 and 2007 and led them to promotion to the Evo Stik League before work commitments forced his resignation.
Haresign, who has never managed on the semi-professional circuit since, is returning to Railway for a reunion with his old players.
“Martin’s coming over with a bus-load of lads that played at a similar time when I played for him (at Railway),” current Harrogate boss Lee Ashforth told Non League Yorkshire.
“I think it is a lot of the team that got promotion from the Counties like Lee Ryan, Scott Ryan, Phil Turner, people like that who were brilliant under Martin.
“Martin is certainly one of the best managers I’ve played under. He was brilliant man-manager and he certainly helped me enjoy Non League football.
“The good thing was that he was upfront and honest with you. He told you exactly where you stood. He told you when you were good and when you were bad.
“I have lost contact with him since I played for him because you’re probably talking ten years since I last saw him.
“It will be good to catch up with him because I always had a lot of time for him.”
Harrogate pulled themselves out of the Division One North relegation zone last weekend with the dramatic 3-2 victory at Droylsden.
The win puts Railway back on track to reach Ashforth’s target of 20 points by Christmas and the Station View is hoping the win can provide some momentum.
He said: “It was an important win, but I’ve said it all along that I think we have a good squad and we have enough to pull away.
“We never got pulled away from the little group. Three points now could take up as high as 16th in the league and we would suddenly have five or six teams below us.
“We have to get that win and the pressure is now on Farsley a little bit because they’ve got to win.
“It does look better when you’re not in the bottom two of the league. One win for Farsley though and we’re in the bottom two.
“Because I’ve always said that we’re playing the top sides, I don’t think the belief has never been there. I feel that from around the club.
“Everybody knew it was time to rebuild the squad. From Saturday there was only three players from last season.
“That isn’t by choice. They have all left to go elsewhere. It always takes time to rebuild and the target is still a point a game and we’re not far off that now.”