Harrogate Town (A)

He's only 18 and very highly rated, even had Everton looking at him a few years ago. If he was ready for league 1 football at 18 he wouldn't be at this club, even Jordan Pickford was only playing conference football at 18. GSK spent some of last season at Stalybridge in the Evo-Stik and assume the plan is still for him to go out on loan again, he needs game and with games he'll improve but he's still go plenty of time ahead as 18 year old for a goalkeeper is nothing.
Watching the highlights there wasn't much he could do with most of the goal, 1st goal he got a bit unlucky but could have pushed it wider, 2nd goal was a mistake and he shouldn't have come out, 3rd goal was a great strike in off the post. The rest were all good finishes and you wouldn't really be expecting a keeper to be saving them.

 

Pity if Harrogate get promoted they will have to either rip it up or move grounds

 

I can see why you're defending Sykes-Kenworthy.

The criticism was harsh, especially considering his relevance to the first team at this moment in time.

Sykes-Kenworthy shouldn't have to explain himself to Bradford City fans at this point - he shouldn't be getting criticised for not being ready.

And that's why Bradford City should be making it very, very clear that games like the friendly against Harrogate have nothing to do with the Bradford City first team, or even Bradford City.

It should also be made clear that the lad is not in consideration for the no. 1 shirt, and will be given plenty of time to develop under very little pressure.

Sadly, while we've signed an incredible number of players who may or may not prove to be relevant, there is no back up goalkeeper yet.

I don't believe an 18 year old deserves the inevitable baptism of fire if the recruitment team fail to deliver a reserve goalie, but I fear that's what might happen. Let's hope this glaring, gaping hole in our first team squad is plugged, fast.

Time's almost up, and it's almost like we're back to last season - very important gaps in our squad still present, and no apparent intention or ability to fill them.

Let's hope I stand corrected.

GSK isn't ready; let's not make it an issue.

 

Banks has said that he's ahead of schedule but not ready for 1st team football yet so they were wanting to send him out on loan this season. Presume this is still the plan but just delayed until we get in another keeper to be back up to O'Donnall. With the conference we know that we can send him out on loan at anytime so even if we have to wait a couple of extra weeks to bring in the back up at least he will get some experience around the 1st team squad on a matchday.
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/16268997.young-bantams-keeper-sykes-kenworthy-ahead-of-schedule/

 

I think it's getting closer to being allowed in league 1 & 2 and only a matter of time until they are allowed. Last year with Sutton and Maidstone doing well really made this a bigger issue, there was also the threat of legal action the EFL which was a big factor behind the conference allowing them and that could come back at anytime.

 

Harrogate have a wealthy owner who in the last three or four years has invested first in levelling the slope on the pitch then ripping it up for the current surface so ripping it up again won't be a problem. As to moving grounds, don't think that's in the thinking as they have just got Planning Consent to increase capacity, again finance apparently not an issue, same as swallowing the cost of going full time last season which paid off with promotion.

 

He's 18, he played in a pre-season friendly and we lost. Big deal. I totally agree, it shouldn't be an issue and he shouldn't be judged on it too.

 

Just seems a strange investment if he is pumping funds into the ground and team aiming for league status.

 

They are looking to increase capacity to 5k from 3k which would be enough. Don't expect they would sell out too often even in L2 and if they did the ground will have a high value for housing in that location which would help the cost of the new facility.

 

No, I meant it was strange paying for the 3G pitch just to have to rip it out.

 

Stop babbling on.

 

Get the feeling finance is not a major issue and after they levelled the pitch they had some issues so took the option of the artificial and income they get from it.

 

Great start for Harrogate in their first season in the 5th tier. Potentially our local derby opponents in the league next season!

 

Them or Halifax

 

Watched them on the tele yesterday. Very well organised and play some lovely attacking football. And their manager Simon Weaver is young, intelligent and very articulate. Everything Collins isn't in fact.

 

I went to the match yesterday .
Loved it, went on the supporters coach, the town fans organised a match against the fylde fans on the beach before the match it was a right laugh.

To give weaver that credit you have To realise his dad is the chairmen and he had a fair few seasons to get it right, was hated at first and would have been sacked if it wasnt his dad as chairmen.
Luckily he came good in the end .
Great awsy day though, bit worrying that my 8 year old would rather watch town then city at the moment.

 

God help us all when Edins son turns 18 then