James Belshaw and Lloyd Kerry gave National League title-chasers Harrogate Town the perfect boost heading into today’s clash with Wrexham at Weatherby Road by signing new long term contracts.
Star stopper Belshaw put pen-to-paper on a three-and-a-half-year extension until the summer of 2023 on Friday with long-serving midfielder Kerry agreeing a new deal to keep him at the CNG Stadium until 2022.
One of Town’s most consistent performers since arriving from Tamworth in 2017, the 29-year-old Belshaw has kept 12 clean-sheets in 33 appearances so far this season to attract the attention of a number of Football League clubs.
Read Belshaw’s reaction to Town’s vote of confidence in him in an exclusive interview in The Non-League Paper on Sunday.
A club statement read: “We are delighted to announce James Belshaw and Lloyd Kerry have both committed their future to the club.
“The duo have combined for almost 300 appearances between them and have been integral to our rise to The National League and performance in the fifth tier.”
Harrogate Town boss Simon Weaver said: “It means a great deal for us as a management staff to have them with us for the long term, they sum up what we are about, they have been through difficult times and know what it takes to get out of them.
“We’re happy in the knowledge with our core of players that they are consistent performers and it means a lot for them to wear the badge.”
Those sentiments were echoed by assistant manager Paul Thirlwell who added. “It shows the players are happy here and they enjoy what we are doing.
“They are enjoying the fact that we are heading in the right direction, the more players we can sign of this quality the more successful we are going to be.”
Delighted to get this over the line. Now to focus on getting promoted ???? https://t.co/uTUZ4QZqEF
— James Belshaw (@jbelly31) January 24, 2020
Make sure you get your copy of The Non-League Paper on Sunday for the latest news from across Non-League over the last seven days.
As well as exclusive match reports and pictures from all of Saturday’s fixtures in the Vanarama National League, the BetVictor-Sponsored Isthmian League, Southern League and Northern Premier League, the paper’s live coverage extends all the way to Steps 5 and 6.
Images courtesy of @HarrogateTown/Twitter
