By Doncaster Rovers to groundshare with Harrogate Town
Harrogate Town will begin their first season in the English Football League sharing a ground with Doncaster Rovers, it has been announced.
Harrogate Town were promoted to League 2 after they won the National League promotion final at Wembley on Sunday.
This is because due to EFL regulations, which state that all matches must be played on grass surfaces, mean that Harrogate must replace the synthetic pitch at the CNG Stadium on Wetherby Road.
Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver said:
“We’ll have to relocate for what’s looking like the first month or so.
“The 3G surface has been a brilliant facility for not just us, but the local community and it’s grown our fan base.”
Doncaster’s Keepmoat Stadium is a 42-mile drive from Harrogate’s home ground.
It is considerably further away than the likes of Huddersfield Town, Bradford City and Leeds United.
Maintaining a grass surface at Wetherby Road is expected to cost the club an additional £20,000 a year.
The additional cost will be met by the club through increased funds brought in by being in the EFL.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, Weaver added:
“It’s something we have to deal with.
“We’re fortunate that the Football League grant is far more substantial than the National League grant. That eases the pain of losing the income that’s derived from the 3G.”
This morning, a spokesperson for the club tweeted:
👷 | Work on replacing our 3G pitch with a grass pitch is underway as of this morning#ProudToBeTown pic.twitter.com/msTIOMqxod
— Harrogate Town AFC (@HarrogateTown) August 4, 2020
The temporary move will mean that Harrogate Town fans will have to travel to Keepmoat Stadium for a portion of their home games.
Fans on both sides have also already expressed concerns over the logistics of game days.
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