Harrogate boss Weaver becomes co-owner
Retold by Oddsrama · 16 October 2026
Harrogate Town has a new power-sharing arrangement at the top. Manager Simon Weaver, who has led the North Yorkshire club since May 2009, has now become co-owner alongside local businessman Jonathan Bleazard. The move marks the end of Irving Weaver's ownership—Simon's father had taken the helm in 2011 and played a key role in the club's rise through the pyramid. Irving stressed this isn't simply a family handover but rather a partnership where both men bring complementary skills and serious commitment to the project.
The timing of this change comes as Harrogate navigate life back in the National League after dropping out of the Football League last season. Currently sitting second in the table after 13 matches, the club has shown impressive recovery potential, and there's clear belief in the boardroom that this new structure will support sustained progress. For bettors tracking the Sulphurites, the stability and unified vision between Weaver and Bleazard could prove important—a manager with genuine ownership stake often has different motivation and decision-making authority than one operating without financial skin in the game.
Weaver himself has been careful to signal that becoming co-owner changes nothing about his managerial accountability. He's reiterated that results remain the ultimate measure, and his standards for himself won't ease. With an FA Cup fourth-round qualifying tie against Bury on Saturday, Harrogate's momentum and internal cohesion will face an early test under the new setup. The ownership change represents genuine optimism about where the club is headed, but Weaver knows his position will always be judged on what happens on the pitch.
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