Harrogate Town’s Father-Son Leadership: England’s Longest-Serving Manager and His Owner Dad

Harrogate Town is set to host non-league Gainsborough Trinity in the FA Cup second round on Friday, 29 November, with kick-off at 19:45 BST at The Exercise Stadium, Harrogate. Live coverage will be available from 19:30 GMT on BBC Two England, the BBC Sport website and app, with full match commentary on BBC Radio York and BBC Sounds. Irving Weaver and his son Simon have been working together at Harrogate Town since 2011. On Tuesday, 13 February 2024, Harrogate Town suffered a significant 9-2 defeat against Mansfield Town. This result left long-serving manager Simon Weaver anticipating difficult questions from fans, local media, and notably, his father. Irving Weaver, 75, is the owner and chairman of the North Yorkshire club, having taken over in 2011 with a stated goal to “put Harrogate further up the football pyramid.” Together, former Sheffield Wednesday defender Simon, 46, and his father have guided Harrogate from the National League North to League Two. Simon had already been managing Harrogate for two years when his father assumed ownership, during which time the team was struggling in the sixth tier of English football, drawing crowds of approximately 200. Thirteen years later, the club has undergone a transformation: the team coach no longer breaks down, the former bus shelter for fans has been removed, and season ticket sales have surged from just seven in 2011 to over 700 this season. This arrangement, where the manager reports to his father, is considered unique. Despite this, the club has achieved two promotions and an FA Trophy triumph at Wembley within the last six years. Harrogate, operating with one of the smallest budgets in the EFL, is currently in its fifth season in League Two. However, the journey has not been without difficulties, including the heavy midweek loss at Field Mill in February. Simon, who holds the distinction of being the current longest-serving manager in England’s top four divisions (though 11 of his 15 years in charge were outside the Football League), reflected on the defeat, stating, “You feel wounded after a result like that.” He added, “You care that much because it’s your dad [who is owner], you don’t want to let him down.” The upcoming FA Cup match on Friday (19:45 GMT), which will be broadcast live on BBC Two, presents Simon with an opportunity to provide a financial boost to his father. A victory would secure Harrogate a spot in the third round for only the second time in their 105-year history, potentially leading to a lucrative tie against a Premier League club. Harrogate Town owner Irving Weaver and his wife Dorothy, who bakes cakes for the players for their return journeys from away games, are closely involved with their son Simon. When Simon first took charge of Harrogate on 21 May 2009, Cristiano Ronaldo had recently helped Manchester United secure another Premier League title, Pep Guardiola had just completed his inaugural season managing Barcelona, and Birmingham City, Wigan Athletic, and Portsmouth were all Premier League clubs. Recalling his initial league game, Simon stated, “We lost 3-0 away to Corby Town.” He further noted, “I had a playing budget of £1,600. I had to count on a few friends and some played for free as a favour.” Since Simon’s recruitment by Harrogate after responding to an advertisement in the Non-League Paper, Watford has undergone more than 20 managerial changes. Friday’s cup fixture will mark Simon’s 766th game managing the club. He recounted an incident regarding his 700th game: “I got a cake for my 700th game. I left it at the ground and we didn’t have another home game for a fortnight. It had gone off by the time I got back.” Pep Guardiola, who assumed management of Manchester City in 2016, is the longest-serving current manager in the Premier League, yet he lags significantly behind Harrogate’s boss in terms of tenure across the top four divisions. Simon’s longevity as the current longest-serving manager in English football surpasses figures like Guardiola (eight years and five months), Brentford’s Thomas Frank (six years and one month), and Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta, who is nearing his fifth anniversary in charge of Arsenal. “I’m proud of it,” said Simon, a former Lincoln City defender. He added, “Sometimes I think ‘gosh, how has he been in and out in such a short space of time’ when I hear about a manger losing their job.” Simon is aware of taunts from opposing fans, and occasionally some home supporters during periods of poor form, suggesting his extended tenure is due to his father’s ownership. Irving, speaking to BBC Sport, dismissed such remarks: “It’s an easy jibe, isn’t it? It’s unfortunate but it doesn’t impact Simon. Look what’s happened [two promotions in 2017-18 and 2019-20 and the FA Trophy success in 2019-20].” Irving, a multi-millionaire who built his wealth as a property magnate, is known for making decisive business choices when necessary. When asked if he has ever considered dismissing his son, Irving responded, “We’ve never had to go that far.” He explained, “We were both shocked that night [the 9-2 defeat at Mansfield] but it was out of context because we had won seven of our previous 10 league games.” He continued, “We were quiet for a couple of days afterwards. Simon then named the same XI four days later at Crewe and got a 0-0 draw. He has always managed to find a way to turn it around.” While manager-owner relationships can often be strained, the Weavers—including Simon’s mother Dorothy, who bakes cakes for the players on away trips—are a close-knit family who consistently resolve issues collaboratively. Irving commented on their approach: “Arguments are a waste of time.” He acknowledged, “There’s a concern when we’re on a losing run. We’ve just been down to 20th in the table. There’s a serious discussion about where the problems lie. But it’s a discussion – not an argument.” To alleviate the pressures of owning and managing a League Two club with approximately 50 full-time staff, including a psychologist, the father and son endeavor to play a game of padel together each week. Nevertheless, minor disagreements have arisen concerning playing budgets and contracts. Simon, whose team recently eliminated League One Wrexham in the FA Cup first round, added, “Dad knows how passionate I am.” He elaborated, “But I know straight after a game is not the right time for me to say to