Football returns to Nethermoor this Saturday as Ian Richards’ men host Harrogate Town for both sides’ opening pre-season friendly in a 3pm kick-off at Nethermoor.

Ian Richards’ side return with a fresh look, eight new signings and the return of Will Longbottom who missed the backend of the campaign through injury.

Tickets will be available to purchase from our turnstiles on Saturday priced at:

• Adults: £10
• Concessions (Over 66s/Students/Registered Disabled): £5
• 11-18 Year-Olds: £5
• Accompanied Under-11s: £1

2026/27 GAFC season ticket holders can gain half price entry to all our home friendlies.

All turnstiles will accept card payment for entry except turnstile 4 which will be cash only, if you are wanting to pay with cash you must use turnstile 4.

‘The Lions’ magazine will be on sale for £3 from sellers near each turnstile and our Club Shop.

Cash payments are accepted for magazines and 50/50 cash draw tickets, although if wanting to pay by card for the magazine you can do so in the Club Shop with selected 50/50 sellers also accepting card.

Food and drink from The Lions’ Diner can be paid for by cash or card and the clubhouse accepts and prefers payment by card.

Team News

Ian Richards goes into the first friendly looking to build fitness for his squad.

His players have completed five training sessions before going into the opening friendly.

Aaron Martin could feature in his first game for the Lions in over six years.

The Opposition

Town were relegated from League 2 last season after a late surge of form took their battle to the final day where they were unable to beat the drop by a single point.

It is the second successive season Simon Weaver’s side have made the trip to Nethermoor after a five year gap without a meeting between the two sides.

The Sulphurites finished 23rd in League Two last season, they had looked destined to go down much earlier in the campaign but Simon Weaver’s men battled until the final day and finished below the dreaded dotted line by a single point.

Weaver believes that rational reflection gives his side a good chance at bouncing straight back into the EFL at the first attempt.

Despite the end of season disappointment the club retained 17 of last season’s squad and have since welcomed six new additions to the club which was later followed by the confirmation that George Thomson will remain in North Yorkshire.

Previous Meetings

Town and the Lions have clashed on many occasions in the league and local cup competitions with the two sides often paired together over the festive period for a local ‘derby’.

The last competitive match was just before the Covid-19 pandemic struck when Jamie Spencer and Gabriel Johnson found the net in a 2-1 win for the Lions at Marcy Fitness Stadium in the West Riding County Cup.

The two sides renewed alliances a year ago when they met at Nethermoor in a pre-season friendly, Town came out on top in a tight game under the West Yorkshire evening sunlight.

Follow the game

If you cannot make it to Nethermoor we will be providing live match updates on X (formerly Twitter).

What they’re saying

Simon Bullock caught up with new signing Adam Lund after the first week of pre-season, here’s what the midfielder had to say on training so far “It’s been a tough week. We’ve done a lot of running, but I suppose that’s what you expect in pre-season really. I am sure that Tuesday and Thursday will be tough again getting ready for the first game on Saturday. ”

When asked about his thoughts on the move to Nethermoor Adam said “It feels good. I was looking forward to getting back in to training after the break. It’s a good club that is going in the right direction. It’s got a good team behind it, does stuff in the right way and is very professional. It’s a good place where we train, it feels good being here.”

The midfielder was attracted to Nethermoor by Ian Richards, someone he knows from his time at Staveley Miners Welfare “I know the gaffer Ian. I know him from a few years back, so we’ve always been in contact a little bit. I knew a few of the lads who were here already. I could see by the players that they were signing as well as the players that were kept from last year the ambition the club has. Hopefully, we’re going to be a team that’s going to be up there, and we’ve definitely got the players and the resources to be up there. Hopefully we can have a good season finish up there and we’re here to win the league, aren’t we? So that’s what we want to do.”

Lund liked Richards’ recruitment style which allowed him space to make a decision “I didn’t speak to the managment team loads. I had a few conversations with them, but I like that. He put everything on the table that was there to be offered left me to make my own decision in my own time – that was one of the things that I liked about it.”

Describing his playing style Adam said “I’m more of a midfielder to be honest, definitely a defensive midfielder. I do the side of the game probably that people maybe don’t see. I’m there to work hard, tackle, win my battles, win the individual battles and then give it to the people who want the ball and do the nice side of the game.”

The 27 year-old had a few familiar faces in the squad who helped bring him to Nethermoor “I’m good mates with Jordan Thewlis, he lives close to me and I’ve played with him for a couple of years. I played with Ollie Brown for one year. Then there’s a couple of lads that I know from when I was younger from the academy days, Lucas Odunston and Harrison Hopper.”

The interview ended with Adam being asked on his aims for the season, his answer was clear “It’s definitely more of a team thing, I don’t really set myself kind of targets. I feel that I’m a player who just really wants to play every minute of every game. I don’t really set myself kind of individual goals but the only one I would say is that, as a team, we want to win the league. And personally I want to be out there contributing to the team, to the successes.”