The 2020–21 season was the first season Harrogate Town played in the Football League following their promotion from the National League in the previous season. They competed in League Two, the fourth tier of English football, alongside the FA Cup, EFL Cup, and EFL Trophy. The club began the season at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, whilst a grass pitch was installed at their traditional Wetherby Road stadium in Harrogate, North Yorkshire.
Since the EFL require all matches to be played on grass pitches, the club played all their home matches for the first month of the season at Doncaster Rovers' Keepmoat Stadium whilst the club replaced their synthetic pitch at Wetherby Road.[4]
At the end of June 2020, defenders Maxim Kouogun, George Smith and Matty Taylor were all released following the expiry of their contracts, whilst the contract of midfielder Sam Jones was terminated with immediate effect.[5]
Updated to match(es) played on 31 May 2021. Source: EFL Official Website Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Head-to-head results; 5) Wins; 6) Away goals; 7) Penalty points (sec 9.5); 8) 12-point sending off offences[37]
Results summary
Overall
Home
Away
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
46
16
9
21
52
61
−9
57
8
5
10
24
29
−5
8
4
11
28
32
−4
Last updated: 8 May 2021. Source: BBC Sport
Results by round
Updated to match(es) played on 30 April 2021. Source: 11v11 A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss
Matches
The League Two fixtures were announced on 21 August 2020, with Harrogate's first fixture being away to Southend United.[38]
The first round draw was made live on Sky Sports on 18 August 2020, with Harrogate being drawn away to fellow League Two side Tranmere Rovers, with the match set to be played on 5 September 2020.[89] The draw for both the second and third round were confirmed on September 6, live on Sky Sports by Phil Babb.[90]
^Howell, Rhys (12 June 2020). "When the National League play-offs will take place and how you can watch them". Harrogate Advertiser. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
^"Harrogate Town 1–0 Boreham Wood: Jack Muldoon winner secures Wembley National League final place". BBC Sport. 25 July 2020. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
^Freeman, Jay (2 August 2020). "National League promotion final: Harrogate Town beat Notts County 3–1 to secure place in League Two". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
^"Harrogate Town: Doncaster Rovers groundshare for EFL newcomers". BBC Sport. 4 August 2020. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
^"Connor Kirby: Harrogate Town sign ex-Sheffield Wednesday midfielder". BBC Sport. 11 August 2020. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
^"Lawlor signs up for our EFL adventure". www.harrogatetownafc.com. Harrogate Town A.F.C. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
^"Tom Walker Is Signing Number Three". Harrogate Town A.F.C. 13 August 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
^"Kevin Lokko: Harrogate Town sign ex-Dover Athletic captain on two-year deal". BBC Sport. 14 August 2020. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
^"Kevin Lokko Joins The Ranks". www.harrogatetownafc.com. Harrogate Town A.F.C. 14 August 2020. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
^ ab"Jones and Minter arrive ahead of EFL debut". www.harrogatetownafc.com. Harrogate Town A.F.C. 11 September 2020. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
^"Calvin Miller Signs For Town". Harrogate Town AFC. Archived from the original on 8 October 2020. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
^"'All the pedigree in the world' : Why Harrogate Town moved for ex-Manchester City and Wolves midfielder". Harrogate Advertiser. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
^"Harrogate sign defender Williams". British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
^"Simon Powere joins Harrogate Town on permanent deal". Norwich City FC. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
^"Harrogate Town sign Forest Green Rovers striker Josh March on loan". Gloucestershire Echo. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
^"Harrogate Town struck by injury blow to key striker Josh March". www.yorkshirepost.co.uk.
^"Hondermarck Joins Until End of Season". Harrogate Town AFC. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
^"Exciting Winger Josh McPake Joins From Rangers". Harrogate Town AFC. Archived from the original on 27 January 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
^"Mitchell Roberts Secures Loan Move". Birmingham City FC. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
^"Josh Andrews signs from Birmingham City". Harrogate Town - Official Site. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
^"Scott Brown joins Warrington Town on loan for 2020-21 season". Warrington Guardian. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
^"Quakers sign keeper Melvin Minter on loan". Darlington FC. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
^"Melvin's loan extended". Darlington FC. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
^"Boston United add double promotion winner Joe Leesley to ..." Boston Standard. Archived from the original on 10 November 2020. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
^""He's going to be a good player for us!" Joe Leesley extends Boston United loan stay". Boston Standard. Archived from the original on 5 January 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
^"Walker arrives on loan". Notts County FC. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
^"Two join on loan". Notts County FC. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
^"Connor's key! New boy Kirby can fire Alty to flying finish!". Altrincham F.C. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
^"Former Sunderland youngster Liam Agnew reveals the main factor behind joining Blyth Spartans". News Post Leader. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
^"Matthew Taylor Joins Yellows From Harrogate Town". The Bet Victor League Northern Premier. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
^"JACK EMMETT DEPARTS". Harrogate Town - Official Site. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
^"Boro U23s 0–2 Town — Pre-season starts with a win". harrogatetownafc.com. Harrogate Town A.F.C. 21 August 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
^Whitaker, Henry (25 August 2020). "Brighouse 0–0 Town — Pre-season continues with a draw". harrogatetownafc.com. Harrogate Town A.F.C. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
^"Sunderland vs Harrogate Town". safc.com. Sunderland A.F.C. 28 August 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
^"Sunderland 1–0 Town". harrogatetownafc.com. Harrogate Town A.F.C. 29 August 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
^"EFL Regulations Section 3 – The League; subsection 9 – Method of Determining League Positions". EFL. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
^"League Two fixtures 2020–21: Bolton Wanderers host Forest Green first up". BBC Sport. 21 August 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
^"Southend United v Harrogate Town". Sky Sports. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
^"Harrogate Town v Walsall". Sky Sports. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
^"Port Vale v Harrogate Town". Sky Sports. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
^"Harrogate Town v Bolton Wanderers". Sky Sports. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
^"Bradford City v Harrogate Town". Sky Sports. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
^"Harrogate Town v Barrow". Sky Sports. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
^"Grimsby Town v Harrogate Town". Sky Sports. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
^"Colchester (A)". BBC. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
^"Stevenage (H)". Sky Sports. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
^"Newport (A)". Sky Sports. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
^"Tranmere (H)". Sky Sports. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
^"Crawley (H)". Sky Sports. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
^"Leyton Orient (A)". Sky Sports. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
^"Mansfield Town (A)". Sky Sports. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
^"Harrogate Town 2 Scunthorpe United 5". Sky Sports. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
^"Harrogate Town 0 Forest Green Rovers 1". Sky Sports. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
^"Morecambe 1 Harorgate Town 0". Sky Sports. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
^"Exeter City 1–2 Harrogate Town". Sky Sports. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
^"Harrogate Town 0–1 Salford City". Sky Sports. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
^"Thomson double lifts Harrogate". Sky Sports. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
^"Cambridge 2-1 Harrogate: United come from behind to win in Abbey Stadium fog". Sky Sports. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
^"Harrogate 0-0 Exeter: Grecians held in goalless draw". Sky Sports. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
^"Salford 2–2 Harrogate: Late Ed Francis equaliser snatches draw". Sky Sports. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
^"Tranmere 3-2 Harrogate: James Vaughan hits double in Rovers win". Sky Sports. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
^"Harrogate 2-1 Newport: Aaron Martin strikes to down 10-man Newport". Sky Sports. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
^"Crawley 1-3 Harrogate: Mark Wright's first professional start ends in defeat". Sky Sports. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
^"Harrogate 0–1 Cheltenham:". Sky Sports. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
^"Harrogate 1-0 Carlisle: Josh March penalty proves the difference for Town". Sky Sports. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
^"Scunthorpe 3-1 Harrogate: Ryan Loft stars as Iron make it four wins in a row". Sky Sports. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
^"Harrogate 1-0 Mansfield: Aaron Martin seals win for home side". Sky Sports. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
^"Harrogate 1-0 Grimsby: Mark Beck ends goal drought to move hosts into top half". Sky Sports. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
^"Barrow 0-1 Harrogate: Jack Muldoon hits winner for Town". Sky Sports. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
^"Stevenage 1-0 Harrogate: Elliott List strikes winner to dent Town play-off hopes". Sky Sports. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
^"Harrogate 3-0 Colchester: Town ease to win to maintain play-off hopes". Sky Sports. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
^"Forest Green 2-1 Harrogate: Chris Stokes, Kane Wilson on target in Rovers win". Sky Sports. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
^"Harrogate 0-1 Morecambe: Carlos Mendes Gomes strikes early winner for Shrimps". Sky Sports. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
^"Harrogate 0-1 Southend: Ashley Nathaniel-George secures vital win for Shrimpers". Sky Sports. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
^"Walsall 0-0 Harrogate: Town goalkeeper James Belshaw stars in stalemate". Sky Sports. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
^"Harrogate 0-2 Port Vale: David Worrall scores in Valiants win as referee Rebecca Welch makes history". Sky Sports. Retrieved 7 April 2021.