Harrogate stability has helped my cause - Weaver

Harrogate Town boss Simon Weaver believes the club keeping faith in him has played a key role in their dramatic resurgence in League Two

The North Yorkshire side were five points adrift of safety in February, before ending a 20-game winless run with a 2-1 win over Cambridge United.

Since then, Harrogate have taken nine points from six matches, and are currently one points adrift of two clubs, and just two points behind 21st placed Crawley Town.

"We're bouncing, we're bouncing back," Weaver told BBC Radio York. "It's not easy to go from one extreme to the other, and I'm not saying we have because we haven't won all those games.

"But we've put up a real fight, and we are properly in the ring now. There's not many people who've got games in hand, and we're in contention."

Whilst Weaver is the longest serving English Football League manager, having been at the Exercise Stadium for 17 years, a number of their relegation rivals have sacked their managers in recent months.

Newport County released David Hughes in November, whilst Bristol Rovers brought in Steve Evans in December to replace Darrell Clarke.

Tranmere parted company with Andy Crosby last week, and just this week Barrow sacked Dino Maamria after just 28 days, their fourth boss of the season.

Weaver added: "I believe that stability has helped my cause and the team's cause with that, because its not different messages from different people. My role is to carry the can at times, and make sure that we stay the course."

"It's teamwork that's now as important as ever, and I try and emphasise the importance of that. We've only got to this level by it not being about any individual, and wanting all in."

"We believe in the journey that we've all been on, and believe it's people first, and then if you back the right people you must believe they'll carry out their duties to the best they possibly can, and there will be no regrets.".

The club's recent upturn in form has earnt the 48-year-old a February Manager of the Month nomination.

"It's obviously nice because it's reflective of the team and their progress over the last month. We've had to make a fight back, and I guess that's proof of it."

"It's going to be a battle to the end, we know that, but we're very excited about the progress of us as a team and we solely focus on Salford City now.

"We know what's at stake. We know how much it means, not just to us. We've got lots of families with young kids coming to games, they are passionate, it's their club and they love the fact that we're a Football League club."