Boss Aspin set to quit Harrogate

Neil Aspin has managed Harrogate Town for four-and-a-half seasons

Harrogate Town boss Neil Aspin will leave the Blue Square North club at the end of this season after eight years as player, coach and manager.

Aspin told BBC Radio York: "With the financial restraints imposed for next season, it's a two-way thing.

"The club can save on my wages and also I can go somewhere where maybe the budget gives me more of a chance than I would have here next season.

"I've always been loyal but there comes a time when you have to move on."

Aspin joined Town in 2001 as player-coach to John Reed and the club won the Unibond Division One title.

He left briefly in 2004 but returned to Town as manager when Reed left the club suddenly for Stalybridge, and Town have been in contention for the Conference North play-offs in every season since.

Financial hardship due to the Wetherby Road ground's limitations, poor crowds and the credit crunch led to the transfer-listing of Aspin's entire squad at the end of January 2009, and that proved a turning point.

"All the players were put on the transfer list, inviting offers," Aspin added. "And now because of the financial situation at the club, if I can get a club myself then I'll be allowed to leave as well.

"I've done the best I can for the club and the club's done well by me so there isn't a problem there.

"The credit crunch has obviously affected us. If you ask the chairman [Bill Fotherby] he'll say, look at the crowd we got [at home to Solihull], 220 people, which isn't enough to sustain a team at this level.

"I'm ambitious, I've been in football all my life and I'd like to try to stay in football.

"From the discussions that I had last week [with the board] then [my departure] will be definite."

Town are currently eighth in the table, seven points adrift of the play-offs, and travel to fourth-placed AFC Telford on Tuesday after drawing 2-2 with leaders Tamworth on Saturday.