Harrogate Town have appointed Ilkeston Town defender Simon Weaver as their new player-manager.

The 32-year-old, who has previously had spells at Scarborough, York and Kidderminster Harriers succeeds Neil Aspin at the CNG Stadium.

He told BBC York: "It will be sad leaving such a good club as Ilkeston but this is too big an opportunity not to take up.

"I've been given a massive chance here and I intend to make the most of it."

Weaver's career has been a mixture of joy and despair, having experienced relegation with Tamworth and Scarborough, and two promotion play-off finals at Lincoln under Keith Alexander.

Hopefully we can attract the right type of player to sustain a good level of football Simon Weaver

Weaver first worked under Alexander in his first spell at Ilkeston and said he has leaned from his former boss.

"The work ethic installed by Keith will, hopefully, be installed by myself now that I've got this chance," said the former Sheffield Wednesday trainee.

Weaver's second spell at Ilkeston also proved fruitful as he scored in this season's Unibond Premier Division play-off final against Nantwich which saw Ilkeston promoted to Blue Square North.

And he added that Harrogate's financial limitations, which caused the break-up of Neil Aspin's side, do not concern him.

"It's about being more prudent with the planning in every walk of life at the moment just to survive," he said.

"I might mean that people on the pitch will have the right criteria of why they want to be in the game and why they want to play at this level.

"Hopefully we can attract the right type of player to sustain a good level of football, to progress further and be at the right end of the table."

Weaver added that he intends to continue as a player, but will not be scared to leave himself out of the team.

"Sometimes I can step back and check from afar just how well the club is progressing on the field.

"I went for the job primarily because I knew that if I got it, then I wouldn't be dropped."

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