Town are back on the road today as they make the trip north to take on Harrogate Town at the EnviroVent Stadium today.
Harrogate have had a steady start to their 2023/24 season, currently sitting in 14th place and coming into today's game with a record of three wins and three defeats from their last six games.
However, it is their away form that delivered the majority of that success, with Swindon hoping to improve on their away form with both sides looking to push themselves further up the League Two table.
A lowdown on the visitors:
Harrogate Town's football journey began with the formation of the club in the 1919/20 season, following the interruption of the Great War. The initial attempt to establish the club in 1914/15 was thwarted by the war, with players joining the Regiments. The first competitive game in 1919 resulted in a 1-0 victory, marking the beginning of Harrogate's legacy.
In the 1920/21 season, the club joined the Yorkshire League, achieving a 2-1 win in the inaugural game at the new 'Wetherby Lane.' Notable successes included winning the Whitworth Cup in their debut season and securing the West Riding County Challenge Cup in 1925. The club faced a temporary disbandment in 1932 but re-emerged in 1935 as Harrogate Hotspurs.
In 1948, the team adopted the name Harrogate Town, entering the Yorkshire League and experiencing notable achievements in the 1962/63 season under Peter Gunby. Alan Smith's leadership in the 1981/82 season marked the last Yorkshire League Division Two win, coinciding with the installation of floodlights. The club's upward trajectory continued in the 2001/02 season, becoming Champions of UniBond League Division One under John Reed.
Under Simon Weaver's management from 2009, financial constraints challenged the club's progress, but they persevered, achieving safety in subsequent seasons. The 2017/18 season was historic, witnessing Harrogate Town's promotion to The National League. The following season, they topped the league early on, securing a sixth-place finish and reaching the Play-Offs.
In 2019/20, Harrogate Town achieved promotion to the Football League, a feat cemented by a win in the playoffs against Notts County. The club's first season in the Football League, played amid the Covid-19 pandemic, included historic moments like a victory over Barrow and a Carabao Cup clash with West Bromwich Albion.
The 2021/22 season saw the club secure a third consecutive season in the EFL, finishing 19th. Notable achievements included lifting the delayed 2019/20 FA Trophy at Wembley Stadium and reaching the Third Round of the FA Cup for the first time in history. The season's conclusion brought news of a PS3.5m investment, including a new seated stand, highlighting Harrogate Town's commitment to growth and success both on and off the pitch.
2021/22: Swindon Town 1-1 Harrogate Town
2021/22: Harrogate Town 1-4 Swindon Town
2022/23: Harrogate Town 3-0 Swindon Town
2022/23: Swindon Town 3-0 Harrogate Town
Manager: Simon Weaver
A former professional playing over 200 times for several league clubs including Doncaster Rovers and Lincoln City, Weaver was originally appointed as player-manager of Harrogate Town in the Conference North on 20 May 2009.
In May 2018, the team won 3-0 in the play-off final against Brackley Town to reach the National League for the first time in their history.
On 2 August 2020, Weaver led Harrogate to the English Football League for the first time in their history as they beat Notts County 3-1 in the National League play-off final at Wembley Stadium, before currently leading them to a fourth consecutive season in the fourth tier of English football.
One to watch: George Thomson
An experienced forward who has been with the club since 2017, Thomson has had an impressive start to his fourth season in the fourth tier, scoring five times and an assist to go along with his 14 appearances so far this campaign.
The 31-year-old started within the non-league game with Hinckley United, before establishing himself with National League North side King's Lynn Town and becoming a key member of Harrogate's promotions from the sixth and consequently, the fifth tier back in 2020.