Rod McDonald and Matty Foulds sign with Harrogate Town

Harrogate Town announced two major signings with centre half Rod McDonald and left-back Matty Foulds both joining the squad for the upcoming season.

The experienced 31-year-old McDonald arrives from Crewe Alexandra on a two-year deal.

He has made close to 200 appearances across League One and League Two, playing for teams like Northampton, Coventry, Wimbledon, Carlisle, and most recently, Crewe.

In his most recent stint with Crewe, McDonald helped his team secure a 13th place finish in League Two in the 2022/23 season, making 36 appearances, scoring two goals, and earning the Player of the Year honour.

Starting his career at Manchester City's Academy and moving to Stoke City in 2005, McDonald has a rich football history.

He returned to the Football League after proving his skills to Northampton Manager Chris Wilder during a trial.

Commenting on McDonald's signing, Assistant Manager Paul Thirlwell said, “We’re really pleased to have signed Rod, he’s another player we’ve liked for a few years, he had an exceptional season last season and we’re really looking forward to having him here with us."

In the club's second announcement, they welcomed back 25-year-old left-back Matty Foulds from Bradford City for an undisclosed fee.

Foulds is not a newcomer to Town, having spent the last six months of the previous season on loan with the club, playing a crucial role in the team's defensive performance.

Having started his career with the Bury academy, Foulds has had stints with Everton, Como and most recently Bradford City.

After signing the deal, Foulds will remain with Simon Weaver's squad for at least the next two seasons.

Sharing his excitement, Foulds said, “I am delighted to be here on a permanent basis now. I came in for the second half of last season and absolutely loved it so it was a no-brainer for me to come here.”