Harrogate Town have beaten several EFL clubs to the signing of a vastly experienced defender.
Town are looking for an immediate return to the Football League after being relegated from League Two last season.
In a bid to ensure that becomes a reality, manager Simon Weaver has made a statement signing, adding quality and experience to his side.
Former Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds United defender Tom Lees has been confirmed as the latest signing by Harrogate Town.
Harrogate Town Sign Tom Lees
Town confirmed on their website that experienced defender Lees had signed for the club, despite receiving offers from EFL clubs and spending pre-season at League Two Rotherham United.
Lees has had a slight knock this summer, which kept him out of friendly action for the Millers. Rotherham boss Alex Bruce told the Rotherham Advertiser recently:
“Tom’s had a slight injury over the course of pre-season, so we’re just monitoring that. He’s had a little nick in his calf.
“It’s nothing major, but we’ve not been able to see him working with the group yet. We’ll make a decision on him after he’s joined the group.”
That slight knock may have caused hesitation from Rotherham United, but not for Harrogate, who were quick to snap up Lees.
Speaking to the club’s website, the 35-year-old said:
“I’m really happy to be here and meet everybody, it’s been a great day.
“I’ve had a few offers in the Football League, but after sitting down and talking with the club, there’s an exciting couple of years in store here and the start of a good project.
“I’ve lived in this town for most of my life, this is my local club, it means a lot to me to be involved and hopefully have a positive impact on my local team.
“I had a real connection as soon as I got talking about this move, I wanted to be surrounded by like-minded, good people, and that’s been proved today when I went into the club and had my first day in the building.”
Harrogate’s Head of Player Recruitment Lloyd Kerry expressed his satisfaction with the deal to sign Lees:
“We’re delighted to have him, he comes in with great experience and a CV that speaks for itself.
“He’s a proper leader so will come in and set the standards and guide some of the young lads.
“To play that many games at a top level you have to be a top professional and he’ll lead by example, you need leaders in the dressing room and in the team and Tom is definitely that.
“He organises, is dominant in the air, calm on the ball, is versatile enough to play across the back three and overall is an accomplished defender.
“He’s a big name and comes in having played 30 odd games in League One last season so it’s a really big signing for us.”
Experience and Quality
Lees is signing for Town off an impressive season in League One with Peterborough United.
The defender played 32 League One games, averaging 84 minutes per game and receiving an average Sofascore rating of 7.02 – the fourth highest in the Posh squad.
Defensively, he helped the Posh keep seven clean sheets and led the team in clearances per match with 7.3.
Lees recorded 0.5 interceptions per game, 0.8 tackles per game, 0.7 blocked shots per game, and recovered 3.3 balls per game.
The defender also showed his calmness on the ball. Lees finished the season with a pass accuracy of 88%, including 93% for passes in his own half.
Not only does he still have quality, but Lees also has a wealth of experience.
The Leeds United academy graduate has played 695 professional games, including 485 in the Championship.
Will Lees Be the Difference for Town?
Lees can certainly play a massive part in Harrogate’s battle to return to the EFL.
His combination of experience and quality will be hard to find in many defenders in the National League.
As long as the slight calf injury isn’t too serious, Harrogate will have a player they can rely on to lead on and off the field this season.