Matty Daly has joined Harrogate Town on a two-year deal following a successful loan spell with the Yorkshire club, as confirmed by the club.
Daly joined Harrogate on a season-long loan from fellow Yorkshire side Huddersfield Town last summer and the deal has now been made permanent. The 22-year-old made 39 appearances across all competitions during his loan spell and has impressed manager Simon Weaver enough to sign him permanently. Racking up eight goals and two assists this past season, the midfielder will be looking to improve on those numbers in the forthcoming season.
Harrogate’s third season in the EFL saw them finish 19th, nine points clear of the relegation zone. The Sulphurites finished in the same position the previous season, and have established themselves as an EFL side in recent years, having never appeared in the Football League before the 2020/21 season.
Daly is the club’s first signing of the summer, and with four names going out of the door alongside four loanees returning to their parent club, it will be no surprise to see the Yorkshire side active during the summer transfer window.
Who is Matty Daly?
The 22-year-old came through the youth academy at Huddersfield Town, yet only made 12 first-team appearances for the Terriers. Loans with Bradford and Hartlepool followed, but Daly’s most consistent season came with Harrogate. A creative, attack-minded midfielder, Daly has the ability to unlock defences with his passing and vision, which will play a big part next year for Harrogate if he can stay fit throughout the season.
What’s Been Said:
When speaking to the official Harrogate Town website, Daly said:
“I am really happy to join the club on a permanent deal. Last year, I really enjoyed my football playing here. There was a real togetherness and that made it a great dressing room to be a part of.
“Looking ahead to next season, it’s all about developing on the positives of the last campaign, both for me personally and for the club. I can’t wait to get going.”
Head of recruitment, Lloyd Kerry spoke on the new signing:
“We are delighted to sign Matty on a permanent deal. We knew a few weeks ago that he would be available and we moved pretty quickly.
“We know all about Matty and the quality which he has. He scored some vital goals for us last season and at the age of 22 we believe he can become a big asset for this club.”
Writer’s View
This is a good bit of business by Harrogate as they’ve managed to snap up a creative player who is already familiar with the surroundings. There is no doubt more to come from the Englishman, and the 2023/24 season could be a real breakout year for the midfielder. Harrogate will be aiming to improve on their league position in recent years, but as usual, survival is most important.
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