The surprise role Simon Weaver played in Jack Hunt's Sheffield Wednesday return and Darren Moore's memories of a 'skinny teenager'

Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver will shake a lot of hands on his visit to Hillsborough tomorrow evening.
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The 43-year-old former Owl, who has led the North Yorkshire club on a remarkable transformation from part-time non-league football to League Two promotion hopefuls, arrives for a dead-rubber affair, with both teams safely through to the next round of the Papa Johns Trophy.

Weaver will no doubt recognise some behind-the-scenes faces from his time there that ended in 1997.

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But he also knows Wednesday right-back Jack Hunt well having allowed him to train with the club while he was out of contract in the summer. Hunt is close friends with Town skipper Josh Falkingham and spent time building fitness with Harrogate ahead of his Wednesday switch.

What’s more, Weaver is no stranger to the Owls coaching staff having made his league debut alongside Darren Moore and Simon Ireland while on loan at Doncaster Rovers 24 years ago.

Speaking to The Star, Weaver said: “I made my league debut at 19. David Pleat called me into the office and sent me to Doncaster Rovers to play the next day.

“I walked into Belle Vue and Darren Moore was sat there. I was this skinny 19-year-old looking at the size of this guy, muscles out to here, with this big grin on him. He welcomed me to the club straight away. He shook my hand and it just swallowed mine. He was brilliant.

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“I remember he headed this first ball and he headed it further than I could pass it!”

Sheffield Wednesday favourite Jack Hunt spent time working on his fitness with Harrogate Town before he re-signed for the Owls.Sheffield Wednesday favourite Jack Hunt spent time working on his fitness with Harrogate Town before he re-signed for the Owls.
Sheffield Wednesday favourite Jack Hunt spent time working on his fitness with Harrogate Town before he re-signed for the Owls.

Moore, who also played alongside Weaver’s assistant Paul Thirlwell while at Derby County, laughed while recalling his first meeting with Weaver.

“Both Simon Ireland and I were at Doncaster together,” he said. “We know Weavs really well and yes I remember him making his debut.

“I was trying to stay in position and get him to do my running, but he was thinking the same thing as me and wanted to stand still and let me do his running!

“We ended up with two centre-backs rigid in the middle of the pitch doing no work!

“He’s a really good man and it was great to have him on board with us. He’s doing great things at Harrogate.”