Former Bury Town player Connor Hall enjoying life at Harrogate Town

In footballing terms, the last few months could not have gone much better for ex-Bury Town defender Connor Hall.

Not only was the 27-year-old part of the Harrogate Town squad that was promoted to the Football League for the first time in August, he also scored at Wembley in the 3-1 play-off final win over Notts County.

And to cap it all, earlier this month the centre-back put pen to paper on a new three-and-a-half year deal at the EnviroVent Stadium.

Hall had been the subject of interest from a League One club during the summer, but after a move failed to materialise, he is eager to give his ‘prime’ years to Harrogate.

“After we won the play-offs there was interest from a club in League One but nothing ended up happening,” he said. “The clubs could not agree on a valuation and that was that.

“I actually had a slow start to the season. Looking back, maybe the speculation affected me a little bit.

“But I’ve got my head around everything and I feel like I’ve been playing well. I’ve been in the (League Two) Team of the Week three of four times recently – that shows I’ve been at a decent level.

“I’d got to a point where I had six months left on my contract and I needed to weigh everything up.

“Ultimately I enjoy it at Harrogate. The staff are brilliant and the club does so much for me and my family – not many clubs would do that.

“Hopefully the length of the contract shows how much I want to be at the club. I appreciate the club putting that faith in me.

“I’m 27 now, so the next three years are going to be my prime and I want to spend them at Harrogate.”

While there are plenty to pick from, the highlight of Hall’s fruitful period has to be finding the back of the net at the home of English football.

There was 28 minutes on the clock when Harrogate’s number 20 stretched out his left leg to put his side two goals up.

Notts County halved the deficit in the second half, but Jack Diamond’s 71st-minute effort rubber stamped the Yorkshire side’s place in League Two.

“When you get to Wembley of course you want to win – that’s the most important thing,” said Hall. “But to score and win is perfect – there is no better feeling.

“It still doesn’t feel real. You watch England games at Wembley now and it’s amazing to think I’ve played and scored there.

“We actually had a good feeling going into the game. We knew all about Notts County and knew we could cause them problems.

“They scored just after half-time and the second half felt like the longest half ever. I kept looking at the big clock and it felt like it had stopped! But we got the third and held on. Afterwards my phone went crazy.”

Wembley and life in the Football League is a far cry from playing for Bury, but Hall still harbours fond memories from his time at Ram Meadow.

Originally from St Neots, Hall was encouraged to make the switch over the Suffolk border by former Bury Town goalkeeper Dean Greygoose – then his coach at Willingham.

Hall lived in digs in Bury while combining his studies at West Suffolk College alongside working his way through the Blues’ ranks.

First under the management of Richard Wilkins and then Ben Chenery after breaking into the senior side, it was a period of highs and lows for the club.

Asked about his couple of stints at Bury, which also saw a move to Cambridge United fall through due to injury, Hall said: “Along with Harrogate, Bury is the club I have really enjoyed playing for.

“I got on so well with Wilks. He showed a lot of faith in me and really developed me. Russell (Ward, chairman) was also brilliant with me – it’s a club full of great people.

“Even though everyone has left now, a lot of us still speak. I ended up playing with Michael Coulson, the Reeds (Sam and Lee) and Smudger (Lee Smith) at Biggleswade, so we were all close.

“It was a great club to play for. I sort of gave up my dream of being a professional footballer after the Cambridge move fell through, but Bury always treated me right.

“We didn’t have the best of teams towards the end and it was tough, but overall it was a fantastic few years.”

Unlike England goalkeeper Nick Pope, Hall did not take the direct route from Bury to the world of professional football.

He went via Biggleswade Town and Brackley Town before signing for Harrogate in 2019.

And with Football League clubs currently struggling financially in the age of Covid-19, Hall can see more non-league players being given a chance to shine.

“More than ever those clubs will be looking at non-league players,” he added.

“The fees they pay won’t be as big and if the players prove themselves, they can also make a decent profit two or three years down the line.

“Even if you’re 20 or 21, you’ve still got a chance of making it. But you’ve got to put the effort in. For a long while I was seeing a strength and conditioning coach to get me in the best shape. There are sacrifices, but you need to make them ­– you never know who is watching.”

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