Former title-winning Cobblers defender agrees move to League Two outfit

Defender Rod McDonald, a title-winner with the Cobblers in 2016, has joined Harrogate Town on a two-year deal from Crewe Alexandra.

The 31-year-old has a wealth of EFL experience having made just short of 200 appearances across League One and League Two. After winning League

Two with Northampton in the 2015/16 season, McDonald went on to play for Coventry, Wimbledon, Carlisle and most recently Crewe. He was named Crewe’s Player of the Year for 2022/23 after scoring twice in 36 appearances.

Harrogate assistant manager Paul Thirlwell said: “I think every team needs to have the right blend, everybody wants that youth and exuberance in the squad, but you also need those older heads for when you go to the bigger grounds and the noise is there, that’s when you need your leaders and your organisers on the pitch.

“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.

“We’ve been looking to identify strong, powerful players and good characters and Rod certainly comes into that bracket with his performances last season. He’s very dominant, very aggressive and he can play as well, so he’s a player we feel will fit in really well to the squad.”