Harrogate Town boss Simon Weaver declares Leeds United problem with 'laughed at' declaration and Whites plan

Harrogate Town boss Simon Weaver has declared a Leeds United problem with a ‘laughed at’ declaration and Whites plan.

Weaver’s League Two outfit are heading for a first ever competitive fixture against nearby neighbours Leeds in Saturday evening’s third round FA Cup clash for which Daniel Farke’s Championship leading Whites are massive favourites.

There are 67 places between the two sides in the EFL ladder and Weaver admits he would be “laughed out of town” by his players if he had any “giddy expectations” of dominating in United’s own back yard.

Weaver, though, has outlined his side’s “steady mindset” plan armed with ‘knowing what Leeds do’ - yet faced with the difficult problem of stopping it.

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Asked how to strike the balance of targeting a cup upset but also knowing that his team won’t see much of the ball, Weaver declared: "If I went in there with giddy expectations of dominating the game at Elland Road I think I would be laughed out of town by the players.

"I've got to try and earn the credibility of the players by preparing them and making them also aware of their strengths and their patterns of play basically so we can go through that process together as a team.

"Josh Falkingham (injured captain) has been heavily involved with that because it has certainly given him a purpose the last couple of weeks to really delve into the patterns of play for Leeds and the personnel and they are regular patterns. We know what they do - it's just stopping them that's difficult for Championship clubs right now!

"But it's breaking it down and then we will take that mindset, try and take a steady mindset into the game of how to try and stop them but also just looking at our possibilities on the ball when we have it."