Harborough Town reach double figures as retained list grows ahead of next season
Harborough Town’s squad is taking shape ahead of next season’s rise to the National League North, with 14 of last term’s crop signing on for another campaign.
Bees head coach Mitch Austin was determined to retain a core group, offering continuity.
The first retained player announced was goalkeeper Elliott Taylor, who has made 250 appearances for Harborough since 2020, when he joined from Hinckley.
Taylor remains the first-choice shot-stopper at the Beehive, having played 52 times across all competitions last season.
Next up was the manager’s and supporters’ player of the season last year, Alex Morris. The defender scored six league goals in 37 starts throughout 2025/26.
Fellow defenders Josh Walsh, Liam Dolman, George Carline, Eliot Putman and Rory McAuley have all put pen to paper, extending their stays.
Walsh is the longest-serving of all those sticking around, as the 25-year-old has racked up a remarkable 300 appearances since joining from Oadby Town in 2018.
The 38-year-old Dolman, signed from Tamworth, is a commanding figure at the back who offers vast experience.
Carline has impressed since joining from Brackley Town last term, scoring seven goals in 40 league games. He also possesses a mighty long throw.
Putman has been a tidy signing from Peterborough Sports. He featured 35 times across all competitions last term.
McAuley, meanwhile, joined in 2025 from Corby Town and has the nickname Scorey McAuley after netting three in nine starts in 2025/26.
Another retained is Paul Malone, who can play unusually as a centre-back or centre-forward. He’s entering his sixth season at the Beehive, with 35 goals in 158 appearances.
Midfield five Riley O’Sullivan, Devon Kelly-Evans, Rob Morgan, Connor Kennedy and Dempsey Arlott-John will all remain at the Beehive.
O’Sullivan, predominantly a number 10, contributed a pivotal 13 goals in 29 league starts last campaign.
Kelly-Evans, a recent signing from Kettering Town in 2025, settled in nicely at Harborough during his debut campaign, playing 49 times.
Ball-winner Morgan has featured on 48 occasions since being convinced by boss Austin to join from AFC Stamford in January 2025.
Arlott-John, meanwhile, returned to the Bees from Brackley in 2025 and made a decent impact with two goals in 19 starts.
Last but not least, attacker Terell Pennant is sticking around. He scored three in his first 20 appearances for the Bees.