Harrogate Town have had to turn down an invite to play a friendly against Celtic at Loughborough University.
Neil Lennon’s squad have been at their Leicestershire base since Monday with their first pre-season match scheduled a week today against Lyon.
Harrogate have National League Play Off semi-final against Boreham Wood or Halifax on July 25 but are badly down on numbers as they approach a series of matches that could take them into the English Football League for the first time.
Town boss Simon Weaver told the Harrogate Advertsiser:
I received a great phone call from Danny Wilson just the other day, asking if we wanted to play Celtic at Loughborough, all expenses paid,
Under any other circumstances we’d love to have played them. What an opportunity, and what a blow to have to say no but it’s too big a risk for us with the size of our squad and because we only have four defenders available for the play-offs.
We’re walking on egg shells a little bit in that respect. We’ve got to be very careful at the moment. I’m sure Celtic will find another of the play-off sides with a bigger squad who will be able to give them a game, but hopefully that link is forged now.
Outwith the EPL and Championship the only clubs in England currently training are those involved in Play Off matches, the Scottish Government has still to give the green light for clubs to take part in friendly matches.
Lennon will have to make do with a couple of 11 v 11 matches at training ahead of the three match trip to France which is the only confirmed matches ahead of the SPFL opener at home to Hamilton on August 2.