Former Leeds United shot-stopper Rob Green won't be making a shock return to professional football following links with League Two side Harrogate Town.
despite announcing his retirement over three years ago.
The 42-year-old, who announced his retirement over three years ago had been linked with the Yorkshire side after boss Simon Weaver was unable to call upon the services of Mark Oxley, who has recently broken his hand, and academy 'keeper Harvey Giles for the visit of Nigel Clough's Mansfield Town on Saturday.
Town are not permitted to make an emergency loan signing because they still have one senior goalkeeper available for selection, a rule which left Weaver with the sole option of adding a free agent to his ranks.
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Green had previously resided in Harrogate, which made him an obvious link to resolving such issues. However, Weaver explained that the 12-time England international has recently moved to Spain and hinted that he is unlikely to make a signing due to Giles' impending return from COVID-19.
“It’s a nightmare,” the long-serving boss told the Harrogate Advertiser. "Ox doesn’t need an operation, but it’s still several weeks out. It was hard on Saturday because Harvey Giles, our youth team goalkeeper, has had Covid.
"We are not allowed an emergency loan, so we might have to look around to see if there are any free agents, just for a month or two. We’ll have to scour the market, but I don’t think there will be too many good ones available.
"Rob Green has moved from Harrogate to overseas, to Spain, I think, so we couldn’t even try and ring him up and ask the question,” he added.
"So it’s a tough one, but it’s just the spot we find ourselves in at the minute.”
Green made 47 appearances for the Whites during the 2016/17 season and won the affection of fans as Garry Monk's side finished seventh in the Championship.
The Sulphurites were, subsequently, forced to name seven outfield players on the substitute bench for their 3-0 triumph over the Stags.
Thankfully for Weaver, regular number one Pete Jameson avoided injury and suspension in, arguably, his team's best performance of the season to date.
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