Harry Sharman has ended a 25-year stint with his beloved Spalding RFC by joining runaway National League Three Midlands leaders South Leicester – and has also revealed the real reasons behind his acrimonious axing as Town skipper.
The talismanic former captain didn’t feature for Spalding in their 34-7 defeat at Mansfield last weekend as he was busy wrapping up a transfer he describes as “too good to turn down”.
He’ll join former Town team-mates Wes Cope and Jethro Rawlings at South Leicester, who are 19 points clear of Peterborough Lions at the top of their league and just one win away from a cup final at Welford Road, the home of Leicester Tigers.
Although he’s buzzing at the prospect of testing himself at a higher level, Sharman does leave the Memorial Field with a heavy heart and something of an axe to grind.
He was stripped of the club captaincy midway through his sixth season in the job back in December, but no real reason was given by either camp.
And while Sharman, who led Town to two promotions and a county cup success during his stint as skipper, wasn’t willing to offer his side of the story back then, he certainly is now.
The talismanic figure admits that he and the club were using the fact he had a broken nose as cover for the fact he was banned for a four-month period following an incident that occurred in a match against Peterborough during pre-season.
But Sharman has now revealed his massive disappointment at the lack of support Spalding, a club he joined at the age of four, have shown him over the matter.
“I felt pushed out as captain if I’m honest,” said the 29-year-old, who replaced Andrew Branton as skipper back in 2009. “I feel like I was badly treated.
“Yes, the ban was due to ill-discipline on my part. I did have a broken nose, but it wasn’t the only reason I wasn’t playing.
“But I just didn’t feel like the club supported me at all.
“It certainly looked like I was being held responsible for the club’s poor results. That wasn’t the case.
“I was fuming at the time, but I didn’t think that speaking out was the way forward.
“Obviously, if I had my time again I’d have liked to see the sixth season out and moved on. I felt I’d earned that.
“But I must emphasise that my decision to leave now has nothing to do with that.
“South Leicester is a great move for me and it’s one I’d have regretted not taking. They made me an offer a few months back and I rejected it as I wanted to stay and help the club. But they came back in again and it was an offer I simply couldn’t refuse.”
Although he’s disappointed with the way it ended, Sharman does hope that he’ll return to Spalding RFC in the future.
The club are currently enduring their worst campaign in recent history, having lost all 19 of their Midlands One East games to date.
Sharman believes that new head coach Ben Williams is the perfect choice to help turn Town’s fortunes around and has given his full support to new skipper Ryan Chappell and vice captain Sam Cooke. He does, however, feel that the club left it too late to replace former coach Andy McMahon.
“Sadly, one of the biggest problems at Spalding was Andy McMahon,” added Sharman. “I did say that we needed a change there.
“That’s nothing against Andy at all, his methods were maybe a little too advanced for what you need at Midlands One East level.
“It probably should have happened sooner, but Ben Williams is the perfect choice as head coach.
“Ben has a lot to offer the club and has the respect of everyone at the club.
“I’d like to wish him, Ryan and Sam all the very best.
“Hopefully one day I’ll return and play for the club again, who knows?
“I captained Spalding at under-16, under-17, colt level and then the first team. I’m very proud of that.
“It hasn’t ended how I would have hoped and, yes, it has left a sour taste in the mouth. But I wish the club nothing but the best.”
