Harrogate Town chairman Bill Fotherby has reiterated calls for the UniBond League club to merge with rivals Harrogate Railway - immediately after director of football Graham Shepherd resigned for making similar suggestions.

Shepherd left his post after an emergency board meeting last night, just days after he had publicly suggested the Wetherby Road outfit should join forces with their Northern Counties East League neighbours.

However, he has not left the club, but instead will work with director George Dunnington as an assistant to the ground chairman.

As reported, Fotherby, who returned home from holiday to find the merger row simmering, said Shepherd had not been speaking on behalf of the club, and added: "I didn't like the way it came out."

But he then unveiled his wishes for the two clubs to merge under the name Harrogate R United.

"My dream is for Harrogate Town to be together with Railway and I would welcome their people with us. They are not second class citizens. Harrogate deserves a Football League club - together we can do it," said the former Leeds United chairman.

Fotherby had issued a public apology to Railway officials after Shepherd's go-it-alone comments, but has now said he would relish a meeting with both them and supporters of the two clubs.

He also stressed that Town's future, whatever happened, would be away from the Wetherby Road headquarters, which he said lacked adequate parking and needed costly pitch improvements.

"I am hoping we can sit down together so that we can see what is good for Harrogate, a town with a population of about 75,000. I don't think our future is at Wetherby Road. I would like to see a ground made for both clubs, an all-seater stadium. I don't want to dwell on the past and say it can't be done," he said.

However, Harrogate Railway chiefs, who raised merger talk only briefly at their monthly meeting last night, have poured cold water on the idea.

"The matter didn't really get off the ground or warrant a discussion," said chairman Dennis Bentley.

"We didn't know what the Town chairman wanted to discuss, but our committee was unanimous in not wanting a merger, although we did not take a vote. If he is thinking of coming down here lock, stock and barrel I don't think it would be able to work. We want to keep our identity."

* Meanwhile, Town's UniBond League Cup clash with Frickley Athletic at Wetherby Road last night was called off by Knaresborough referee George Simpson five minutes before kick-off following a deluge which waterlogged the pitch.

Town are scheduled to entertain Trafford at Wetherby Road in a UniBond first division game on Saturday.

peter.martini@ycp.co.uk