Graham Shepherd's position as director of football at UniBond League club Harrogate Town will be discussed by the board tonight following his controversial suggestions that the club should merge with Harrogate Railway.

Town chairman Bill Fotherby, who has called an emergency meeting of the board for tonight after being alerted to Shepherd's publicly-made comments upon returning from holiday in Spain, said the matter will be "discussed at the meeting in length".

He has apologised to officials Northern Counties East League club Railway after the comments sparked controversy in the town.

"These were someone's personal opinions, which are no doubt the same opinions of many people in Harrogate," Fotherby told the Evening Press.

"But he (Shepherd) had no right to come out with these opinions in the media. He's a director of Harrogate Town and the only people from the club who speak to the press are the chairman, managing director, club secretary and manager.

"It came as a complete shock and surprise to me that someone should come out with these comments in the press.

"They've been made without any comment or suggestion from the Harrogate Town board. It's never been discussed."

Harrogate Railway's directors meet tonight, when the merger issue, which has been raised in the past without progress, is likely to be discussed.

The controversy overshadows Town's match tonight in group three of the UniBond League Cup.

Mick Hennigan's men, fresh from their 5-0 division one thrashing of Lincoln United on Saturday, entertain premier division strugglers Frickley Athletic at Wetherby Road (kick off 7.30pm).

Town need to win to up their chances of getting through to the next stage.