Paul Harsley had his most prolific spells in front of goal whilst with Halifax and Macclesfield. Harsley started his career with Grimsby Town in 1995, but he spent two years at Blundell Park without making a single appearance and moved on to hometown club Scunthorpe United in August 1997.

During his time at Glanford Park, Harsley scored six goals in 147 appearances and helped the Iron gain promotion via the Division Three Play-Offs in 1999. Unfortunately Scunthorpe would spend only one season in Division Two and after finishing tenth in Division Three in 2000-2001 he moved to the Shay, to play for a Halifax side who had avoided relegation to the Conference by a single point.

Harsley and Town were not so fortunate in 2001-2002 however. The Shaymen won just eight games all season and finished bottom of the table, but Harsley was the club's top scorer as he bagged 11 goals in 50 appearances that season. This form spared him a drop into non-league football and he moved to Second Division side Northampton in the summer of 2002. The Cobblers had survived relegation, by just four points that season.

Lightening struck twice though for Harsley, as in his first season with Northampton they finished bottom of Division Two. Harsley still had a solid spell at Sixfields, scoring three times in 70 appearances before heading to Division Three Macclesfield in February 2004.

He helped the Maccs avoid relegation that season, scoring twice (in back to back wins over Kidderminster and Swansea) in 35 appearances before enjoying a much more successful season in 2004-2005. Macclesfield reached the play-offs that year, finishing fifth and Harsley scored four goals in 55 appearances, including in a 1-1 draw with Lincoln in the Play-Off Semi-Final Second Leg. Unfortunately the Maccs had lost the first leg 1-0 and they would remain in League Two for a seventh successive year. Harsley remained at Moss Rose for another season but he and his team could not repeat their heroics of the previous season, as they finished 17th but Harsley had his most productive spell at the club, scoring seven times in 55 games.

Harsley would get his promotion in the summer of 2006 when he moved to League One Port Vale. He scored just once in 40 matches in his first season at Vale Park as his new side finished 12th, but the following year saw him add a fourth relegation to his CV, although it was a good season for him personally. Harsley scored five times in 42 matches in 2007-2008 and was named Player of the Year at the club. Vale themselves finished 23rd, a massive 12 points off safety. Harsley's contract was up at the end of the season and he decided not to renew, instead moving to Chesterfield who were already in League Two.

At the time of writing Harsley has played 19 times for the Spireites (10 of those being as sub) and has scored once in a 3-1 win over Notts County in October. He was booked in a 1-0 win at old club Port Vale but hasn't featured since January.

Rob Miles