SHUTTLE Online has two very good Harriers bloggers but I thought I would write my latest piece on Wyre Forest's biggest football team.

It has been a surreal summer and season so far for almost everybody involved with the club.

Fans saw the departure of many of last season's star players, the spine of the outfit that came within a point of the Blue Square Premier's promotion play-offs either sold or released.

The clouds of gloom gathering over Aggborough were dispelled when Mark Yates signed Chris McPhee, a player who impressed for the final three months of last season after joining from Weymouth.

His arrival paved the the way for some interesting new additions to the squad, including experienced Cheltenham centreback Gavin Caines, Cheltenham midfielder John Finnigan and striker Robbie Matthews.

It has been hard to judge these new additions because they've either needed time to settle into the new team or missed games because of injury, but after 14 matches, it's clear to see that they have all had good moments.

Caines has been the most maligned after several errors against Forest Green, Tamworth and York, but he has also performed impressvely against Altrincham and Mansfield.

When Finnigan has played he's looked a cut above most midfielders in Football Conference's top flight but there are questions how many games the old-warhorse can play this campaign.

The manager has said that he'll be delighted to get 30 games from the 33-year-old and that might be enough to guide Harriers towards the play-offs once again.

Matthews has looked good every time he's played but has only just been able to get into his stride after groin problems.

So the signs are good, if the football gods are with Harriers, and the management team deserve some fortune.

Every year it seems that Yates and assistant Neil Howarth are fighting fires, rebuilding squads and working hard to develop players.

Mark Creighton, James Constable and Russ Penn all owe the duo their chances to shine and earned big money moves.

Part of this season's squad is testament to the management's determination to make the best of their situation and try to improve young players.

This season last year's survivors are trying to step up to the plate, with David McDermott, Matthew Barnes-Homer, Martin Riley and Dean Coleman still learning what it means to be senior players and first-team regulars.

The jury's out on whether they will succeed but if they follow the example of Dean Bennett and Brian Smikle, then they won't be going far wrong.

The duo have been Harriers' unsung heroes so far this campaign, with Smikle scoring six goals and Bennett Harriers' 'Mr Consistency'.

As for Darryl Knights, the former Ipswich man can be thrilling or frustrating, the jury's still out on him. He seems focused on succeeding after putting behind him his well-documented troubles this summer.

So the verdict is not bad, but it could be better if this newly-built squad can gel together over the next few months.

With AFC Wimbledon, Luton, Crawley and Cambridge coming up this month, this could be the crucial period, where they step up a gear, or sink back into mid-table obscurity.