MANAGER Mark Yates believes Kidderminster Harriers must unite in order to achieve the dream of promotion to the Football League and has urged the fans to back his out-of-form team.

Yates is keenly aware that the relationship between the supporters and club has been damaged by a poor run of form, which culminated in back-to-back home losses to Northwich Victoria and Cambridge United last week.

Yates believes their support is a crucial element if they are to stop the rot in the Blue Square Premier and reignite their hopes of breaking back into the play-off spots.

Harriers have slipped to ninth in the table but are still just four points off fifth place.

But they can take a big step to finding their former potency when in-form Eastbourne Borough come to Aggborough on Saturday (3pm kick-off), before travelling to Woking on Tuesday night (7.45pm kick-off) in the league.

“We’ve had a few bad results but we’ve got to draw a line under those, because we’ve got 16 games of the season left and we’re still in a good position to do something special this season,” said Yates.

“We are only four points outside of the play-offs and at this stage of the season that’s a decent position to be in.

“What we need is the fans to get right behind us because we’ll only succeed if everyone is together.

“I can assure everyone that we’ll all be trying our best to make sure we have a grandstand end to the season.

“Training has gone well and the players are focused on the task ahead but we need the fans to get behind them.

“We don't need detractors, that won’t help us, we need everyone together, fans included, pulling in the same direction and when we do we can achieve our aims.

“We’ll be going out to beat Eastbourne and start another great run until the end of the season.”

The club received a much-needed shot in the arm this week when midfielder Russ Penn resumed training after a five-week lay-off with bruised knee ligaments.

The 24-year-old is set to start tonight's Worcestershire Senior Cup quarter-final at Stourbridge (7.45pm kick-off) and if he comes through successfully will play some part against Eastbourne.

“It’s been like having a new player signed this week,” commented the manager.

“Russ has looked good in training and he’s one of the best players in our squad, so he has been missed.”

Apart from Stefan Moore, who sustained an ankle injury in training, Harriers have a full-strength squad for Saturday’s vital league clash.

The squad have not played in the league for nearly a fortnight after their mid-week clash at Wrexham was postponed because of the Dragons’ FA Trophy replay at Ebbsfleet.

Yates is also hoping to strengthen his squad by signing Weymouth midfielder Chris McPhee before Saturday’s game.

The manager is locked in talks in a bid to persuade the 25-year-old to sign.

McPhee scored the winning goal in last season’s FA Trophy Final, when Ebbsfleet edged Torquay 1-0.

He joined Weymouth in the summer to be closer to his family but decided to quit the cash-strapped club after not being paid at all this year.

“We’ve been talking to Chris for the last week and I am hoping we’re very close to getting him,” said Yates.

“We only want to add players who can improve the squad and I think he’d be a great addition.

“He’s a great physical specimen, is good in the air and has a tremendous attitude and we’re moving heaven and earth to try and get him.”

Meanwhile, defender Paul Bignot has been released by the club.