Vaughan: We'll be back stronger (From Kidderminster Shuttle)

Vaughan: We'll be back stronger

8:00am Thursday 3rd May 2012 in Blue Square Premier

DEFENDER Lee Vaughan is certain youthful Kidderminster Harriers will be even stronger next season when they take another shot at the Blue Square Bet Premier play-offs.

The Aggborough outfit finished agonisingly outside of the top-five after an incident packed 3-0 defeat at home to Mansfield on Saturday.

Defeat to the Stags and Luton’s victory at champions Fleetwood, left Steve Burr’s side five points behind the fifth-placed Hatters.

However, Vaughan can see the progress the club has made as they took the race for the play-offs to the final match of the campaign.

Now he is sure Harriers’ young squad will only improve in the 2012-13 campaign.

The club already have Danny Lewis, Vaughan, Mickey Demetriou, Kyle Storer, Jack Byrne, Anthony Malbon, Ryan Rowe and Marvin Johnson signed up for the next campaign.

EXTEND With Harriers also expected to take up the option to extend striker Jamille Matt’s deal for another season, as long as he successfully overcomes his troubles with the UK Border Agency, they will already have nine players secured.

“I think it’s been a really good season,” said Vaughan, who received the player-of-the-season award after a consistent campaign.

“We’ve progressed this year and got even closer to the play-offs.

“It all came down to the game at Luton last week, which was very close but we made a small mistake at the back and it cost us.

“But I think with the players we’ve already got for next season we will be stronger and we’re certainly progressing under Steve Burr.

“You can see Anthony [Malbon] has settled in really quickly and that Ryan [Rowe] has also improved a lot.

“I also like the look of Marvin [Johnson], he’s got pace to burn and reminds me of Matty Blair, who was a very good player for us.”

Vaughan will miss the first four games of next season, after being shown a straight red card for elbowing Stags striker Matt Rhead on Saturday.

The sending off was disappointing for the right-back, who has worked hard on his feisty reputation and has only picked up seven yellow cards compared to 13 last year.

He said: “I was shocked when I was sent off but looking at the video afterwards I did catch him.

LEVERAGE “I did lead in with my elbow but he’s such a big player and I was just trying to get some leverage on him.

“I am not surprised the referee sent me off, he also sent me off against Telford.

“It’s a shame the season ended that way as I have not picked up half as many bookings as last year.

“I sat down with the management and they asked me to tone it down and I have, but now I am missing the first four games of next season, which is frustrating.”

Meanwhile, Harriers have not been approached by managerless League Two side Macclesfield Town to talk to manager Burr.

The relegated Silkmen are looking for someone to take up the hot-seat at Moss Rose and replace Brian Horton, but it is unlikely they would be able to meet Harriers’ valuation of Burr, who is contracted until 2014.

Burr, who is a goal-scoring legend at Macclesfield, has been touted as an odds-on favourite by some bookmakers.

n The club’s earlybird season ticket deal is set to come to an end tomorrow. Anyone interested in taking advantage of the offer has until 4.30pm.

n Harriers have also lined-up their first friendly fixture at home to Walsall on Tuesday, July 31.