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Budget cuts: Harriers will have to tighten their belts according to chairman Barry Norgrove.

KIDDERMINSTER Harriers' ability to bring in new players next season will be severely restricted because of falling attendances in the Blue Square Premier, according to chairman Barry Norgrove.

Manager Mark Yates's playing budget is set to be slashed after the club's average crowd at Aggborough had fallen to its lowest in nearly a decade.

Harriers had originally budgeted for an average of 2,000 fans at home games in the league but after a bright start the number of supporters coming through the gates has plummeted to 1,556.

Yates was given a sizeable amount of money to build on the momentum generated by the run to the FA Carlsberg Trophy Final last May and stage a bid for the promotion play-offs.

However, as the team has struggled for consistency the fans have ebbed away and left the club with a financial black hole.

"Last season we budgeted to get average crowds of 2,000 but we've only had that once at the start of the season," said the chairman.

"We really went for it in the summer and gave the manager a big budget for players. It was probably the biggest we have had since Jan Molby was at the club.

"But the crowds are getting smaller and unless they improve drastically near the end of the season, or the board puts more money into the club, then the manager will have less money to spend next summer."

The fall in revenue means the club's share of the ticket sales from last May's Wembley final is even more important.

Harriers have joined forces with Trophy winners Stevenage Borough after Norgrove held a meeting with opposite number Phil Wallace before last week's Blue Square Premier clash in Hertfordshire.

Both feel that the amount which Wembley wants the clubs to pay for the final's hospitality expenses is excessive.

Until the disagreement is settled both clubs' 10-month wait for their slice of the cash from the final, which was watched by a 53,000 crowd, will go on.

Harriers' solicitor, Oliver Hunt, has sent a letter to the FA requesting a meeting with officials to finally end the delay.

Norgrove said: "The meeting with Stevenage went very well and we're both singing from the same hymn sheet.

"Both Stevenage and ourselves compared figures we were given before the final and they are very different from what the people at Wembley want now.

"We want to sit down with them face-to-face and finally thrash this out."

Harriers will be aiming to bring in a replacement for on-loan defender Luke Jones, who returned to parent club Shrewsbury Town, before last Thursday's 2-1 defeat to Stevenage Borough in the Square Premier.

The League Two side's new manager, Paul Simpson, activated a 24-hour recall option for the 19-year-old centreback only two hours before he was supposed to play for Harriers.

Assistant Neil Howarth is hopeful that at least one new face may join on-loan before the Blue Square clashes at Exeter City on Saturday and Monday's home game with Rushden and Diamonds (both 3pm kick-off).

"It was disappointing to see Luke go because he was really enjoying his time here," said Howarth.

"We're a little light in defence so we'll be hoping to bring someone in to strengthen that area."

Harriers will be aiming to bounce back from the league loss to Stevenge and the Worcestershire Senior Cup semi-final defeat to Worcester City on Monday (read reports).

A weak side, which included Howarth, Yates and physio Ian Foster, lost 3-2 in extra-time to their local rivals at St George's Lane.

"We felt we put a team out that could win the game and I was disappointed that we didn't progress," he added.

"We have five games in 12 days coming up and that's going to put a lot of strain on our squad.

"We wanted to make sure we were in good shape for those games because we still want to finish as high as we can."

9:00am Thursday 20th March 2008

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