WALSALL youngster Joe Foulkes has swapped the Saddlers for the Harriers by signing on loan at Aggborough – just days after playing against them.

The teenage right-back features for Matt Taylor’s League 2 side in a pre-season friendly match on July 24th.

He was a solid performer in a 5-0 victory for Walsall against Russ Penn’s men, his performance not only catching the eye of his own coaching staff, but those at Aggborough, too.

Days later, Harriers announced that the 18-year-old was back in Kidderminster, having joined from Walsall on loan until January.

Foulkes would then go on to put in a standout performance on his Harriers debut, the 2-1 pre-season friendly win at Halesowen Town.

Penn hailed the starlet as “tenacious, fit and strong,” and the player himself said he’s delighted to be preparing for several months of competitive first-team football in National League North.

"I am happy to be here and I'm happy to get started,” he commented in a club interview.

"I understand what's going on at the club and the ambitions of the club from the short time I've been here already.

"The gaffer has told me what he wants from me and what he thinks about me from previous encounters, and it's all positive so I can't wait to get stuck in and show what I can do.

"I said to the Walsall Manager that, regardless of the level I'm playing at, I want to be playing men’s football. Whether that's League or non-league football, it doesn't matter to me, as long as I'm playing games.

"He agreed and said that this is a great opportunity for me, so I am very happy to be here."

Foulkes is every bit the product of the Saddlers youth system, with the player revealing he’s already been on their books for well over a decade.

He stressed that taking the plunge into football at Harriers’ level if the next step in progressing his promising career.

"I've been at Walsall since I was seven,” he added. “Coming through their Development phase and into the Academy.

"Being at Walsall is great, but you have to take chances in football, and this is the chance I'm taking now to prove myself and show people what I am capable of.”

Meanwhile, Harriers are thought to be expecting a bumper crowd for their final pre-season friendly of the summer, a marquee fixture against a Manchester United XI tomorrow night (7:45pm).

Assistant boss Jimmy O’Connor said of the tie: “It’s a massive fixture against one of the biggest clubs in the world.

“We’ll all be looking forward to that, but it’s all still about building towards York City away [to start the League season]; that’s our bread and butter and what we’ll be looking to do well in.”

Supporters wishing to attend the United fixture can purchase tickets from harriers.co.uk/tickets.