Bully faces Harriers looking to 18

Stafford manager Steve Bull is looking to have his final squad of 18 players in place by the start of next week - the final few days before they kick off their Blue Square North campaign.

For now, another chance for the players to impress in what will be anothet stern test, a pre-season friendly against Blue Square Premier opposition in Mark Yates' Kidderminster Harriers at Marston Road tonight (7:45pm).

Bully remembers the last time Stafford met the Harriers with distain, a 6-0 drubbing at Aggborough in March on the way out of non-league football's top tier shortly after he took as manager.

He said: "That was a game to forget. That said, there were a few around that time. I certainly won't take another repeat of that fiasco.

"Kidderminster are the sort of standard we have to aspire to if we are to succeed. They are an established Conference National club and if we want to reach that standard, we have to match them."

The manager was pleased with his troops' last outing, a 1-0 win at Rushall Olympic on Saturday, where new midfielder Tom Thorley particularly impressed.

He said: "Tom put in a busy performance, as we know he can. He looks like he will be an asset to the club during his time here."

More news on the transfer front has seen trial player Bobby Wilson sign a one-year contract at Marston Road, another deal that has pleased the boss.

He said: "Bobby has done well and is at home in either central midfield or central defence. Players of his versatility are of use to any squad."

Bully has his share of injury problems ahead of the clash. Thorley is out with an ankle injury, with wing-backs Ishamel Reid and Andre Francis also likely to miss out with groin injuries.

Alex Gibson and Jonathan Loukes are the obvious candidates to fill the wing-back roles.