Harriers make offer to McPhee
Kidderminster manager Mark Yates has gone back to Chris McPhee with an offer in a bid to snare the midfielder from under the noses of League Two Cheltenham.
The 26-year-old was one of eight players initially released by Harriers at the season's end, after only joining the club in February upon leaving Weymouth.
But that was no reflection on the England C international, who was one of the players Yates wanted to keep before the club cut it's cloth financially.
Now, with pre-season training less than a fortnight away and action needed, the Aggborough club has made McPhee a firm offer.
It still may not be enough - Martin Allen's side are known to be interested after already landing Justin Richards and can offer the player Football League status.
Cheltenham are also closer to his home base of Eastbourne, although McPhee would still like a club nearer than those 159 miles.
He is away on holiday anyway, but is set to have the choice of the two when he gets back next week.
Yates said: "We have spoken to Chris and he has got to make his decision. I would like him back, but he has got to decide where he wants to go.
"We have done all we can and he will weigh it up I am sure, but whether the lure of the Football League will work against us I don't know."
The manager is also desperate to keep last season's top scorer Matthew Barnes-Homer, who has attracted the attentions of Oxford after 21 goals last season.
But the U's don't want to pay the compensation fee Harriers are entitled to under the Bosman ruling, despite the 23-year-old being out-of-contract.
Their boss Chris Wilder admitted this week that "may be a problem" after confirming his club had enquired about the player.
But Yates still holds out his hope he can keep his star striker.
He said: "I had a meeting with Matthew's agent on Monday and we are trying to do everything we can to get him to sign a new contract. He is a player we want to keep."
