New Year before new Harriers boss

Mark Yates ended his near four-year reign in charge yesterday and took assistant Neil Howarth with him to Football League club Cheltenham, after compensation was agreed with Harriers.

Now the hunt is on for the man to fill the boots of his popular predecessor, and chairman Barry Norgrove has revealed he was flooded with calls just hours after the job became vacant expressing an interest in the role.

But, for now, hugely experienced campaigner Finnigan has the reins after being appointed caretaker.

And the chairman has called an emergency board meeting for tonight, where choices for the new manager are sure to be high on the agenda.

He said: "I have had so many people call me and apply for the job, I have had to ask them to put it into writing. There are loads of people who want to come here, and some of the names you wouldn't believe.

"I just need a bit of time to sort this out, I don't want to rush into anything that might not be right for us. Instead of making a snap decision, I want to make sure we have the right man for the job. It's unlikely we can do that properly until the New Year.

"Until then we will just have to muddle through."

Harriers today put a four-man interim management team into place to see the club through to 2010, with Finnigan the man in charge until a successor is found.

Captain Chris McPhee will assist but is only the club sporadically during the week as he is based in Devon, so another senior player in Dean Bennett will be more involved in the day-to-day affairs. Physio Gavin Crowe will also lend a hand.

The players were called in today for a special meeting in their first day back since Yates left the club, where the decisions were made.

The team play a double header with troubled Chester the visitors on Boxing Day before the return game on New Years Day, with a trip to Rushden & Diamonds on Bank Holiday Monday closing out the festive schedule.

Norgrove said: "We want everyone to get behind John, Chris and the boys. We aren't rock bottom and without a manager, we are still just outside those play-off places and it's important we keep things going."

Harriers will play Lewes in the second round of the FA Trophy at Aggborough on January 9.

The Rooks beat Hampton & Richmond 3-1 in an all-Blue Square South replay last night to go through.