A busy day on all fronts at Harriers

Kidderminster Harriers have lost one, signed one and been turned down by another in a frenetic 24 hours of transfer activity that also saw in the new fixtures.

Yesterday afternoon, it came to light that manager Steve Burr's mystery top striking target was released Notts County striker Sean Canham, but the 25-year-old turned down a move to Aggborough to stay in the Football League with Hereford.

Harriers then completed the signing of defender Michael Briscoe, who was a free agent after leaving Blue Square Premier rivals Tamworth, on a one-year deal ahead of his 27th birthday on Sunday.

Completing a third new signing of the week had looked to stretch the budget to it's limits but that was until last night, when Burr negotiated an agreement with transfer-listed striker Robbie Matthews to terminate the remaining year of his contract.

Matthews was on par with the highest earners at Aggborough and is expected to join Newport County shortly, with the manager admitting his departure has put cash back in the pot to add to his squad.

He said: "It has freed up quite a bit of money for us and we will probably now be able to add two, maybe three players with it."

With things hotting up on the transfer front, Burr barely had time to digest the release of the new Blue Square Premier fixtures, with the season opener on August 14 pitting Harriers away at beaten play-off finalists York.

Harriers then come home to take in their first game as hosts against promoted Blue Square North champions Southport the following Tuesday, before Mansfield are the visitors on August 21.

Burr said: "We are looking forward to going to York, it will be tough as they were up there last year, then it's Southport and Mansfield in two straight home games, which is great. It's not a bad start really.

"I never look past the first game, or the last fixture of the season or anything like that, we start at York and that is what we will focus on."