Harriers' dream alive after reprieve

Assistant boss Gary Whild was today relieved play-off chasing Kidderminster Harriers have "something left to strive for" after a stay of execution from administration.

Harriers were saved at the 11th hour from applying for a Company Voluntary Agreement (CVA), to safeguard against a winding up order on February 23, by a group of unnamed supporters pledging a £16,000 payment to grant a reprieve with Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs.

Had the Blue Square Premier outfit gone into administration, it would have resulted in an additional 10-point penalty for the team, who have already had five docked for a charge of financial irregularities.

They are not out of the woods yet but potential investors also came forward yesterday and, having got as far as the due diligence process, there is fresh hope the club could attract fresh funds to make a significant dent in what was £155,000 of debt going into this week.

It leaves Harriers still believing they have a chance of returning to the Football League via the play-offs, where they have defied the odds to get within one place of the top five.

Whild said: "It's always difficult when you are achieving on the pitch and things off the field are affecting that, but this has given the club a bit more time to find somebody to come in.

"The way things have been going, it hasn't been easy but, at this moment in time, we would have settled for this situation.

"Having the five points deducted was a massive blow at the time and we didn't want to go down the road of having any more taken away.

"It gives the players something left to strive for and will give them a lift going into Saturday."

An additional boost for Harriers' players and staff is that they will receive their wages in full for January shortly, after ex-chairman Barry Norgrove and Neil Savery - his former second in command - put up the funds.

The squad return to training tomorrow ahead of their home game with Altrincham on Saturday and Whild is happy to have a positive outlook when going back to work.

He said: "When we left on Monday, when it looked a bit bleak.

"Now to know that tomorrow we will be going back in, the rest of the money we are owed was there and the prospect of administration not being imminent is a big positive.

"The fact the players know they have had their money and are going to get the rest, they are obviously happy with that."