Harriers building for a bright future

Youth team boss Jerry Gill today told of the "bigger picture" at Kidderminster Harriers as the club's new academy takes further shape.

A completely new squad posed for their official team picture at Aggborough yesterday, ahead of their game at Bishops Cleeve last night.

They are the cream of the crop picked for the new youth set-up this summer, which has been launched in conjunction with Stourbridge College.

The goal was for their students to combine football with a range of courses at the college, ranging from sports development and coaching all the way through to gym instruction and apprenticeships.

Gill, the former Birmingham defender who has worked in the youth system at Bristol Rovers and managed Weymouth, was the man picked to oversee the project.

Bridging the link to the first-team is the ultimate aim and, with the season up and running, the teenage hopefuls are getting competitive football under their belts on a week-to-week basis.

Having already played five games in the Midland Floodlit Youth League, the club will now enter the Football Conference Youth League, with their season to start at Kettering tomorrow afternoon.

A defeat at Cleeve by the odd goal in seven last night was their second loss so far but, with three wins, Gill can see plenty to build on for the future.

He said: "It was another game and another learning curve for our boys, because development is paramount.

"There is a bigger picture in youth football and I have told my lads that. We try and do things the right way.

"We will continue to do so, whether we're 5-0 up or 2-0 down, because we know that in one or two years time, they will have developed."