Phil Brown will not take anything for granted at Kidderminster

Harriers were relegated last year with just a one season stay in the National League, but the boss decided to commit to another year with the side.

After a summer of change with the squad and several in-going and out-going players, Brown is raring to go as Kidderminster visit Darlington tomorrow.

Asked if he’s hoping for a one-year stay in the National League North, Brown said: “I think everybody at Kidderminster is hoping that’s the case, but you don’t take anything for granted because there’s some big clubs in the division, starting with Darlington.

“It’s a big club in the division and we’re not taking things lightly at all. There’s going to be some journeys to be travelled and miles to be covered but we’re really looking forward to it.

“We’re going to get our first sample of what the National League North is all about with a 700/800 mile round trip, but hopefully we will have something to come home with because that will make the trip home a lot easier.

“We’re all well aware of what’s required. We’re ambitious, we want to put it right what happened last year.

“Whether we were to blame or not doesn’t really matter to me, at the end of the season we were the people in charge and yes we didn’t have as much time as we would’ve liked, but the bottom line is we had enough time and still went down.

“We’ve had to re-build and it’s not been easy when your budget is being slashed by a big amount.

“The challenge is to build a squad that’s one built on a philosophy that’s got my name and Neil’s written all over it, and two build up a mentality that we’re not going to lie down easy for anybody and we’re going to play a brand of football that will be successful in the National League North.”

Meanwhile, Adam Stevens begins life at Rushall Olympic as the Pics welcome Farsley Celtic. Rushall avoided the drop under direction of former manager Liam McDonald who starts his Southern Central Premier campaign with Stourbridge.

The Glassboys entertain St Ives Town while rivals Halesowen Town host Kettering Town. Former Kidderminster boss Russell Penn enters his first full season with the Yeltz after taking over in late-February and winning seven league games in the run into the end of last season.