30/6/01...Jan mounts another raid on the Welsh.
After the solitude of recent weeks at Aggborough, when very little was happening on the news front and the only things of any importance on the official website were about the new shirts and the quiz game, we get the second new signing of the week.
With the arrival of Danny Williams from Wrexham comes Jans second raid into the Principality with the signing of Steve Jones from Swansea.
Jones is another one of Jans old players to be signed up and is said to be a versatile defender in that he can play in most positions in defence.
31yr old Jones was once on Cheltenhams books and when he was released by the Swans at the end of the season they were hoping to lure him back to Whaddon Rd.
And Molby's other signing, Williams, has said that he is looking forward to playing for the Harriers and didn't mind dropping down into a lower division.
He likes the set up at Aggborough and can't wait to get stuck in.
Now for more good news.
Neil Mackenzie has finally signed his contract and will have one more season at Aggborough.
Lets hope he can also get stuck in and maybe earn an extension on the contract.
Molby said that:
"Neil showed us in patches last season what a good player he can be but he also realises there are aspects of his game he must improve on.
He knows he faces tough competition to gain a first team place next season but the pleasing thing is he is ready to give it a go.
He will give us good options and I just hope he can prove to us what a good player he can be."
Other news that affects the Reds is that one of Jans other targets, Coventrys young defender Danny Hill, will probably sign for Norwich City this week.
But now that we have signed two defenders I shouldn't think that it would matter now.
John Durnin looks likely to be joining Div 2 side Wigan Athletic this week as player-coach.
Durnin, who is 36yrs old in August, was released by Harriers at the end of last season as the club's leading scorer with nine goals.
The talk was of him going to Macclesfield but this now seems unlikely with them already having three player-coaches.
Harriers Worthington Cup tie against Preston North End will definitely be played on Tuesday 21st August after the news that it will not be one of the chosen televised games.
These are to be Hartlepool vs Nottingham Forest on the 20th and Cambridge Utd vs WBA on the 22nd.
On the subject of games on the TV Rushdens first home game of the season against Lincoln City on Thursday 16th August will be the only Div 3 game to be shown between the start of the season and the end of October.
After originally being due to be played on Saturday 18th it was changed to a midweek game.
23/6/01...The rest of the weeks news
Well at least we had something to talk about this week with the Worthington Cup draw and the release of the coming seasons fixture list.
For more on these see the earlier news items.
At least Mr Newton seems a bit happier with the prospect of a bit of money through the door for the visit of Preston to Aggborough;
"It is a fantastic draw.
We need to show resilience because our cup form over 20 years has not been great, but this is great news and could help our finances."
Jan was a happy bunny too;
"I am delighted with the draw.
It gives us the chance to pit our wits against a team who were just edged out in the race for the Premiership at the last hurdle.
It's a game for the players and fans to really look forward to, as well as bring some much needed cash to the club.
Preston are a great side but there is no pressure on us to win.
Having home advantage is a big plus and the fact the game must be settled on the night means anything could happen."
And it's cash that we could do with. It's a pity we can't get it in advance to help bring some new faces in.
At least Jan has now named some of the people that he would like to buy and also quashed the talk of the ones that he doesn't want.
On his list is one name that has been mentioned before, namely, Neil Smith from Reading.
The new names are Mark Blake the ex Walsall midfielder released by Mansfield at the end of the season.
Danny Hall, Coventry City fullback who has yet to break into the first team and a previous team mate of Daire Doyle.
Another that was mentioned was Sam, son of Peter, Shilton. Also once of Coventry (is there a pattern emerging here) but last seen plying his trade at Hartlepool.
On the goalkeeper front it seems that Jan is being a bit more realistic than some of the fans and he dismissed this silly Mike Stowell talk and instead mentioned the names of Walsall keeper Carl Emberson and ex Swindon and Sheffield Utd keeper Frank Talia.
Not sure how old Talia is now but Emberson is only 26 and he should be the one to go for.
All we need now is for Neil Mackenzie to see sense and sign his contract.
One player still at Aggborough who I thought had gone is Steve Pope.
Seems he is attracting the attention of Stevenage and may sign soon.
Sounds a better proposition than Aberystwth.
All we need now is to keep Jan Molby here after the news that he may be interested in the vacant position at FC Copenhagen back in his homeland, Denmark.
He admitted that he would be interested in managing the Danish champions, and would be prepared to leave the Harriers should the opportunity arise.
Copenhagen's existing manager, Roy Hodgson, is to take up the post at the Italian side Udinese.
"If I go home to train a team, it would have to be someone like Copenhagen or Brondby.
Of course it would be an interesting idea but at the moment it's purely hypothetical and I have a three-year deal with Kidderminster.
But, if Copenhagen should call, I would be interested and I believe I could find a solution with my English club if needs be.
As a player it was the pressure and the big matches that you look forward to and it's just the same as a manager.
It really is! It's fun! And I'm sure that Copenhagen would present me with an opportunity to achieve that again."
That's the talk of someone who is not happy in his work.
16/6/01...Lightfoot wants a game next season.
Again another week goes by without much happening.
The only news is that ex-Crewe defender Chris Lightfoot says that he is now interested in joining the Reds.
Hardly stunning news is it!
Last week Jan said that the clubs limited finances had stopped him from signing him, although we had made him a good offer it obviously wasn't enough.
I think that Lightfoot has had no other offers and is starting to panic.
Lightfoot said;
"Kidderminster are favourites at the moment.
There's an offer on the table and I have been impressed with the set up there."
Lightfoot admitted that he had also spoken to other clubs;
"I also spoke to Orient manager Tommy Taylor at the end of the season, but he's not got back in touch.
I did speak to a friend of Shrewsbury boss Kevin Ratcliffe, but it was six weeks ago and I don't think there's any interest."
Maybe they don't want to pay the kind of wages that he's asking for either.
We have also been linked with the Wolves keeper, Mike Stowell, again and also another ex-Crewe member James Collins.
Collins came to Aggborough on loan at the start of last season and was such an inspiration that we didn't extend the loan spell.
Stowells too old to be of any real use.
This may all change though if the rumours of Lee Hughes imminent exit from the Hawthorns actually materialises.
Everton are the latest club to show some interest in the 'Ginger Ninja' and now that they have a bit of spare cash floating around after the sale of Francis Jeffers to Arsenal they look to be favourites.
Personally I don't think that Lee wants to leave the Albion but it's not up to him.
The Albion board can sense an auction coming up, Newcastle are about to throw their hat into the ring, and they have a new stand to be paid for.
Harriers chairman Lionel Newton earned the wrath of the footballing world, or was it just a few disgruntled Conference fans, when he single handidly threw out the Conference motion for 2 up and 2 down into League 2.
Fans from Telford, Yeovil, Stevenage and Woking temporarily forgot that there were 71 other chairmen at the AGM.
We have added another friendly to the pre season list with a trip to Nuneaton on Saturday 4th August.
And finally the draw for the Worthington Cup takes place on Tuesday 19th June at 10:00am.
This year the first round will be one game only and not the 2 legged affair of previous years.
2/6/01...Hinton transfer talk etc.
All the talk this week has been about the rumours of Craig Hintons future.
We've known for the last half of last season that Craigs form would soon attract the scouts to Aggborough and that he would be snapped up by one of the big boys, but we have tended to think that it wouldn't happen just yet.
It took one of last Sundays papers to bring it home to us that he may not be here for the start of the new season.
We knew that he had been watched by B'ham City, Forest and Aberdeen but when they said that Wolves were interested in paying £1million you had to take it with a pinch of salt.
It's strange that when we were in the Conference the Albion would not risk more than £250,000 on a non-league player when they signed Lee Hughes but having been in the Football League for only one season similar teams are prepared to pay £1million for someone who has not got the same potential as Hughsie.
Anyway Lionel Newton doesn't want him to go, not just yet anyway.
Unusual for a business man that.
"A lot of clubs have been watching him very closely and he has had a tremendous season.
I am just waiting for the first offer but I couldn't replace him and would be looking for a sell on fee as well.
You only have to look at the First Division.
Where would you get a top quality centre-half for £1m?"
Is Lionel saying that he wants to spend all that money to replace like with like?
Craig was a bit non-committal about it all.
"You always hear rumours and gossip, but I've learned not to listen to them.
It's flattering in a way and I am ambitious to play higher, but my priority is Kidderminster Harriers and getting fit."
Other news this past week is the news that one of Jans targets, Paul Sheerin from Inverness Caledonian Thistle (that would be a long scarf), has decided to stay in Scotland and join Ayr Utd instead.
I suppose that Ayr have more chance of getting into the Scottish Premier than the Harriers.
One (ex)player reportedly on his way to pastures new is Tim Clarke who is on the verge of re-signing for the club where he started out, Halesowen Town.