We finally arrive at what has been, overall, a successful season for us, if only for the fact that according to the experts we should be back in the Conference by now and Shrewsbury should have been promoted to the 2nd Division.

With a bit more luck, and a few less defensive errors, we could have really rubbed the so called experts faces in it and gone into the play-offs but that's life.

Bristol Rovers are our last guests for this season and they've only managed to stay in the league, for the second year running, by the skin of their teeth.  It must be a bit of a shock for these 'big' clubs to realise that they're not immortal.

They come into this game after winning their last three games and will be looking for their fourth.  They'll have to do it without Andy Rammell though.  He was signed by manager Ray Graydon on deadline day from under the nose of Ian Britton and has been Rovers saviour by scoring the goals that have kept them in the league.

He'll be missing tomorrow after damaging his hamstring in last weeks home game against Darlington.  Also out for the same reason will be the ex Blues midfielder, Graham Hyde.

Vitalijs Astafjevs will be out with a knee injury.


We could be back to full strength with the news that JJ Melligan is back in training after his appendix scare and could make his last ever appearance for us before he goes back to the Wolves.  It's very unlikely that he'll play for us again next season.  He'll either be in the Wolves first team by then or out on loan at a higher placed club.

It would also have been Kenny Coleman's last game for us, if he had been fit, but the chances are he may be back here next season now that Wolves have released him.

There are others who will be playing their last game for us.  Andy Bishop is one, he's another one knocking at the first team door at his club, Walsall, and like JJ is more likely to go out on loan to a bigger club rather than come back to us next term.

It's also Ian Fosters last game.  He's been released by the club after a disappointing time in the league.  After doing so well for us in the Conference he never really sparkled on the bigger stage and he never really recovered from his bad injury two years ago.

We have a few out of contract.  The main one being Danny Williams who, according to contacts, will be leaving because his girlfriend says so.  She wants him to earn more money by playing at a bigger club and somewhere with better shops.

When Sir Ian 'Fergie' Britton was questioned about this he told the waiting worlds press that they weren't supposed to ask that f*'#in question.

Danny has been linked with newly promoted Hartlepool along with Bo and Craig Hinton.  This came about after the club, sorry, I meant the Express & Star, came out with this story so there must be a certain amount of truth to it.  After all the club, sorry, I meant the Express & Star, wouldn't say this if it wasn't true would they?  Why try and start rumours if there's no truth in them.

At the end of the day that's football and if it wasn't for these backroom stories and scurrilous tales then there would be no fun in it and we'd all be watching snooker on TV.

Teams

Harriers from:
Brock, Danby, Stamps, Scott, Melligan, Ayres, Smith, Hinton, Williams, Parrish, Flynn, Bennett, Shilton, Foster, Bishop, Broughton, Henriksen, Khela, Lewis, Heath, McAuley.

Rovers from:
Howie, Clarke, Boxall, Challis, Street, Uddin, Barrett, McKeever, Quinn, Carlisle, Bryant, Hogg, Tait, Austin, Grazioli, Hodges, Allen, Arndale, Gilroy, Llewellyn, Anderson.