Today was the day that the fixtures were released and with Harriers fans waiting expectedly for the mid day release time it came as something of a shock to see us getting a start to the season that could make grown men quake in their boots.

It wasn't too bad finding out that the opening day game on August 11th would be away from home at Lincolns' Sincil Bank, it was that our next two games would be against the two main favourites for the title with Luton on the following Tuesday and a few days later a meeting with Mansfield Town.  At least those two games will be at home and it's certain that they'll be a big test for our newly assembled team.

Other choice games for us will be FGR at home on August Bank Holiday Monday followed a few months later with a tasty set up of relegated Hereford over the Christmas break.  Boxing Day sees us travelling into cow poke country with the Bulls our guests on New Years Day.  Sandwiched in-between is FGR again on December 29th but this time it's away from home in Nailsworth.

The Easter period pairs us with Braintree at Aggborough on Easter Saturday and then down to Luton for the Easter Monday game.  The season will end on April 20th at home to Stockport County and by then we'll all be hoping that the Harriers will have improved on last seasons 6th place finish.

Scattered amongst all those standout games we still have local derbies against Telford, Nuneaton and Tamworth.

Nuneaton will be the first with the newly promoted side coming to us on November 10th and then the following Saturday we're popping over to Telford to play them on November 17th.  Just a few weeks later, following a break for cup games, we'll be away at Tamworth on the evening of December 4th.  The return games will be Telford at home on January 29th and Nuneaton away on February 26th, both on a Tuesday evening while the Tamworth game at home will be on Saturday March 16th.

Of course the games in 2013 will all be subject to change due to an amazing cup run or because of the un-seasonal January heatwave.

For a full list of all the games in the Blue Square Premier click this.

Other long awaited news came earlier this evening with the signing of man mountain Exodus Geohaghon on a one year deal.  This could potentially be a great signing for the club with Big Ex the tall centre half we have been asking to be signed for yonks now and let's face it they don't come much bigger than 6 foot 5 inches of missile.

Two former players found a new club over the weekend when Tom Marshall returned to Tamworth after joining us from them last season while going along for the ride was our former keeper Tony Breeden joining Tom at the Lamb too.  Former full back Lee Baker is having trials with Worcester City after seeing his career in tatters when he joined Newport County from us two seasons ago but hardly played a game for them through serious injury problems.