Harriers news 2021-22
Date: 18-06-22 Half way through the close season so what do we know so far? We’re more, or less, halfway through the close season and boy is it hot out there. Too hot to be playing football but just right for the beach and that’s probably where most of our playing squad are right now. So now seems about the right time for a bit of an update. We’ve bought in a few new players to replace some of those that have left us but we’re still waiting for the odd one or two that have yet to be replaced. Just a reminder of who left us at the end of the season then: Keith Lowe, Luke Simpson, Mark Carrington, Nyal Bell
Date: 16-05-22 Who’ll be staying and who’ll be going? Following the (early) conclusion of the season the club announced the retained list earlier this afternoon. There were a couple of surprises with two leaving that weren’t fully expected and some that were. Let’s start with those players that had already signed new contracts either this season, or last. Sam Austin, Keziah Martin, Ethan Freemantle, Kai Lissimore, Amari Morgan-Smith, Ashley Hemmings, Caleb Richards and Alex Penny are those that will definitely be with us barring some moneybags club coming in for them and tempting them away. The only one that would have fitted that bill is Sammy when it was rumoured that Crystal Palace were keeping tags on him at the start
Date: 08-02-22 Harriers out of the second cup in a week Following all the excitement of Saturdays FA Cup heroics against West Ham Utd it was now the turn of our second string to go looking for cup glory. This time though it’s not as prestigious, or crowd drawing, as the FA Cup but for some Harriers fans the Worcestershire Senior Cup runs it close. Mainly youngsters were out on the Aggborough turf with just Joe Foulkes from the regular first teamers getting more game time in on his journey back from injury. On the bench was a surprise with Nyal Bell popping over from his loan at Tamworth. If he’s been recalled back here due to our striker shortage
Date: 09-01-22 After 28* years it’s now time for revenge The Harriers reward for beating Reading FC in the 3rd round of the FA Cup yesterday is to travel back twenty eight* years to that eventful 1993-94 season when we beat, first Birmingham City then Preston North End, to earn a dream home game against West Ham Utd in the 5th round of that historic trophy. Sadly it was to end in defeat but it was a game, and a season, that have lived long in the memories of the fans and also the players. It was that famous match winning goal from Jon Purdie in the 3rd round at St Andrews that saw us first set out on that
Date: 24-12-21 Don’t look back Dinanga Just a few hours before the Christmas festivities were supposed to have begun the Harriers sprung a couple of surprises on their supporters today. First we were told that the Boxing Day game at home to Hereford FC had been called off due to yet another outbreak of the virus at Edgar Street followed by the news that the game at Kettering Town on the 28th had also become a victim to the dreaded. Then a hour later Nyal Bell was sent back out on loan before he’d had a chance to hang his coat up. Then a few minutes ago the club announced the one month loan of striker Marcus Dinanga from Altrincham.
Date: 07-12-21 Harriers progress in the Senior Cup The Harriers entered into this seasons Worcestershire Senior Cup at the quarter final stage this evening with an unusual, for a football team, visit to the Worcester Warriors rugby clubs’ stadium at Sixways. No we haven’t changed codes but along with this first visit there we were also playing our first ever game against the recently formed Worcester Raiders. Raiders are backed financially by the Warriors so could be seen by some as a bit of a rich mans plaything. I’m sure they’re not though. In a mainly youthful line-up there was a place for Joe Foulkes who is making his way back from injury and also other first teamers Ethan Freemantle,
Date: 06-12-21 Harriers get Reading Our reward for beating FC Halifax Town in the 2nd round of the FA Cup on Saturday is to welcome Reading FC of the Championship to Aggborough on, or about, January 8th. The former Premier team Reading sit in twentieth place at the moment and are struggling to get results so they could be seen as a giant killing if we were to win. We have never played them in a proper game before but we did have a friendly against them way back in July 2002 We also had a former player of theirs with us and one that became a legend to our fans. That was one Johnny Mullins and he still lives
Date: 29-11-21 Boston Utd away in the FA Trophy The Harriers reward for winning our FA Trophy game at Hereford FC on Saturday is a long trip to Boston Utd for the 3rd round tie. It won’t be just that game we’ll be going all that way for either because we’re going there the previous week too in the league. Sometimes you have to think that someone up there has got it in for us. Couldn’t we at least have been given the benefit of a home tie? On Saturday we went through on penalties at a windswept, freezing cold, dilapidated Edgar Street with rookie winger Jaiden White scoring the decisive penalty after goalkeeper Luke Simpson had saved Herefords third
Date: 15-11-21 Harriers away at Hereford FC in the FA Trophy The Harriers went into the 2021 FA Trophy draw today and out of the hat came an away trip to our closest rivals Hereford FC. The timing of it will mean that we’ll now be playing the Bulls three times within six weeks due to them being our festive fixtures. Hereford, managed by former Harriers Josh Gowling and Steve Burr, are having a tough time of it in the league this season with just three wins all season and sitting, at the moment, in sixteenth place in the table. They have won their last two games: against Chorley FC and Guiseley AFC, so are showing signs of improvement. We
Date: 08-11-21 Harriers to meet FC Halifax Town in the next round of the FA Cup The Harriers reward for beating Grimsby Town in the FA Cup first round on Saturday is a home tie to another National Premier side, FC Halifax Town. Halifax ran out 7-4 winners against Maidenhead Utd in their cup game on Saturday but that shouldn’t worry us too much having a long history of playing the Yorkshire side. They are doing well in the league though sitting in fifth place at this time and just three points behind leaders Boreham Wood. An Ashley Hemmings penalty took us through to this stage on Saturday against Grimsby in a game that had everything. Another game that had
Date: 17-10-21 The Harriers draw Grimsby Town in the Cup The Harriers reward for their FA Cup 4th qualifying round win at Bedfont Sports FC yesterday will be to renew old acquaintances with Grimsby Town. On our way to Bedfont on the supporters coach yesterday we passed the Victoria Ground, the home of Bromsgrove Sporting, where Grimsby were about to arrive for their game against them. The Mariners ran out as easy 5 – 0 winners and, if foresight had been in mind, they could have stayed in Worcestershire to travel the few miles to play us. We last played against Grimsby at Aggborough in August 2015 when we drew 2-2 with our goals coming from Reece Styche and Aman
Date: 20-09-21 Ware or Hemel in the next round of the Cup Following on from the excitement and the short trip to Sporting Khalsa on Saturday the Harriers will face a long trip to either Ware FC or Hemel Hempstead Town in the next round of the FA Cup. On Saturday we ran out 3-1 winners against Khalsa in what was a very tough game to start with but as the second half progressed we began to show our superiority and also our fitness. The three goals did help in that though. Those goals came from Sam Austin and Nyal Bell who scored twice and also his first goals since signing for us back in July. Now we have to
Date: 06-09-21 Harriers off to Khalsa in the Kup It’s a new club and a new ground as the Harriers embark in this seasons FA Cup. On September 18th we’ll be off to Sporting Khalsa in the 2nd Qualifying round of the FA Cup and it could be interesting. Khalsa play their games in the Pitching In Northern Premier at the Guardian Warehousing Arena in Willenhall. It’s correct name is Noose Lane but the Grundiad Wherehousing something or other sounds so much better. Noose Lane was the former home of Willenhall Town who sold the ground to Khalsa and then following a period of dormancy the club re-formed and now play in Wolverhampton. The pitch also has a 3G surface.
Date: 06-08-21 A Sammy Screamer gives us the draw Report by Harriershane: A rare offering of Friday night football at Aggborough saw the Harriers face even rarer opposition in Manchester United’s Under 23’s. What The Red Devils side lacked in age, they made up with pure talent, with future stars such as seventeen year old Shola Shoretire, former Monaco youth product and Tunisian international Hannibal Mejbri (18) and, fresh from Wales’ Euro 2020 squad, Dylan Levitt just a sample of the players on show. Making an appearance from the bench was Charlie Savage, son of Robbie, himself a former United Academy player. For Harriers Jaiden White was handed a start whilst there was the welcome return of the trialist Geraldo
Date: 03-08-21 Cameron comes in Following a series of trial games the Harriers have, today, announced the expected signing of free agent Nathan Cameron. The tall fullback has generally impressed in the friendlies with a few hiccups but they can be ironed out. The tall twenty nine year old started life at Coventry City where he played in the first team fifty two times before falling out of favour. He spent time out on loan with Nuneaton and Northampton before being released to join the now defunct Bury. After three seasons and 148 games for the Shakers he then joined the now defunct Macclesfield Town. I hope this isn’t a bad omen? He was last with Solihull Moors for a
Date: 03-08-21 The Harriers kids lose at Worcester City A Harriers XI side travelled the short distance to Claines this evening to take on Worcester City at their new ground. As at Stourport Swifts a few weeks there were no senior players chosen but there were a couple that have seen first team action in more recent friendlies. James Dutton, Luke Bastable and Kai Lissimore have all played at some stage while the goalkeeper Player L has also been seen mainly on the bench. He was given a number, 21, at Halesowen leading one to think that he may become a permanent fixture. City’s first goal came in the thirty fourth minute when the former Halesowen Town striker, Dan Westwood,
Date: 31-07-21 Harriers lay a recent Halesowen hoodoo to rest The Harriers made the short trip to The Grove, home of Halesowen Town, for today’s preseason friendly. Notable by their absences were Jack Tolley, who has impressed throughout the preseason programme, and Amari Morgan Smith. One person who was there though was Walsall loanee Joe Foulkes after his loan deal was announce yesterday. Despite The Yeltz having the better of recent friendly encounters it was the Harriers who broke the deadlock within the first three minutes after enterprising play from Keziah Martin enabled him to finish a move he started by driving a rebounded Sammy Austin shot back in from a sharp angle. In reply the Yeltz came oh so
Date: 27-07-21 Harriers lose another friendly The Harriers fell to another pre-season friendly defeat when they went down 3-2 at Stratford Town. Out of the five played so far we have won just the once at Evesham Utd. The hosts took an early lead through Will Grocott when he rifled the ball home from outside the area beyond the reach of the trialist keeper after nine minutes. Both keepers this evening were trialists so giving the Harriers Online sponsored Luke Simpson the evening off. The Harriers were slow to respond as they took their time to get into gear with both Ashley Hemmings and Amari Morgan-Smith trying their luck with, sadly, weak efforts. The Reds went into the break on
Date: 24-07-21 Harriers get shown how to finish Report by Harriershane After 518 days the Harriers returned to Aggborough on a Saturday, as League Two Walsall came to town. Unlike Cheltenham Town’s offering on Tuesday night the Saddlers appeared to be near full strength whilst Harriers named a plethora of trialists, including the two centre halves. Despite the relative differences in both stature and permanent players there was very little to choose between the two sides, both trading efforts from range. Omari Sterling James whipped a free kick over the bar from a wide angle for Harriers whilst for the visitors, “Trialist A”, believed to potentially be former Harrier Manny Sonupé, blazed over. Both sides appeared comfortable in possession and
Date: 20-07-21 Harriers lose to last minute penalty decision against Cheltenham The Harriers lost out to a late Cheltenham Town penalty in this first home friendly of the season to end up 2-1 on the losing side. With Harriers fans back at Aggy for the first time in seventeen months it was good to see a strong attendance of 979 fans there of which probably 50 were from Cheltenhamshire. It was also good to renew old acquaintances too on a hot July evening. The Harriers first half team contained just the one trialist (Player H and we thing he might be named Dan). He also played at Evesham Utd last Saturday and looked very much at home playing a defensive
Date: 17-07-21 Harriers overcome Evesham in the heat In the sweltering Cotswold heat two Harriers teams ran out 4-0 winners in this friendly that during the second half sometimes began to boil over. An almost full first team took to the field for the first forty five minutes with just the one trialist on show playing in the centre of defence. It took a while to settle down against an Evesham side that contained a former Harrier, Calvin Dinsdale, but any worries were soon dismissed when youth teamer Jack Tolley scored for the second time this week when he rifled the ball home just inside the post. Ten minutes later and it was 2-0 when Amari Morgan-Smith, looking much slimmer
Date: 13-07-21 Harriers kids fall to the Swifts A youthful Harriers ran out 2-1 losers against a Stourport Swifts side that contained a few older players in their line-up. This was the first friendly for the Reds and also the first chance for Harriers fans to watch their side since the FA Cup game at Alvechurch back in October last year. A game best forgotten anyway. This one had our U23’s and Academy players on show with quite a smattering of trialists (seven in all) that struggled against the older Swifts but did manage to put up a decent show. The Swifts opened the scoring early on with a goal from their number ten, Ben Tilbury. Jack Tolley replied for
Date: 07-07-21 Harriers head to York City on opening day The Harriers will be kicking off the new season with a brand new ground to visit. On August 14th we’ll be having the privilege of being the first league game at York City’s new stadium at Monks Cross. The ground was supposed to be ready for the latter end of last season but some virus got in the way and it has only been open for test games so far. With our history of seeing games at new stadiums backfiring on the hosts then the game could bring back memories of the first ever game at the Darlington Arena back in August 2003. For some strange reason there are no
Date: 06-07-21 Harriers add Mark Carrington to the squad The former MK Dons and Wrexham midfielder, Mark Carrington, joined up with the Harriers today bringing our squad numbers up to sixteen. Thirty four year old Carrington, who has also had spells with Leigh RMI, Kidsgrove Athletic, Bury and Hamilton Academical started his career with Crewe Alexandra and stayed with them for four seasons racking up almost forty appearances before leaving to join MK Dons. He joined Wrexham in September 2013 and made almost two hundred and fifty games with them before his release a few weeks ago. He has come up against the Harriers many times but not in the ill fated play off finals of 2013. The Harriers manager,