05-07-24. How about an update?

It’s been a while since we’ve had one of these but now that we’ve begun to see some kind of life within the corridors and cellars of Aggborough it’s high time we had one.

That Waking of the Kraken has seen three new players enter the building, one returnee and one or two leave after turning down new contracts. Let’s start with the positives and introduce you to the new boys first.

First through the door was Paul Downing on June 20th. Defender Downing has appeared previously for us when he played a small part in a friendly at AFC Telford Utd before the start of last season. He didn’t really impress and wasn’t seen again until he surfaced at Hereford FC a few weeks later and stayed with them all season racking up twenty seven games for them but spending a portion of his time there in the first aid room. It looks like he’s been bought in as the replacement for Krystian Pearce/Matt Preston. Krys has joined Alvechurch btw.

Next up was midfielder Luke Summerfield arriving following his release from FC Halifax Town. Like Downing he’s no spring chicken but has experience on his side having been around the block with the likes of Plymouth Argyle, Shrewsbury Town and Wrexham AFC. He’s obviously here as the creative midfield option due to us losing Shane Byrne back to Brackley Town.

We then had the other two in quick succession (for us) when youth came striding through the door with the appearance of a Swansea City starlet in Maliq Cadogan. Yes, like most of us, little is known about Maliq but his pedigree is plain to see having come through the Crystal Palace youth structure for six years and then joining Swansea last season to go into their U23 side. He’s come here on loan until January next year and no doubt Swansea want him to get toughened up enough to enter their first team squad.

The returnee followed a few days later when everyones favourite blond Joe Foulkes turned down a new contract at Walsall to come back to us for a third time but this time permanently. You can take the rubber band off now Joe. He’s signed a two year contract with us and it’s good to have him back with us.

We’ve been told to expect a few more signings soon with a striker due to arrive (rumours suggest it could be Troy Deeney) while we could also be signing a couple of triallists once the friendlies get underway. The list of friendlies are here: https://harriers-online.co.uk/khfc/2024-25/friendlies-2024/ 

Leaving us are the aforementioned Shane Byrne and Kieran Phillips. Shane was offered a new contract but turned it down after being offered reduced terms while Kieran had a year left on his but was released from it so that he could make a return to Gloucester City.

Contracts had also expired for Christian Dibble, Alex Penny, Ashley Hemmings, Tom Palmer and Amari Morgan-Smith but they all got signed in the end although Alex did leave the fans sweating a bit by leaving it until June 14th to see sense.

If you can’t remember who left and who stayed at the end of the season then look on here: https://harriers-online.co.uk/khfc/07-05-24-the-harriers-retained-released-list-is-out/

In other, non player, news the season ticket prices have been announced without any real price hikes which is good. There’s no sign of the new kit yet and no hint of what it could look like but it’s expected that there will still be some kind of half & half but in what form that will be we don’t know. It might just be a tweak to the lightening bolt design from last season seeing as that went down quite well.

So there we have it. An update but not much of one such is the dearth of information coming from headquarters. Next week we’ll have the fixture release to look forward to on the 10th so I’ll be back with an update for that then. If Troy Deeney, or whoever, does sign today then I’ll put it as a postscript on here.

Photo © KHFC