By Ryan Brookes | Image by Tom Poole
City are back on the road this Saturday afternoon, as they travel to fellow relegation-threatened side Kidderminster Harriers.
Like the Minstermen, Harriers come into this one following a midweek defeat, beaten 2-1 away at Woking.
However, prior to the late defeat on Tuesday, Kiddy had recorded five wins from their last nine in the National League, under the management of new boss Phil Brown, who has made quite an impact since joining the Worcestershire side.
Only a couple of months ago, relegation straight back to the division they were promoted from last season looked to be almost inescapable.
After snatching all three points from the LNER Community Stadium on the second game of the 2023/24 campaign, the Harriers failed to secure another victory until October.
But that is history now, as Kidderminster sit on the brink of safety, with a win on Saturday potentially taking them out of the bottom four.
Manager: Phil Brown
In early January, Kidderminster confirmed the appointment of experienced and decorated boss Phil Brown, who has overseen more than 600 games in the dugout.
As a player, Brown made in excess of 650 appearances for the likes of Hartlepool United and Bolton Wanderers, before moving into management in 2005, initially with Derby County, but his stint was short.
Notably, he took on the manager’s role at Hull City in 2006, rescuing the Tigers from relegation, and then earning them a first-ever promotion to the Premier League the following season.
He remained there until 2010, and went on to guide Preston North End, Southend, Swindon, Barrow, and even Indian club Hyderabad, though Hull was always his biggest success.
The job at Kidderminster was the 64-year-old’s first since Barrow two years ago, and he has already made quite the difference.
The Harriers sat rock bottom prior to Brown’s arrival, and he has almost clawed them from oblivion – depending on other results, they can climb to safety with a win this weekend.
Top Scorer: Amari Morgan-Smith
This will be a familiar name to City fans, with Morgan-Smith having endured almost two years with the Minstermen, after signing in 2017.
While we suffered relegation from the National League that term, we also lifted the FA Trophy at Wembley, where Morgan-Smith played the full ninety minutes.
The 34-year-old is now into his fourth year with Harriers, and is this season’s top scorer so far.
AMS netted 17 times in the 2021/22 season, including one against Reading in the Third Round of the FA Cup.
Last campaign, he was struck with injury for a large part of the term, but returned to the side with six goals in the final eight games, helping secure promotion back to the fifth tier.
So far in 2023/24, Morgan-Smith has bagged nine goals across 36 games and will be looking to add to his tally as his side search for safety.
Head-to-Head
In recent times, the Harriers did the double over us in 2021/22, however we went on to gain promotion through the playoffs later that season.
The latest meeting came on gameweek two of the current campaign, when the Minstermen were beaten by the solitary goal in August.