Who should Kidderminster Harriers sign this summer?

Kidderminster Harriers are back in the National League North.

Phil Brown will be looking to mount a promotion push to make an immediate return to the fifth tier next season, but if they are going to be successful in those efforts then they will need to strengthen their side and add to the core they’ve been able to retain.

With that in mind, I identify some possible options that they could consider signing during the close season.

Jordan Cranston

The first player on this list is a left-back. Harriers do have Caleb Richards at their disposal – having played for much of last season on the left – but I feel they could benefit with another option on that side of the pitch. One option that has become available since the end of the 2023-24 campaign that is of interest to me as a capable player is former Cheltenham Town man Jordan Cranston.

Cranston was on loan with Redditch United from National League North side Hereford this season, and recently announced that he is a free agent on the look out for a club at Step 2 or above; signing for Harriers at Step 2 with a view to trying to get promoted into the National League provides the right fit for the defender to what he wants. And, while he perhaps didn’t make the best impression during his time with Hereford – limited for minutes and sent out on loan to a lower level – I still think that he is still more than capable in the sixth tier.

The left-back is Wolverhampton-born and so provides a fairly local option for Phil Brown. Cranston may not be the biggest of left-backs, but he is strong on the ball, attack-minded, progressive and has a decent engine down the left-hand side. He is another that provides experience of winning promotion out of the National League North with AFC Fylde, and so further strengthens the group’s ability and knowhow in aiming for an immediate return to the top flight of non-league.

Eliot Putman

Kidderminster Harriers are not exactly short of defensive options – with Reiss McNally and Kristin Pearce on their books – but I do feel, with Nathaniel Knight-Percival likely to depart and Matt Preston having not seen a great deal of regular minutes, Phil Brown could benefit from adding another central option at the back. One player who I’ve liked whenever I have seen him play and who I am confident is more than capable of adjusting to the National League North is Coalville Town defender Elliot Putman.

Coalville Town have been one of the best sides outside of the three National League derivatives in the last few years, and centre-back Putman has been an instrumental part of that with a string of authoritative, imposing displays. He has consistently been one of the best centre-backs in the lower leagues and I would like to see how he makes the step-up into the sixth tier.

One thing that Putman does give Harriers is a bit of natural balance to be able to play on the left-hand side. A left-footed centre-back that is proficient with the ball at his feet, has a good reading of the game and is mobile. He gives Harriers a better option in terms of ball progression to what they have at the moment as a more forward-thinking, cultured centre-back to the likes of Krystian Pearce.

At 28 years of age, I think that now is the time for him to step up and prove that he is able to play at a higher level. He is younger than Krystian Pearce and so offers a more mobile and athletic profile of defender, and I would be going all out to try and bring the Coalville Town organiser to Aggborough.

Liam McAlinden

Phil Brown has flitted between the use of 3 and 4-man backlines this term, and so it will be interesting to see what approach they go for next season. As such, if they are to add wide players, they’ll need to add players that are more than capable of playing as a winger or at full-back; in this regard, Liam McAlinden ticks those boxes and so I think he’d be a worthwhile addition in wake of his release by Scunthorpe United.

McAlinden was let go at the end of the season by The Iron as they lost in the National League North play-off semi-finals, bringing to an end his time at Glanford Park having signed from League Two outfit Wrexham. While he was moved on by United, I do think that he is still a talented player and one that is capable of not just being a top-end performer in the sixth tier, but one who can make the step-up into the fifth tier comfortably in the event that Harriers are indeed promoted.

One thing that he does give Harriers is experience of being in and around winning environments. Promoted from the national League with Wrexham, in the play-offs with Scunthorpe United last season, winning League One with Wolverhampton Wanderers, winning the play-offs with Morecambe; he is the sort of character that you want in your group if you are trying to push for promotion. In terms of rebuilding the leadership group within this Harriers squad, I think he is the exact type of option they should be looking at trying to sign.

Nathan Ferguson

The key area of the pitch which Kidderminster Harriers need to focus their efforts during the summer is in midfield. I watched them live at Wealdstone and in a number of other games virtually in 2023-24, and I thought that they looked short in that regard. The first midfield option who I think they could be worth having a look at signing is Nathan Ferguson.

Ferguson has spent much of his career in the South Easterly part of the UK – with spells at Crawley Town, Southend United and most recently Wealdstone – and so this would represent somewhat of a geographical relocation for the midfielder. However, I feel that he needs a change environment to alter the course of a tide that has gone a bit flat in recent seasons to get him back up towards the levels he is capable of; signing for The Harriers could be just the tipple.

The midfielder is one that Phil Brown knows; Ferguson was on the books at Southend United when Brown was manager at Roots Hall. As such, there is a relationship on which to draw to work any potential deal. While his time at Wealdstone came to an end in a perhaps slightly underwhelming fashion, I do think that there is a talented player in there and in the right system, the right players around him and the right environment in which to flourish, I think that he is more than capable of being a National League regular and indeed top end performer.

In order to reach that point, Ferguson may have to drop down a level into the National League North in which to find the regular minutes that he needs to find the level of consistency for his game. At his best, he is a physical, robust and powerful midfield with an ability to drive forward from deep, get on the ball and dictate, and dominate midfields. He needs someone that can put the fire back in his belly and an energetic manager in Brown and top coach in McDonald might do just the trick.

Tom McGlinchey

I am always going to be an advocate for signing some of the best talent from the leagues below, especially given the scale of quality that non-league has to offer. One midfield option who has consistently been one of the standout players below the National League North and who I feel is now ready to step up into the sixth tier is Coalville Town’s Tom McGlinchey.

In terms of all-round midfielders, McGlinchey is right up there as one of the most consistent and complete I have seen. He is the perfect balance of a strong work-rate, technical ability and tactical appreciation. Coalville Town have shown themselves to be a competitive outfit in recent terms – even when going up against teams at a higher level from the National League – and McGlinchey has been a vital cog of their midfield with his endeavour off the ball and quality on it.

One thing that Kidderminster Harriers missed was a goal-scoring presence from deep. McGlinchey is a goal-scoring midfielder with fabulous ability to be a box-crasher in the timing of his runs, movement, finding pockets of space in the final third, making runs from deep and constantly looking for ways in which to influence the game both in and out of possession. Brown favoured no-nonsense midfielders last year, and McGlinchey provides that – with his leadership, nous and professionalism – but offers a little bit more technical output.

If there was one player on this list that I think Harriers should go for, it is Tom McGlinchey; I’m just a huge fan. He has been playing at a level lower than he is capable of for the last few years, a key player for Coalville Town and while they would want to keep hold of him, I think this summer is the time for him to move on and find an opportunity at a higher level. He is an outstanding character, an ultimate professional and the sort of selfless, hard-working and low-fuss type that every good teams needs; sign, sign, sign!

Danny Philliskirk

One option that I think Kidderminster Harriers could look at during the close season is experienced campaigner Danny Philliskirk. Kept on by AFC Fylde at the end of the 2023-24 campaign albeit likely not part of their plans and so available on loan, Philliskirk is a player who may not win any awards for being the most inventive of signings for Phil Brown, but one that I think most certainly wins the award for being a wholly functional and highly useful addition for where Harriers want to be.

Philliskirk notably missed some experience in midfield last term; whenever I watched Harriers they looked devoid of organisation and nous. Granted, they missed Shane Byrne – who was out through injury for much of the campaign – but they certainly missed an experienced head. Philliskirk is 33 years of age and has experience of winning promotion from the sixth tier as recently as the 2022-23 campaign. In enabling Harriers to scale similar heights going for promotion next season, he would be vital.

He is by no means an out-and-out midfielder – capable of playing through the middle as a striker, out wide as a wide forward or as a central midfield player; thus, giving Harriers the versatility to play various different systems. With his experience and at the age he is, I think he might be better used in a deeper role with the ability to get on the ball, dictate play and pick a pass through the opposition to carve open opportunities.

One of the key factors as to why I think Danny Philliskirk may be an option for Harriers is that he spent time with current Harriers assistant manager Neil McDonald at Blackpool. He has spent the back-end of the 2023-24 season at National League North side Southport and so they will no doubt be eager to bring him back into the club on loan from AFC Fylde, but I think that a move to Aggborough may be worth consideration.

Oliver Greaves

The final midfielder that I would be looking at if I was Phil Brown is a former Sheffield United academy product in the form of Oliver Greaves. Greaves has impressed in the Northern Premier League with Mickleover Sports and is one that I have profiled on the blog before, and I think that he would give Harriers an exciting, box-crashing, attacking midfielder.

Greaves is your archetypal attacking midfielder. Tricky, technical, capable of manipulating the ball in tight areas, quick feet, intricate passer, a player that plays on the turn at speed, is a capable dribbler, and just generally is a high-energy, mobile midfield player that is always looking to create and drive at the opposition.

He came through a strong academy with Sheffield United – one with a track record for producing top young players – and so has had a strong technical grounding. He is only 24 years of age and so if Jack Lambert is to depart the club as some Harriers fans have feared that he may, Greaves would be the perfect replacement with his goal-scoring abilities and competency at being a dribbling, ball-carrier.

Mo Touray

The final player on this list is another who would be stepping up to the level in signing for Kidderminster Harriers; Warrington Rylands striker Mo Touray.

Harriers have a strong target man option in the form of Amari Morgan-Smith and don’t have that natural profile of striker who can play on the shoulder and provide the quick, lively, mobile presence to play off of him; Touray ticks that box. The former Salford City forward is a pressing, hard-working type that is always on the move, closing down from the front, forcing defenders into making mistakes, and exactly the sort of energetic, diminutive striker that would dovetail nicely alongside a more physical option. Importantly, he gives them the skillsets which they don’t have; the ability to break lines and make movements in behind the opposition.

Touray comes off the back of a strong campaign with Warrington Rylands in which he scored 17 goals in 36. Whilst he is perhaps not prolific, one thing that he has always shown is his ability to score goals; a strong loan spell with Barry Town United (scoring 13 in 31), likewise with Merthyr Town (4 in 7) and showed his quality in front of goal in a loan spell with Rylands prior to moving to the club on a permanent basis. He announced his departure from Rylands recently and so he will be looking for a new challenge.

He has good pedigree having been on the books of EFL sides Salford City and Newport County, as well as representing Wales Internationally at youth level. He broke through with The Exiles as early as 17 years of age, and has since spent 7 years honing his craft with spells (largely) in non-league. He is still only 24 years of age and so has plenty of room for development, and I am confident that he will turn into a capable striker for the level. Touray may only be a diminutive figure at 5ft6in, but he provides the perfect antithesis to Morgan-Smith and is someone I’d be taking a chance on.