Kidderminster Harriers’ long wait to appoint a new manager has ended with the appointment of Steve Burr.

Burr arrives on a two-and-a-half year contract from Blue Square side North outfit Stalybridge Celtic and succeeds Mark Yates as boss following his departure to Cheltenham in December.

The 50-year-old’s appointment had been kept top secret right until the unveiling and chairman Barry Norgrove revealed they had only received the green light to appoint Burr five minutes before the press conference, after what was described as “substantial” compensation terms were thrashed out with Stalybridge.

Norgrove confirmed the cost of getting his man was more than they received from Cheltenham for Yates and his assistant Neil Howarth, with caretaker boss John Finnigan will be assistant player-manager.

Burr said: “The opportunity to manage a club like Kidderminster is something I’m really looking forward to. They’ve got a good following, Mark Yates has done a terrific job here and hopefully I can continue that.

“I’ll never be one to say we will do this, that or the other but I will give 100 per cent effort and commitment as I’ve done wherever I’ve been. Hopefully that will bring the success that I’ve had elsewhere, hopefully I can bring a lot of excitement to the supporters.”

A delighted Norgrove revealed there were 51 applicants for the job – but that Burr was his first choice from day one.

He said: “It’s been a long wait I know, but the problem we had was he was still employed by Stalybridge Celtic until five minutes ago.

“We knew we wanted Steve from the start when Mark left us and we have been discussing compensation with Stalybridge.

“Fans are saying I’ve got no ambition but I think I’ve proved them slightly wrong now. I think Steve will achieve play-offs and promotion. It might not be this season but it might be next season.

“He has an unbelievable amount of contacts in the game, he is the England C assistant so he knows all the younger players coming through. It’s more who he doesn’t know. He is the ideal person and he is really up for the job.”

Harriers currently sit ninth in the Blue Square Premier, seven points off the play-off positions, and Burr’s first game in charge will come at Crawley Town, who sit level on points with them.