Harriers close to two more signings

Kidderminster Harriers boss Steve Burr is hoping to tie up the signings of left-back Aaron Griffiths and a striker by the end of the week.

The frontman will not be revealed by the manager until the deal is done but Burr confirmed his target currently has no involvement with the club, effectively ruling trialists Paul Connor, Kristian Dennis and Robert Thompson-Brown.

Griffiths is set to sign a contract after catching the eye on trial over the last month, especially after a full 90 minutes in last Saturday's 3-0 friendly win over a young Nottingham Forest side.

The 20-year-old has been desperate to break back into the full-time game since his release from Villa last year, spending last season at semi-professional outfit Halesowen after trials at Coventry and Exeter.

Today Griffiths has been handed a second chance and will fight with another new signing in Mike Williams, brought in from Wrexham last week, for the left-back spot.

Both additions will take up most of the remaining room in Harriers' playing budget but they are still hoping to move on high-earning defender Gavin Caines, which boss Burr hopes will lighten the wage bill to add players before the season starts.

He said: "I am hoping we can complete a couple of signings by the end of the week, a striker and a left-back. One of the lads is from outside the club, the striker, and if we can do it he will give us an option we perhaps haven't got in the squad at the minute.

"The left-back we are hoping will be Aaron Griffiths. He would provide good competition in that position, as a former Villa player and a Kidderminster lad as well, along with Mike Williams coming in from Wrexham.

"We are getting close to what we have left in the budget now, but if we can get these deals done they will be good signings for us."