Colin Gordon: Neil MacFarlane is perfect for Kidderminster Harriers

But Gordon has also admitted Harriers need to stop ‘being everyone’s favourite team’ after two seasons in which their attractive playing style has earned plenty of admirers but not promotion from National League North.

Former Coventry assistant boss MacFarlane took the reins at Aggborough last week following John Eustace’s departure to become Steve McClaren’s No.2 at QPR.

Harriers won plaudits for their style of play under Eustace, even being dubbed the ‘non-league Barcelona’ by former Gainsborough manager Dave Frecklington.

But they suffered play-off heartbreak in each of his two seasons in charge and Gordon, who has ambitions of one day getting the club into the EFL, is determined to buck the trend.

He said: “We have to stop being everyone’s favourite team and start winning. We have to get over the line and get the plaudits because we win.”

Gordon is in no way advocating a move away from the style which has earned Harriers praise, explaining: “You have to be brave, to play the way we play. We are not naive, we know there are areas when we need to improve.

“But it is like Pep Guardiola says, when Plan A isn’t working, you need to find a way to do Plan A better.”

Former Hearts midfielder MacFarlane was assistant to Steven Pressley at both the Sky Blues and Fleetwood.

Gordon said: “Neil and Steven both came in to see us before, when they were at Fleetwood.

“It’s the perfect fit for us. He knows how we work, our approach to the game.

“Of course we are disappointed to have missed out on promotion the last two seasons.

“But we are also very proud of the way we work.”

The chairman, meanwhile, paid tribute to Eustace for his work at Aggborough over the past two years.

Eustace played under former England boss McClaren while at Derby and Gordon said: “Steve realised what a great asset and a great coach he was then and kept tabs on the work he was doing with us.

“It’s a great opportunity for John and we were not going to stand in his way.”