Exclusive interview

By Mat Kendrick

KIDDERMINSTER Harriers' first president for almost 40 years, Colin Youngjohns, is hoping for a healthier future for himself and the club as he hands over the boardroom hotseat to Barry Norgrove.

It is no secret that Youngjohns' decision to relinquish the role of chairman has been brewing since he suffered a mild stroke at the start of the year.

Being at the helm of a club tumbling out of the Football League hardly helps stress levels, especially with the knowledge that relegation will be your lasting legacy, despite devoting more than half your life to helping transform your boyhood club.

But notwithstanding the disappointing manner of his final season as chairman Youngjohns is not bitter and is more concerned with the condition of the club than his own personal health.

"To be honest I've lost four stone. I've never felt better since I was considerably younger," said Youngjohns, the first club president since Sir George Eddy in 1967.

"I'm fitter because I'm doing a lot more walking around and I've got myself into a much better condition than I was in. Stress affects us all especially when we were struggling and I could see all we'd worked for going down the tube, but there's no better place to be than a football club that's doing well and I sincerely hope Barry can bring about a return to the happier days.

"My wife and family are over the moon that I'm standing down because they're the ones who have paid the price for my dedication to this football club.

"But I wouldn't have changed it for the world. I know that I've helped to make a difference. We've turned a non-descript provincial non-League football club into at least a major, powerful non-League club, a one-time League club and I'm sure a potential future League club."

His successor, Norgrove, is rightfully wary of the flak that comes with the territory of being a football chairman, but believes the honour of the job far outweighs the aggravation.

"My father would be proud of me now if he knew the position I was in," said Norgrove, whose late father was a trainer at the club.

"So it's got to be good and I hope he's up there thinking 'Well done, Bazza, keep it going!"

Meanwhile, Stuart Watkiss has been given the green light to complete his quickfire team-rebuilding. The boss feared he could be stuck with just 15 players after the proposed budget of £500,000 was cut to £380,000.

Watkiss was initially promised half a million pounds to pay the salaries of a squad of 20 players capable of achieving promotion back to the Football League at the first attempt.

It is understood that £100,000 of the original budget was to have been provided by former Harriers chairman Dave Reynolds. The offer of that cash has since been withdrawn after Lionel Newton inserted clauses into the recent takeover deal preventing Reynolds' from having any involvement in the club.

Another £20,000 of Watkiss's expected squad rebuilding funds has been gobbled up paying off veteran midfielder Micky Mellon, who left the club after an uneventful spell last season.

But Youngjohns, Norgrove and Neil Savery have been working around the clock to attract fresh investors to the board and insist playing funds are now approaching the £500,000 once more.

That has given Watkiss chance to pursue more targets with Scunthorpe midfielder Wayne Graves, ex-Boston striker Lee Thompson and an unnamed frontman on his list of targets. But Mark Rawle is unlikely to return and is now on trial at Aldershot.

The Shuttle/Times & News understands that so far Watkiss has used up £400,000 of the £500,000 budget on his eight contracted players from last season and his seven new signings.