Worcester City secure temporary home at Kidderminster next season (From Worcester News)

Worcester City secure temporary home at Kidderminster next season

10:23am Wednesday 30th January 2013 in Sport

WORCESTER City have completed their ground-share agreement with Blue Square Bet Premier neighbours Kidderminster Harriers.

Carl Heeley's men will play their home games at Aggborough from the start of next season after their historic St George's Lane ground is demolished for housing.

City officials studied a series of options before agreeing a one-season deal with an option for a second year.

The Blue Square Bet North outfit will pay Harriers an undisclosed set sum on a match-by-match basis for the hire and use of Aggborough.

City vice-chairman Colin Layland said: "The process we’ve been through to reach this stage has been exhaustive and I cannot stress enough that all factors, considerations and opinions have been taken into account.

"Important though it is, the City board have been keen not just to look at this issue from a purely financial perspective.

"Despite the difficulties facing the club, the board remains ambitious and wishes to compete at the highest possible level during its period of ground share.

"It also wishes to give the manager the opportunity to continue to play the attractive brand of football and attract the standard of player we have become used to.

"We really feel this move allows City to retain some of its ambition but while also guarding its future.

"The board are extremely grateful to Mark Serrell and the board at Kidderminster for the help they’ve given us in setting up this agreement because it really does demonstrate a lot of county solidarity.

"Of course, there is rivalry between the two clubs on the pitch but, in truth, this really does strengthen the relationship between the clubs."

Harriers chairman Mark Serrell said: "We're very pleased to finally have this agreement in place at last because it's probably been the world's worst-kept secret while we’ve been going through negotiations.

"We have come to an arrangement that suits and benefits both parties but one of the over-riding aspects of it for us at Kidderminster was the opportunity to help out one of our fellow local teams at what has been an incredibly difficult time for Worcester.

"Every detail has been very carefully thought about and I would assure both sets of supporters that, from our perspective, it is not aimed to be an arrangement that generates profit for the club - rather all the income we receive from it will go towards maintaining the surface at Aggborough and the work involved in that.

"We look forward to welcoming City to Aggborough next season and hope that, however long they are with us, they leave to take up their new, permanent home in a healthy and vibrant state."

Further details with regards to aspects such as ticketing and travel will be released in due course.