HARRIERS had one of their busiest January transfer windows in many a year with a host of familiar faces moving on and lots of new, and not so new, players arriving at Aggborough.

Here’s five things we've learned from the January transfer window 

1) Gary Whild knows how to work the market

Harriers’ manager has certainly not rested on his laurels in January. Even before the window opened he took action to improve the weaker areas in his team and try to plan for the impending departure of the in-form Marvin Johnson with a like-for-like replacement in Keyon Reffell.

With Kidderminster still in the hunt for the play-offs, he has added much needed-experienced with the likes of Danny Lewis and Lee Hughes, who have proven track records in the Vanarama Conference.

While the club’s finances have also dictated a certain amount of cost cutting and balancing the budget the manager has used it to his advantage. The departure of Michael Gash and Kyle Storer was majorly influenced by Harriers’ cash flow woes, but it was ruthless by the manager to discard two fan favourites.

2) Harriers have the firepower but who will supply the ammo?

The arrival of Lee Hughes, Danny Wright and Dominic Knowles certainly gives Kidderminster’s forward line a huge boost after the departure of Michael Gash, Nathan Blissett and Reece Styche’s loan to Tamworth but who will create the chances for the forwards?

Marvin Johnson’s sale to Motherwell and Kyle Storer’s exit has seen the team lose two of its leading assist providers. Kevin Nicholson tops the creative charts for the Reds with eight thanks to his reliable set piece deliveries but the spotlight will also fall on Craig Reid, Aman Verma, Callum Gittings and Keyon Reffell.

3) The Hughes factor

It’s a thrill for the fans to see one of their heroes return to the club in his latter years but Lee Hughes is determined not to spend his second spell at Aggborough in semi-retirement. As Graham Allner pointed out, the 38-year-old has scored goals at every club he has played for, it’s what he does.

But more important is the psychological lift the arrival of a high profile player can have on the whole squad. For the youngsters like Jamie Spencer and Akwasi Assante, it will be an education to watch him in training and on the pitch.

4) A glimpse of the future

For all the talk about the Harriers’ high profile additions, Kidderminster’s new rookies are also raising an eyebrow. The likes of Jordan Tunnicliffe, Jamie Spencer, Akwasi Assante have been drafted in by the manager in a bid to bolster the squad under difficult financial circumstances.

But Whild is not a man who signs players for the sake of it, his track record identifying young players lower down the Non-League pyramid is very good, as anyone who remembers Jamille Matt, Nathan Blissett, Matty Blair, Callum Gittings and Lee Vaughan will attest to.

With his playing budget set to be greatly reduced next season, there is a sense the manager is also blooding the young guns with the 2015-16 campaign in mind.

5) Consistency the key

The departure of Marvin Johnson, Michael Gash and Kyle Storer means only four members of the squad which guided Kidderminster to a hair’s breathe of the Conference title and automatic promotion remain at the club.

It’s the closest the Reds have got to a return to the Football League since relegation in the 2004-05 campaign and the present squad will have to channel the school of 2012-13’s self-belief and determination to reach the play-offs.

Josh Gowling, Callum Gittings, Danny Lewis and Jack Byrne were all key men in that run and their experience will be vital. The race for the play-offs has been unpredictable because none of the challengers have been consistent enough. If Kidderminster can find a way to end the cycle of win/loss they have a chance.

With money tight and the pitch not up to standard it seems the odds are against Kidderminster but Whild has juggled the challenges off and on the pitch to get his team into a good position and has a squad which looks equipped for a big play-off push.