DESPITE being committed to Kidderminster Harriers’ play-off bid, defender Kevin Nicholson has one eye on his time beyond football.

The 34-year-old, a mainstay of Gary Whild’s side this season, has taken his first steps into coaching and this week oversaw his first session with the club’s academy.

It is an avenue the former Torquay United left-back is keen to explore once his playing days are over, although he insists he has plenty more to give Harriers.

Nicholson will look to help move Kidderminster closer to the top five when they take on play-off rivals Woking at Aggborough today (3pm).

He said: “I’ve made no secret of the fact I want to be a coach or a manager, but you only get one go at playing — hopefully I can go on playing for a few more years, it’s just planning ahead.

“There are certain standards I want to set when I’m coaching that I’d like to think I set as a player.

“The standard of the academy lads was very good and they gave everything that I asked of them.

“I made the session competitive, with one team against another throughout and a forfeit at the end, and they took to it.

“I’d like to do it regularly for the rest of the season, as long as it doesn’t clash too much with what we’re trying to achieve with the first team. I don’t want it to affect my performances on the pitch.

“But an hour here or there helping the lads out and doing a bit of coaching isn’t going to be too much of a problem physically. If anything, it gives a different insight which may well help my game.”

Harriers are forging even stronger links with the club’s youth set-up in order to find and develop the footballers of the future under new academy manager Andy Blakeley.

The academy is run in partnership between the club and Stourbridge College.

Blakeley has been in the role since Steve Guinan joined the Professional Footballers’ Association.

Meanwhile, Kidderminster’s trip to Gateshead and home match against Eastleigh have been rescheduled for Tuesday, February 24, and Tuesday, March 10, respectively.