STUART Watkiss is keen on keeping assistant Gary Barnett at relegated Kidderminster Harriers next season.

Former Fulham midfielder Barnett, previously the number two to Jan Molby at Aggborough and Hull City, has impressed Watkiss since he took over at Harriers last December.

But the Kidderminster manager is yet to have his much-reduced budget finalised for the Conference campaign although his mind is made up over the retained list.

However, no announcements on players or other staff are expected until after the final League Two game at Northampton on Saturday.

And Watkiss admitted: "I have no plans for Gary not to be here unless anything really drastic happens. Certainly from a football point of view, I have no real reason to think otherwise. But, like everything, finances dictate and we will just have to wait and see.

"I have to say Gary has worked himself into the ground since I've been here. I've liked his enthusiasm on the training ground and willingness to go and watch other matches.

"He has done all he can to help the cause, which has been appreciated."

After the decision to let Reuben Hazell and Jamie Gleeson go through relegation release clauses, Gary Birch and Tom Bennett may be the next out of the Aggborough exit.

Birch can only stay on if he takes a sizeable pay cut, which looks unlikely, and out-of-contract Bennett is keen to head back to his native Scotland as a player-coach.

Harriers' budget will be slashed drastically from £600,000 to possibly as little as half that figure to cope with the drop in cash flow on their relegation.