AMBITIOUS manager Jan Molby is convinced Kidderminster Harriers can make a major impact during their debut season in the Football League -- but he knows it's not going to be easy!

And on Saturday Molby's eager troops will get a clear indication of how tough it will be when they launch their Division Three campaign against Torquay United at Aggborough.

The former Liverpool star, however, is warning Harriers fans to be patient and that the side will need time to acclimatise to their new status.

He said: "You'll always have a section of the crowd who will expect success every day, but that probably isn't going to happen. It's going to take time.

"In a one-off situation against any Third Division side you would fancy your chances but, over 46 games, it's going to be tough and we have to perform consistently to a level that's going to be good enough.

"We have got to remember that the season is not about the opening game. We are going to play 23 home league games and we do need the supporters' backing in all those.

"As I've said before there will be defeats along the way, that's inevitable. It happened when I was at Liverpool and it happens to Manchester United. It's how you deal with defeats. That goes for me, the players and the fans."

Determined Molby believes it will take the best part of ten weeks for Kidderminster to find their feet in the Football League.

"I think there will be one or two players, who have got an awful lot of ability, going on what they came up against in the Nationwide Conference last year and thinking that will be good enough. But it won't. We have to improve and I think a lot of my players can do that."

Molby has his own ideas about who the main contenders will be for promotion this season with Plymouth Argyle at the top of his list.

"There's a lot of big city teams like Cardiff, Hull and Plymouth and they're all fancied to do well. Chesterfield are also chucking money at it like it's going out of fashion and we are going to be competing against all those.

"But, out of all of them, I've got a sneaky fancy that Plymouth will have a big season."

Molby's main thoughts, however, are firmly focused on how Kidderminster will compete in the big time.

"You have only got to take heart from what clubs like Crewe and Walsall have achieved in going up and gaining promotion, but at the moment I think we have got to look at it short term. What we have got to hope for is that we stay in the division and we'll take it from there.

"Progress doesn't necessarily mean promotion. You can still progress without getting promoted, but we can't afford to stand still. We must keep improving."

Although he played at the highest level with Liverpool, Molby admits the thought of a new season is as exciting as ever.

"You always get excited when the team picture is taken because you have put together a squad and hopefully when you look back on that picture in 12 months time you can say 'not bad at all'.

"But the hard work starts now. We don't know what is going to happen but hopefully come May 5 it will have been another good season."

Molby has been happy with the way the pre-season programme has gone, including the five-match tour of Denmark.

"But some people read too much into the pre-season friendlies. They are there to get players fit, to get them ready for the season. Results, although you want to win them all, are not important, never have been.

"Experienced players have played hundreds of pre-season games, it doesn't excite them, but believe me this Saturday will excite them and once we start hopefully we'll see the real stuff."

Although Saturday's all-ticket opener against Torquay has caught the imagination, Kidderminster's pairing with Walsall in the two-leg Worthington Cup first round has also helped keep interest at fever pitch.

Molby said: "We couldn't have asked for a bigger one than that. Obviously, we could have drawn Blues, Wolves or West Brom but the chances of progressing then would have been less than what they are against Walsall."