TIM Clarke and Steve Pope have joined John Durnin by being released by Kidderminster Harriers manager Jan Molby.

The news will come as no shock to Clarke and Pope who were only offered one-year deals last summer.

Clarke, 32, joined Harriers on a free transfer from Scunthorpe United in September 1999 and made an immediate impact.

Despite being sent-off on his debut at Stevenage Borough, the goalkeeper was an integral part of the Harriers side that won the Conference last season. Despite vying with Stuart Brock for the first team shirt most of the season, Clarke finished the season as Molby's number one.

Pope, currently on loan at League of Wales side Aberystwyth, leaves Aggborough with 38 games under his belt. He joined Harriers on loan from Crewe Alexandra in February 1998 and, after helping Harriers avoid relegation from the Conference, signed a three-year deal at Aggborough.

But Pope was struck down by a cruciate knee injury in the summer of 1998 that forced him to miss a whole season.

The future of out-of-contract Neil Mackenzie and Thomas Skovbjerg will be announced next week. However, five of Harriers' young guns have been offered new deals by the club.

Midfielder Ben Davies, who has made five appearances for the first team this year, and Andrew Corbett who has not-ched up six, have been offered and accepted new one and two-year deals respectively.

Daire Doyle, who joined the club from Coventry City in January, has been offered a new two-year deal, while Lee Ayres and Peter Faulds have been offered professional terms by the club after impressing in the youth and reserve sides.

Molby said: "It would be nice if all five of those lads become regular first teamers over the next few years. We'll wait and see."