WORCESTER City manager Tim Harris believes having their own ground should be top of the priority list for the football club.

City moved to Claines ahead of the 2021/22 season and currently rent the facility that is now the home of the Worcestershire FA.

Harris came in to the club in January 2021 and in his first full season led the side to a fourth placed finish in the Midland Football League Premier.

But in order to progress further, Harris admits there are changed required.

“I feel like the trust board need to take gold of the club by the scruff of the neck as we need to make some changes off the field,” he said.

“I appreciate you have to be careful what you wish for and as a manager, trust director or board director, as we are only custodians of the club. The club was here before we all arrived and will be here long after we are gone. 

“The trust, board, directors have done a really good job in keeping the club alive, however, as I see it, we need to improve drastically to take this club forward. 

“I must stress, I am amazed by the commitment of so few and their efforts should never be questioned. 

“But in my opinion, if we are going to move back up the pyramid, we urgently require more business acumen to the board or even large investment with the focus of obtaining our own ground that the history of this fantastic football club deserves. 

“Of course we can improve Claines Lane but it is never going to be our ground and that is what we should be discussing now as it will not happen overnight.”

In the context of what has happened in the past 10 years at the football club, the 2021/22 campaign was a hugely successful one for City. 

At one stage they were in with a shout of promotion and they also came within a penalty shootout of lifting some silverware, which would have been fully deserved on balance. 

And on reflection, Harris explained how much he has enjoyed the challenge.

“My first season in charge of the club has been enjoyable; we have showed some promise and progression since I first walked through the door,” he said

“At times we have played excellent, exciting football and our aim was to start winning games more regularly, create an identity and find some young, hungry and talented players. 

“We have had some set-backs and a few poor displays, I have made some mistakes, but all in all we have moved forward and are a much more competitive.

“If we can add some strength and experience and maintain the majority of this young group, we can hopefully next season, with a little luck, make a real title challenge.”