Barry Norgrove took time out today to sit down with your official website and bring us up with his latest thoughts with the month of October now all but in the history books.

In our latest exclusive monthly catch up with the man at the helm, Norgrove gives us an update on business, as well as lifting the lid on his opinions on a red card epidemic that seems to be sweeping the game just lately, plus more.

News reports over the last couple of weeks have suggested that some businesses have shown early signs of recovery, prompting hopes that whilst the UK remains in one of it's worst-ever recessions, the proverbial 'green shoots' may be there.

We asked Norgrove whether, away form Aggborough, he'd noticed any such potential upturns in fortunes for his own business. Unfortunately, not so - and it seems he's not alone.

"Nothing really has changed at all - it's still very, very bad and I can't see it changing this year," he explained.

"Business is absolutely shocking. Everyone I speak to is in the same sort of position so we're all struggling to keep business going.

"The housing market is still awful really so at the moment I can't see much change. We've been going through this for about 18 months now and I don't see any kind of end for at least another eight or nine months yet.

"We just have to try and hold steady in business - hold steady, but pull the reigns in a little bit.

"It's difficult but hopefully we'll get through it and come out okay at the other end."

Moving back to club matters, and our October review sees us sat in a very positive seventh place after three wins from four in the Blue Square Premier.

But that impressive record is being equaled by an equally devastating record of red cards, with Harriers now having picked up five already this season.

Robbie Matthews returns from a ban tomorrow but Chris McPhee and Lee Baker remain out and such suspensions are putting a strain on the playing squad.

Norgrove went on however to reveal his fears that the game has become overrun with rash red cards. He believes that for every deserved dismissal, there is one equally as harsh.

It all ends up costing clubs who can't afford such punishments, as he explained.

He added: "Things are going okay for us in the League - it's just very difficult with key players getting sent off!

"That's the problem we have at the moment. We're back in League action at Cambridge tomorrow and we're without two big players and that is always going to tell because we don't have a big squad.

"I honestly feel a lot of red cards that are happening around the country just aren't necessary.

"There are more now than they have ever been and yet if you talk to both managers over a decision in a game and you'll find that the feeling is that so many are harsh.

"Take Luton for example - the tackle on Chris McPhee was a very bad one but that could perhaps have been a yellow card rather than a red, and the one with Robbie Matthews certainly wasn't a red card.

"You can't always tell what angles referees get of such incidents but sometimes you just want them to be a bit more sensible.

"If you can't see a tackle you can't let a crowd make a judgement for you - that's wrong.

"It's spoiling the game. Look on a Sunday morning in the paper and you'll see there are loads of red cards on a Saturday these days and I'd probably say half of them are harsh decisions.

"Cards are being thrown around too easily and referees aren't pacing themselves. If it serious and over the top, then it has to be a red card - no question about it - but you have to be fair about it and the FA need to look at it because its costing clubs.

"We, like many clubs, can't afford a big squad and to have McPhee and Matthews out through suspension when they really shouldn't be banned.

"Even when we proved that the James Constable sending off a couple of years ago was wrong with the evidence we submitted, the FA acknowledged it but still didn't overturn it, so what chance have you got?

"Jim Harvey at Chester lost two players through red cards in ridiculous circumstances in a game recently but said he wasn't going to waste the money appealing the decisions because players are virtually never let off."

There was a financial blow for the club as they exited the FA Cup in midweek after failing to qualify.

Norgrove admits it was a disappointment, but states that such Cup revenue was potential extra revenue, rather than a windfall already earmarked or spent, as can happen at other clubs.

So there will be no moping around at Aggborough with the Cup campaign over for now - there is too much left to focus on, after all.

The Chairman pointed out that the loss may mean the club are doing less business in the January transfer window, for example, but he'd sooner that than have already spent prize money which would leave the club like so many around it at the moment.

He continued: "You have to do that for the fans as well as yourselves - it would be no good giving up or we'd be out of everything by Christmas and nobody would turn up.

"You have to be realistic. We didn't budget for the FA Cup big of course, it's a lifeline for us because it's money you can put to one side for problems that may arrive or if the manager wants to strengthen like we were able to last year.

"We didn't get through and will have to cut our cloth. So many clubs, even around us, are going into administration or being threatened with going bust.

"We may not be at that door but not picking up that extra revenue still has a massive effect on us.

"As it stands now, we won't be doing in big business in January because we cannot afford to - it's as simple as that.

"But I must try to keep this club alive and the only way we'll do that is to stay out of debt."