MARK Yates has told the official website that he's hoping to be able to secure the signatures of several of his on-trial stars with the new Blue Square Premier season just days away.

Harriers, who continue their pre-season schedule at Steve Bull's Stafford Rangers this evening, will battle Lewes in the first fixture of the new league campaign here at Aggborough next Saturday afternoon.

Yates currently has 12 contracted players on board but remains impressed with a strong crop of trialists still at the club.

The likes of Michael Bowler, Martin Brittain (pictured) and David McDermott all travelled down with the team for last week's Errea South West Challenge Cup last week, and Yates was pleased with their performances.

"They all fitted in very well with the rest of the boys last week and it's just a case of sitting down with the Chairman down and working out which ones we can get and which ones we can't," he told harriers.co.uk.

"There are some good players in the dressing room at the moment - some good, technically gifted footballers who are young, hungry and determined to succeed.

"We want to try and keep as many of those if we can and if we can, who knows?"

Yates admitted he hopes to have an extremely busy next week and a half or so as he looks to boost his squad with half a dozen or even more bodies.

He stated: "That's what I'm after but it's not as simple as that, unfortunately.

"But I'm hoping to get a number of these players signed because we've been very impressed with them.

"There are still one or two other things happening as well but we'll have to see what we can do.

"[The number] depends, 18, 19 - I'd even go up to 20 perhaps with some of the ones we're after but we've got to wait and see."

Yates' squad will tussle with Blue Square North side Stafford tonight (7:45pm), with Yates adding: "It will be a good game for us - we'll go and work hard and try and make sure we do things right."

Admission prices at Marston Road are £8 adults, £5 concessions whilst U12s are free if accompanied by an adult.

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