Article appears as printed in the match programme verus Mansfield Town, 21/08/2010
STEVE BURR was delighted to have further boosted his strike force with the addition of Marc Williams on loan this week - but no one was more pleased to see the Welshman's arrival than his brother Mike.
The duo, up to this summer, have always played in the same squad at the Racecourse Ground and so defender Mike's switch to Aggborough during the summer would have been a strange sort of separation for both.
Any thoughts, however, that the Aggborough No.3 had swayed his new gaffer into plunging to bring his brother to Kidderminster have been firmly put to bed by the man himself - Burr has been, after all, a long-time admirer of the flame-haired front-man's skills.
"It wasn't really a case of me going up to the gaffer and speaking about Marc, he actually approached me," Mike tells us.
"He was interested in what was going on with Marc's situation and I obviously went to my brother and said there was a bit of interest here in having him on loan.
"This is just the sort of thing he is looking for. The last couple of years haven't been the best because of his injuries as he hasn't had a run of games.
"Before that he was scoring a lot of goals for Wrexham and after putting the injury to one side he has come back in pre-season and looked sharp as well.
"He isn't in Dean Saunders' plans so if he can come here and do well it can only be a positive for us as a club."
After a strong pre-season campaign, Mike penned a one-year contract to become a Harriers player for this season. He's settled extremely well and is slotting in relatively comfortably at left-back.
Despite the seemingly comfortable transition from one environment to another, he does however admit that having Marc on board has eased any potential difficulties altogether. Quite apart from anything else, it has saved their parents some petrol money!
"It is a little bit strange," adds the man who netted twice for Wrexham against Harriers at the Racecourse last season.
"It took me a while to get used to a new set-up and to a new group of lads but with Marc being here it does feel a little bit more normal as we've always been in the same team growing up.
"We do have a certain instinct in that I know where he'll be on the pitch and vice versa and we know a lot about each other's games.
"It's exciting for us to be playing together and it is certainly a lot easier for my Mum and Dad to go and watch games!
"It was going to end up with one going to Wrexham and another coming to Kidderminster so they're certainly happier about things."
Reflecting back on Tuesday night's 4-3 defeat to Southport, Mike reflects boss Burr's disappointment at the way the hosts conceded goals on the cheap.
He's drawing on the positives, however, continuing: "It was disappointing to concede four goals, especially in the way we did because we knew what to expect from them and we knew they'd be direct from the off.
"But we took the positives out of it because with a couple of decisions going the other way we could, on another night, quite easily have won it."
Harriers entertain Mansfield at Aggborough this afternoon looking to make an immediate return to winning ways and to bounce back from midweek disappointment.
David Holdsworth's Stags were beaten, too, instantly giving today's spectacle some added spice.
"We have got to go into Saturday's game now and make sure we do pick up the three points," insists the 23 year-old.
"Mansfield will come and play the ball around a little bit more which will suit our natural game.
"When it is Tuesday-Saturday you never have long to wait to put right a wrong result and that's what we're looking for today."
10 STUPID QUESTIONS FOR: MIKE WILLIAMS
1) Afternoon, Mike. Ever eaten an egg in bed?
You did say they'd be stupid, didn't you? No, though, I haven't. I would, though, if my missus would get off her backside and make me breakfast in bed every now and again!
2) As an ex-Wrexham man now in Kiddy colours, how do you think a Dragon would fare flying a Harrier?
Hmm… A Welsh Dragon? A Welsh one would do just fine I think, and flying a Harrier - what a perfect partnership!
3) Your brother Marc is now on board… Who'd win in an Olympic wrestling match between the two of you?
That's easy, no problem - it would definitely be me on that one. I'd just bully him, really. Over the years I have put him in his place!
4) Do you think Steve Burr would mind if you ate a pork pie at half-time?
I'm not sure about that, he'd probably look at me a bit strangely.
5) Which is your favourite chip shop? Where is it? What do you recommend?
My local back home, The Galleon, is quite nice. If I do have anything from there it would be fish, we're right on the coast so it's good stuff.
6) Do you sniff the smell of new books, or, dare we say, programmes?
Erm, no. I'm not into that sort of stuff.
7) Is there a place for [registered] firearms in football?
Someone with a gun on the pitch? I don't see that happening any time soon.
8) Would you rather listen to non-stop hip-hop on unremovable headphones for six months, or have a limb broken with a mallet?
I'd probably have to have something smashed otherwise after six months I'd end up sounding like a gangster or something. Could I just have a finger broken? How about that
9) Would you intervene in a scrap between two people in the street, or would you stand there shouting 'Fight, Fight!'?
If it was someone I didn't know I'd walk past and let them get on with it, otherwise I'd try and step in and stop it.
10) Are you a keen recycler?
A keen one, no. But you have to be these days otherwise there's a fine in the post and a telling off!
