Chris Oldnall has been following his home-town football club Kidderminster Harriers since the early 1960s and he has also been chronicling their fluctuating fortunes for around 60 years.
Here, in our monthly feature ‘Harriers Heritage’, he looks at fans who support Kidderminster as their ‘second club’, including rock legend Robert Plant.
OVER THE years I’ve often found that many Wolverhampton Wanderers’ fans in the Wyre Forest area have also got a soft spot for another club nearer to home – Kidderminster Harriers.
Although local supporters of Aston Villa, West Bromwich Albion and Birmingham City enjoy occasional visits to Aggborough when their favourite team isn’t playing, it’s Wolves who have arguably forged a closer link to the men from Hoo Road.
Indeed, a countless number of players who’ve spent some part of their careers at Molineux have ended up playing starring roles for Harriers.
And, to underline the Molineux connection, one very well-known lifelong Wolves fan can sometimes be spotted watching Harriers in action from the main stand at Aggborough – rock legend and local resident Robert Plant.
The Led Zeppelin frontman pays a welcome visit to Aggborough from time to time and, not surprisingly, causes heads to turn.
In fact, a couple of times over the last two years I’ve been approached on the press bench before kick-off by fans from Harriers’ matchday opponents and asked “is Robert Plant here today?” or “where does Robert Plant normally sit?”
Unfortunately for them, on both occasions they drifted off disappointed as their beloved rock hero wasn’t in attendance.
And to add to their frustrations they made their weary way home after watching their side fall to defeat!
Loyal Harriers and Wolves fans, however, knew exactly whose side they were cheering for when the clubs faced each other in the third round of the FA Cup on Saturday, January 3, 2004.
A crowd of 6,005 packed into Aggborough to see gallant Harriers edge into a`1-0 lead through John Williams who scored in the 77th minute – just three minutes after being drafted on as a substitute for Bo Henriksen.
The Premier League side, however, broke Aggborough supporters’ hearts by grabbing a dramatic equaliser in the 89th minute through Alex Rae.
Harriers’ starting line-up on that memorable day was: Stuart Brock, Adie Smith, Craig Hinton, Wayne Hatswell, Scott Stamps, Dean Bennett, Sean Parrish, Graham Ward, Danny Williams, Jesper Christiansen and Bo Henriksen. Subs: John Danby, Scott Rickards, Andy White, Matt Gadsby and John Williams.
Ten days later 25,808 spectators, including 2,908 Harriers’ fans, turned up for the replay at Molineux when Aggborough manager Jan Molby’s unchanged side lost 2-0 following a goal in each half from Kenny Miller.
It was the end of a magical FA Cup adventure for Molby’s Football League Division Three troops which began with wins in the previous two rounds against Northwich Victoria and Woking.
Harriers, meanwhile, also have another strong link with Wolves whose under 21 side play their Premier League 2 games at Aggborough as well as cup fixtures.
And that means stars of the future turning up from the likes of Nottingham Forest, Millwall, Blackburn Rovers, Swansea City, Leicester City and Stoke City.
Wolves under 21s have also played PSV Eindhoven in the International Cup at Aggborough this season as well as AS Monaco in a game this month which was abandoned because of bad weather.
So, for Harriers and Wolves their bond is a match made in heaven – and here’s to the next time they’re drawn against each other in the FA Cup!
