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Kiddie boss: “I can’t quite believe they are turning up here”

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Russ Penn - Official Website of the Harriers - Kidderminster Harriers FC

Kidderminster Harriers’ manager Russell Penn (above) has called for his team to be brave – “not to be nervous” and to just “go for it” when when the Irons and his team kick off tomorrow (Sat).

“They are a better team than us, we know that,” admitted Penn

“I don’t want us to be nervous but, naturally, they are going to be and adrenaline will be up to the eyeballs, but we have to curb that because there is still a game to play.

“They are going to see 6,000 through the turnstiles, lights everywhere, flashing phones, but they have to get rid of that one second after kick-off because then it’s game on and it’s 0-0 until anyone scores.”

Penn himself made over 150 appearances for the Harriers Kidderminster as a player becoming manager in 2019 on an interim basis.

At 36-years-old he  already appreciates that going up against a manager like David Moyes could well be as good as it ever gets.

“Of my short career, it’s the biggest occasion and it might be my best ever,” Penn added.

“But I will take one thing at a time and welcome him, be polite, might get a bottle of wine in for him after but I cannot wait to welcome him, Stuart Pearce, Kevin Nolan and all his players on Saturday.”

“I still can’t quite believe they are turning up here. A Premier League side coming to a National League North side? Doesn’t happen very often but, game on.”

ClaretandHugh says: It’s at times like this that I’m happy to have a cautious manager in charge of the squad for these are games of which we have come to be nervous. In normal times it’s impossible to think of defeat but the  Harriers have a decent record in the competition. Moyes is believed ready to put out a strong side as we bid to move closer to a Wembley appearance but this won’t be easy in a game where there’s everything to lose and nothing to win however convincing a victory the team may put over Harriers. it’s expected. This is a game to put to bed as quickly as possible and move on as fast as possible.

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Hugh Southon is a lifelong Iron and the founding editor of ClaretandHugh. He is a national newspaper journalist of many years experience and was Bobby Moore's 'ghost' writer during the great man's lifetime. He describes ClaretandHugh as "the Hammers daily newspaper!"

Follow on Twitter @hughsouthon