On an overcast afternoon at Aggborough, as Phil Brown flicks through a notepad brimming with pages full of preparation for crunch games against York City and Fylde, it is impossible not to wonder how a former Premier League manager ended up at Kidderminster Harriers. When Brown took charge two months ago, Kidderminster were moored to the bottom of the National League, but they have won six of his nine league games to bridge the gap to safety to two points. Brown has breathed life into their fight to stay in the division.
Brown, though, has always done a decent line in self-deprecation. Discussing the makeup of his squad, he describes his players as artisans and athletes, the former typically known for their flair, the latter for racking up mileage on the pitch. So what does that make Brown, the 64-year-old who has revived a squad staring at relegation to the sixth tier? “I’m a car salesman,” he says, laughter filling the room. Brown is holding court in his windowless manager’s office, his assistant, Neil McDonald, also at his desk.
