HARRIERS v HAMMERS (1993-4) + (2021-2)

Today Kidderminster Harriers met West Ham United, at home, in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup, as a sixth-tier National League North, they were under dogs. On their way to this pinnacle, they beat National League Premier opposition in Grimsby Town FC and FC Halifax Town in Rounds 1 and 2 and then Championship side Reading in Round 3. (see lower down **).

Kidderminster is a large market town in Worcestershire,17 miles (27 km) south-west of Birmingham. It has a population of 55,530. The earliest written form of the name Kidderminster was first documented in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as Chideminstre, meaning 'Cydda or Cydela's minster or monastery'. It was a large manor held by William the Conqueror, the surrounding habitats and eventually the town, were settled as Kidderminster by the 16th century.

In 1670–1 Kidderminster's cloth industry obtained a guild, by act of parliament and by 1677, the town had as many as 459 weavers and perhaps 3,000 spinners. In the early 18th century, carpet weaving was introduced to Kidderminster, and this rapidly became the staple trade of the town. Its growth was aided by a major road network, the opening of the Staffs and Worcester Canal in 1771 and then the later the arrival of the railway to the town in 1852.

The modern carpet industry was founded in the area in 1785 by Brintons. The carpet industry became extremely important to the local economy, so much so that the local newspaper is still named The Shuttle after the shuttles used on the carpet looms. They commissioned such notable artists as George Bain, to create their traditional Celtic designs. A type of carpet was known as Kidderminster carpet or, in the United States, Ingrain carpet: this was a reversible carpet with no pile, with the pattern showing in opposite colours on the two faces, and was popular from the 18th to early 20th centuries. By 1951 there were over thirty carpet manufacturers in the town, including, for example, Quayle & Tranter (now defunct).The carpet industry went into decline in the 1970s, but still continues on a reduced scale.

Aided by a 2004 grant from the Lottery Fund, a museum dedicated to the Kidderminster carpet industry was officially opened in 2012. Every town needs a football club!

Formed in 1886, Kidderminster Harriers FC is the town's professional football club. Local rivals in recent years are Cheltenham Town and Hereford Utd. The club now plays in the National League North.

In 2005 the Harriers were relegated to the Conference after five years in the Football League 2nd Division. They had reached the Football League as Conference champions in 2000, and are Worcestershire's only representative in the league. They had won the title in 1994 but were denied promotion then as their stadium did not meet Football League capacity requirements. 

 

** The 1993-4 FA Cup season saw the Harriers beat Chesham Utd (1-4), Kettering (3-0), Woking (1-0) as they found themselves in the Third Round, paired with Birmingham City-a local rival! At St Andrew's, 20,000 saw Jon Purdie score a winner !-2). Next in Rd 4, came Preston NE dispatched 1-0 at a packed Aggborough and their mazy flight was halted by West Ham in Round 5, who sneaked a 1-0 win. There's a coincidence!

West Ham lost to Luton Town in Rd 6, 3-2 following a 0-0 draw.

In the club's squad at the moment are players from St Kitts and Nevis, Albania, Bermuda, Zimbabwe and Wales! 

Why Harriers? A form of cross-country running in the early 19th century was called "paper chasing", or "hare and hounds"—the “hares” started a few minutes before the others and left a trail of paper scraps to be followed by the “hounds.” Cross-country runners came to be known as harriers. The club has close links with local rugby and running clubs.

In 1987 Harriers went to Wembley for the FA Trophy Final, against Burton Albion. The game was a 0–0 draw aet. but Kidderminster won 2–1 in the replay at The Hawthorns.

They have reached this final on three occasions since, losing 2–1 to Wycombe Wanderers in 1991, in front of a crowd of 34,842 at the old Wembley and that remained the record attendance for a Trophy match at that stadium. 

Kidderminster then lost 2–1 to Woking in the 1995 final. 

In 2007, Kidderminster again reached the final, losing 2–3 to Stevenage Borough, despite being 2–0 up at half time. Stevenage came back and scored the winner in the 88th minute in front of the new record trophy attendance of 53,262, which was also the very first competitive match to be held at the New Wembley.