MARK Yates has returned to Kidderminster Harriers as manager until the end of the season.

Yates is no stranger to Aggborough having twice played for the club and managed the team between 2006 and 2009.

The 49-year-old, previously in charge of Cheltenham, Crawley, Macclesfield and Solihull Moors since leaving Kidderminster, steps in following a brief spell under the guidance of chairman Colin Gordon.

Yates will take this week’s training sessions but owing to a previous commitment will oversee his first match when Harriers entertain Chester on Saturday, February 9.

Jimmy O’Connor and Russ Penn, having assisted Gordon for the past few weeks, will continue to assist Yates.

Yates said: “I am delighted to be able to come in and help.

“This is a proper football club and hopefully we can finish the season properly.

“We are where we are, and I can’t do anything about the past 28 games but now I have come into a club that’s two points outside the play-offs.

“Teams have a game in hand perhaps but we’ve got 14 games to try and get in amongst it.

“There are a lot of good players here and it is a club close to my heart.

"I want to come in and put my stamp on it for the remainder of the season and we’ll see what happens.”