THE sale of Matthew Barnes-Homer is definitely a good deal for the club but was it a good one for the team?

In those harsh economic times, no one can blame Harriers chairman Barry Norgrove for cashing in on a player whose inconsistency has embodied the team this season.

That Harriers got a five-figure fee for a 23-year-old who has only emerged in the last 18 months as a striker to be feared in the Blue Square Premier, is credit to the chairman's effort in securing him on a contract in the summer and then sticking out for a big fee when clubs came sniffing.

A mix of financial worries and a get-out clause in the new deal meant Harriers had no choice but to sell him, but there's no point thinking his departure won't have an affect.

I have this nagging doubt in the back of my mind that this sale may be the straw that broke the camel's back.

Barnes-Homer has followed out the likes of Mark Creighton, Russ Penn, Keith Lowe, Adam Bartlett and Justin Richards out the door.

The squad that came within a whisker of the play-offs and reached the third round of the FA Cup has now, apart from a handful of survivors, seen its reliable spine completely ripped out and the jury is still out whether the guys who have came in can do the same job as well.

We've seen tantalising glimpses but there seems to be a lot of pressure heaped on a young squad.

Mark Yates has done an excellent job in keeping Harriers in the hunt for the play-offs, particularly as they have been hit hard by injuries and suspensions, but I worry that the sale of one of the first names on the team-sheet may have a detrimental effect on the morale of an inexperienced squad.

That Harriers have slipped up against AFC Wimbledon and Tamworth since Barnes-Homer's departure is, I think, a coincidence, although I have no doubt that it has had some effect.

There's also a danger that if Harriers do not start getting results, the striker's sale may be used as a weapon to beat the chairman.

Barnes-Homer's partnership with Robbie Matthews was just starting to warm up and all that good work and understanding has been lost.

Damian Spencer and Ryan Charles need time to bed in but this is a crucial period for the club. If they take a while to settle and Harriers slip further away from the top five, what then for Harriers in the January transfer window? Does the board splash what little cash they have, or do they save the money until the summer?

As always, Christmas is a defining time of the season, so let's hope that there's plenty of cheer on and off the pitch.