KIDDERMINSTER Harr-iers' board have finally agreed to face a fans' forum to map out their future blueprint for the club to the Aggborough faithful.

Chairman Barry Norgrove insists he and new manager Mark Yates are ready to form a panel to respond to supporters' questions and concerns.

And Harriers are now likely to accept an offer from fans' group KHIST to sponsor the event, allowing the meeting to be staged at the Aggborough Suite at no cost to the club. Proceeds from tickets, food and bar takings could also see Kidderminster boost their coffers by profiting from the forum.

Asked if the board were ready to address fans at a public meeting, Norgrove replied: "Yes, definitely, we'll be there.

"There's nothing to hide, we're financially sound now and everything seems to be smoothing itself out a little bit.

"We've had a lot of changes and it's been difficult since we took over.

"But it is all settling down now and we just want to rebuild and move upwards."

It signals an interesting turnaround for the board who resisted earlier calls for a forum to give fans a clearer picture of behind the scenes happenings at Harriers.

In fact, Stuart Watkiss's appeals for a public meeting to set the record straight is believed to have contributed towards the former boss's sacking in December.

KHIST chairman Alan Shepherd is pleased that the board have finally kept their promise to be more open and honest with supporters.

He said: "The groundswell of opinion among the fans in the stands is that a forum is needed and people are shouting for it on the websites and talking about it outside the ground and in the pubs.

"The board did say they were going to be more open and communicate more and now they need to back it up."

One subject almost certainly off the agenda is the future of Jimmy Conway with Harriers still following legal advice not to comment on the physio/general manager's suspension.

Meanwhile, Yates revealed there was no truth in the rumour that he had spoken to sacked Walsall player/boss Paul Merson about a potential playing role at Aggborough for the former England international.