Kidderminster Harriers: Tim Flowers to take charge of first team

Tim Flowers won the Premier League title with Blackburn in 1995 and played 11 times for England

Former England goalkeeper Tim Flowers is to take over first-team affairs as part of a reshuffle at National League strugglers Kidderminster Harriers.

Manager Gary Whild also takes on a new role as head of football operations, while assistant manager Mark Creighton has left the bottom-placed club.

In addition, former Hearts and Coventry boss Steven Pressley has opted not to take up a short-term advisory role.

Flowers, 48, takes charge as head coach for Saturday's trip to FC Halifax.

"We've worked incredibly hard this week to find the best way to get the most out of what we have here," said Harriers chairman Rod Brown.

"Tim has an unquestionable reputation within the game and his experience is second to none. I know all of the players respect that and enjoy learning from him. This is a great opportunity for him and a chance for us to see how things unfold.

"But, for me, Gary retaining a substantial interest in team affairs was of absolute paramount importance. You only have to spend a short time with him to learn about his knowledge of the game and it was crucial this wasn't lost. The change to his role will also energise and excite him."

Former Scottish international Pressley, who had been due to come in and help out Whild at a few training sessions, has decided that it would now be in the club's best interests if he took a step back.

He told BBC Sport: "I just felt a bit uncomfortable with it all. I was asked to come in and sit in on a few training sessions to help Gary.

"But this is no longer the remit I was originally asked to fulfil, so because of the change in the situation, I will not be getting involved," added Pressley, who wants to get back into management higher up the ladder.

The decline of Kidderminster Harriers

Kidderminster, who have suffered a string of budget cuts on and off the pitch over the past 12 months, currently lie bottom of the National League, having so far picked up just three points from this season's first eight matches.

They suffered a worse start three seasons ago when they failed to win any of the first 10 matches, losing the first five on the spin, before recovering to finish second under Steve Burr, missing automatic promotion by just two points.

Following Burr's abrupt sacking in January 2014, Andy Thorn had a brief two-month reign before Gary Whild's 18-month occupation of the hot seat.

But, in that time, the side that Burr built has since been broken up and sold off and, although that helped the hard-up Harriers pay the bills in the short term, the continuing decline in gates at Aggborough has left the club operating on far less money.