AGGBOROUGH stages its final Coca-Cola League Two game tomorrow but boss Stuart Watkiss will hope the absence is just temporary.
Kidderminster Harriers' relegation back to the Nationwide Conference will be rubber-stamped if they fail to beat 18th-placed Grimsby.
And a result for Rushden and Diamonds at home to relegated Cambridge United tomorrow is also enough to confirm the dreaded drop for Watkiss' men.
But, with a six-point gap and their goal difference 21 worse off than Rushden's, the sad fate of Worcestershire's only professional football club has already been grudgingly accepted.
Watkiss is figuring out how to bounce Harriers back from the competitive Conference with the expected scaling down of the budget and a host of ex-Football League clubs to contend with.
So tomorrow's final home clash promises to be a historic occasion and possibly a chance for some players to seal a contract next season, whether at Aggborough or elsewhere.
For Watkiss there is another purpose though as he is desperate to avoid being dragged to the bottom of the table by Cambridge.
He insisted: "We want to beat Grimsby and Northampton in our final games. We are professionals and have got our pride.
"The preparation will be the same as for any other Saturday. I don't want to finish bottom of the league and I certainly hope the players feel that way too.
"It may be too late now but I think the players and myself want to prove a point that we are potentially better than our league position and our relegation suggests.
"I've chatted to the players this week and told them that some would be released, others would be offered new deals and there are two or three right on the borderline.
"They have less than two weeks to convince me they are worthy of contracts. Without naming names, those players are unfortunately playing themselves out of a contract. They still have an awful lot to play for between now and the end of the season."
And Watkiss is determined to haul Harriers back into a winning position next season. He was devastated to see them exit League Two with little fight in a 3-0 defeat at Boston last weekend.
Watkiss added: "It's been a massive disappointment for me personally. People have been kind and said some nice things but my over-riding feeling is one of failure.
"I did think I could play my part in getting the club out of the mess we were in."
Russell Slade's Grimsby have struggled to adapt to life in the bottom division following last season's relegation from League One.
There has been little for Mariners' fans to cheer and their recent form is punctuated by four draws in the last five games, including three goalless stalemates at home.
Harriers' Mark Jackson (calf), Wayne Hatswell (ankle), Lee Jenkins (knee), Tom Bennett (hip) and Chris Beardsley (ankle) should all be fit to play, despite knocks.
But Watkiss, who is definitely without Gary Birch and Ian Foster through knee problems, may well give a late chance to several fringe players.
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