KIDDERMINSTER Harriers are struggling to come to terms with their imminent relegation to the Conference with boss Stuart Watkiss praying that it will be a blessing in disguise.

Watkiss's depressed demeanour has summed up the mood of everybody at Aggborough after defeat at Boston left them needing a mathematic miracle over the final two games to stay up.

But the determined manager is anxious to dust himself down as soon as possible and believes relegation will provide Harriers with the wake up call they desperately need from top to bottom.

"We're in the Conference, fact, so we've got to accept it, move forward and learn from our mistakes," he said.

"Hand on heart the structure of the club isn't that of a league club.

"It has come so far in such a short period of time that it has probably outgrown itself in a way and we've got a soft under-belly."

The Harriers board are yet to inform the manager of his playing budget for next season, but after struggling to operate on £600,000 last year, it is feared Watkiss could have as little as £250,000 to work with.

With the eight contracted players - Wayne Hatswell, Iyseden Christie, Mark Jackson, Steve Burton, Simon Russell, John Danby, Chris McHale and Daniel Lewis, eating into most of that figure, Kidderminster are in desperate need of fresh investment to stand any chance of challenging in the Conference.

The remaining players are out of contract with Watkiss only interested in keeping three or four of them.

Reuben Hazell and Jamie Gleeson will leave the club with relegation activating a release clause in their contracts.

Clubs such as Carlisle, Stevenage, Dagenham and Redbridge, Accrington Stanley, Halifax and Scarborough are expected to have bigger budgets than Harriers.

Discussions between the board and Lionel Newton to find the best way forward for the club are set to take place during the next 48 hours.

Harriers are hoping to overhaul their youth set-up under ambitious plans for a new Conference youth league, starting next season.

Watkiss and club bosses are in talks with Kiddermnister College about setting up a scheme which combines full time training and education.

Youngsters aged 16 to 18 would sign up for the Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence qualification.

Conference bosses are hoping to get clubs in the main division as well as those in Conference North and South to join the initiative,

Youth teams would play on Wednesday and would be split into four regionalised leagues.

Watkiss said: "Bringing through young players is something this club will have to rely on in the future and it is something I pride myself on doing.

"It's still early doors but we've had discussions with people from the Conference and from the college to try and get it up and running."