MARK Yates has been dubbed a "true Harrier" by chairman Barry Norgrove after being appointed Kidderminster's fourth manager in as many years.

Yates was hurried into the Harriers hot-seat on Friday morning after crunch late night talks in the Aggborough boardroom.

His appointment comes almost a month after boss Stuart Watkiss was sacked.

The 35-year-old former Kidderminster midfielder, who still lives in Hartlebury, has been freed from his contract as Burnley's assistant manager with immediate effect.

He finally confirmed his departure from Turf Moor at 2.40am on Friday morning after waking Clarets boss Steve Cotterill up to discuss the decision.

Yates would not disclose the length of contract he had signed, but said the deal was not just until the end of this season.

He met his new players for the first time on Friday morning and held an immediate training session.

Yates, who has his UEFA A licence, will be in charge for the trip to Woking.

Neil Howarth, Yates's former Cheltenham team-mate, who has been carrying out a player/assistant manager role at AFC Telford, joins Yates as his number two.

Howarth, who also played as a defender as Macclesfield, will be registered as a player at Harriers, while Yates is also considering pulling on his boots again.

"It was an easy decision for me to make bevause it's something I've wanted to do," said Yates.

"I want to achieve something as a manager, not just as a coach and I want to be at the sharp end.

"I don't see it as a job from hell, although it's going to be hard work and I wouldn't expect anything less.

"I'll give it 100 per cent commitment."

Asked about his, at times, love-hate relationship with the Aggborough faithful as a player, Yates said the only way of being popular was to win football matches, which was his overiding intention.

Caretaker boss Martin O'Connor still has a vital playing role at the club, but all of the coaching will be done by Yates and Howarth.

Chairman Norgrove thanked O'Connor carrying out the job on a temporary basis.

He was also full of praise for Burnely supremo Barry Kilby and manager Cotterill for their co-operation, along with that of AFC Telford chairman and manager Lee Carter and Bernard McNally.

Both Yates and Howarth have been freed with immediate effect from their contracts, without Harriers having to pay compensation.

Norgrove was convinced Kidderminster had finally got the right man for the job after a protracted recruitment process.

"Mark is a true Harrier and I can't think of anyone else that will be as hungry as Mark," he said.

The board have also revealed that a "substantial amount" of funds will be made available to the new boss during the January transfer window.

But Norgrove stuck to his new policy of not discussing precise bugets or explaining which director or investor was stumping up the cash.