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FA Cup 2021-22: Meet the Kidderminster Harriers players looking to shock West Ham United

Non-league Kidderminster Harriers will attempt to cause one of the great FA Cup shocks on Saturday when they take on Premier League West Ham United in front of the live BBC One cameras at Aggborough.

Kiddy, who play in the sixth-tier National League North, started this season’s competition at the second qualifying round stage and have won six matches to reach the fourth round.

Three of those wins have come against teams from a higher level – including a memorable 2-1 victory over Championship side Reading in Worcestershire in the third round.

So who are the characters looking to put their name up in lights at the expense of three-time FA Cup winners West Ham?

Midfielder Mark Carrington takes BBC Sport inside Kidderminster’s dressing room to deliver a lowdown on his team-mates.

Goalkeeper – Luke Simpson: ‘Loves a clean sheet – and a Chinese takeaway’

Kidderminster Harriers goalkeeper Luke Simpson
Luke Simpson has played in League Two for Accrington Stanley

Luke and I clock up a heck of a lot of miles together as we both live near Manchester and share driving to Kidderminster for training and matches.

While ‘Simo’ is based in Heywood, near Rochdale, I live close to the Trafford Centre.

The fans call him England’s No 1 – he’s certainly saved us a lot of points this season. Simo has started all seven of our FA Cup matches – including replays – and kept four clean sheets.

And while he enjoys a clean sheet, he also loves tucking into a Chinese meal on a Saturday night.

Right-back – Alex Penny: ‘The caretaker who enjoys cleaning’

Kidderminster Harriers defender Alex Penny
Alex Penny has played in League One for Peterborough and the Scottish Premiership for Hamilton

The oldest 24-year-old you are likely to meet. Kidderminster own a big house near the training ground for players to stay over in if they live far away. Penny has basically converted it into his own home.

We call him the ‘caretaker’ because he cleans the house, does all the washing, and likes to keep it in order.

On the pitch, he is one to watch from corners and is very aggressive getting on the end of set-pieces.

Central defender – Nathan Cameron: ‘A leader who sings to Drake’

Kidderminster Harriers defender Nathan Cameron
Nathan Cameron has made more than 200 EFL appearances

I’m not sure how Nathan has ended up at Kidderminster because he has played in the Championship for Coventry and started last season in League One at Wigan.

He’s a huge presence at the heart of the defence and a leader.

We have a song by Drake on the dressing room playlist which he loves to belt out before games to get himself psyched up.

Central defender – Geraldo Bajrami: ‘Plays with garlic in socks’

Kidderminster Harriers defender Geraldo Bajrami
Geraldo Bajrami made two Championship appearances for Birmingham in 2019-20

Plays every game with a small garlic clove tucked into his socks for good luck. When I first saw him do it I asked ‘are you planning to cook up some basil and pasta halfway through the game?’.

We’ve done well to get him. He’s 22 and has played for Albania at Under-21 level.

Known in the dressing room as ‘G’, he was released by Birmingham City, where he played alongside Jude Bellingham.

G is so good on the ball and launches a lot of our attacks from the back.

Left-back – Caleb Richards: ‘Plays like he drives his Corsa’

Kidderminster Harriers defender Caleb Richards
Caleb Richards has played in the United States for the Tampa Bay Rowdies

Our ‘Mr Consistent’. I think he has played every single minute since he joined the club from Norwich City last season.

Caleb is exciting to watch and plays like he drives his Corsa down the M6 – very fast. He’s here, there and everywhere on the pitch as well as in his car.

His mum lives in Worsley, near Manchester, and his girlfriend is down in London so he stays in the house belonging to the club quite a lot.

You certainly know what you are getting from Caleb every week. He’s a seven-out-of-10 player every game – if not more.

Central defender – Keith Lowe: ‘Keeeeeeeeeeith’

A T-shirt in honour of Kidderminster Harriers player Keith Lowe
Keith Lowe won the Football League Trophy with Swansea City in 2006

The fans love to shout Keeeeeeeeeeith each time he’s on the ball. This is his third spell at Kidderminster and he is very popular.

Earlier this season the club put on sale 36 Keeeeeeeeeeith T-shirts and 36 Keeeeeeeeeeith mugs to mark his 36th birthday. That’s how much he is admired in these parts.

‘Lowey’ has enjoyed a great career and played in the Championship for Wolves, Burnley and QPR. He’s also had spells at Swansea and Brighton. Despite his age, he’s as quick as ever.

Central midfield – Mark Carrington: Rolls-Royce or clapped out diesel?

Kidderminster Harriers midfielder Mark Carrington
Mark Carrington played under two-time Manchester United FA Cup winner Paul Ince at MK Dons

What would they say about me? I’m known as ‘Carra’ – only my partner calls me Mark. I’m 34 and the gaffer mentioned in an interview recently I was 47. He didn’t even laugh when he said it.

There was a piece written about me where I was likened to a Rolls-Royce on the pitch but I’m more like a two-litre diesel with about 150,000 miles on the clock!

I joined Kidderminster last July after eight years at Wrexham. I played in the third round for Wrexham at Stoke, when they were a Premier League club, in 2015.

We lost that one 3-1 but will Kidderminster be celebrating a famous win on Saturday night? It’s the FA Cup and anything can happen.

Central midfield – Lewis Montrose: ‘Takes no prisoners’

Kidderminster Harriers midfielder Lewis Montrose
Lewis Montrose’s former clubs include Wycombe, Gillingham and York

‘Monty’ has had a tough time with injuries and hasn’t played as much as he would have liked but he definitely deserves a mention.

He’s a big presence around the club and is someone the players look up to. Monty’s probably got the biggest quadriceps I have ever seen.

A lovely, laid-back guy off the pitch but very aggressive and no-nonsense on it.

Central midfield – Keziah Martin: ‘Sweet left-foot’

Kidderminster Harriers midfielder Keziah Martin
Keziah Martin started the third-round win over Championship side Reading

‘Kaz’ is a quiet lad but a very energetic player who possesses a lovely left foot. He probably did not expect to feature as much as he has this season but he’s slotted in really well and filled in well for some injured players.

Kaz came through the youth ranks at Solihull Moors, during which time he had a trial with Premier League club Burnley.

He came to us as a free agent after a year with Barnsley’s Under-23s.

Central midfielder – Devonte Redmond: ‘New addition to changing room’

Devonte Redmond: Wrexham midfielder on the the pain of being released as a youngster

‘Devs’ has signed since our third-round win over Reading to strengthen the squad during a busy run of fixtures.

He’s joined on loan from Wrexham where he was a team-mate of mine for a couple of years. We have a tight-knit dressing room and the gaffer wanted to know my opinion of Devs before he signed.

He started his career with Manchester United and is a welcome addition. If he was any more laid-back, he’d fall over.

Attacking midfielder – Sam Austin: ‘Clocks 12km every game’

Kidderminster Harriers attacking midfielder Sam Austin
Sam Austin scored Kidderminster’s equaliser against Reading in the third round

A playmaker and the main man who makes us tick.

He wears the number seven shirt but in football terms he’s our number 10 who plays in the hole and has a bit of a free role. However, he’s not lazy like a lot of number 10s and runs 12km every game.

He is left-footed, right-footed, makes goals, scores goals. He’s an ultimate professional and I’m convinced he’s in bed by 9.30pm every night.

The other day he lost it in the dressing room because his partner had done his washing and his socks both had R on them. He didn’t have an R and a L to distinguish which one was for his right foot and which one was for his left. It cracked the lads up.

Right winger – Ashley Hemmings: ‘A full-back’s worst nightmare’

Kidderminster Harriers winger Ashley Hemmings
Ashley Hemmings made two appearances for Wolves in the Championship as a teenager

‘Hemmo’ is having an unbelievable season. He’s got loads of goals and assists to his name.

Although he plays on the right, he’s left-footed and a nightmare for full-backs who have to deal with him.

One bad thing about Hemmo is his taste in music. He’s into hardcore rap. We were at Kettering last week and Alex Penny, who usually sorts the dressing-room music, wasn’t involved.

The lads nominated Hemmo but he said he couldn’t do it because I’d start moaning. Too right. I don’t mind a bit of RnB but his stuff is way too much.

Left winger – Omari Sterling: ‘Messi-style free-kick specialist’

I’m scratching my head and wondering how on earth ‘Marz’ is not playing at a higher level.

He’s our free-kick specialist and possesses an obscene amount of ability.

Marz is having his very own Goal of the Season competition. Two weeks ago he scored an outrageous 35-yard free-kick against York City.

If Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo had scored it, everyone would still be talking about it.

You have been warned, West Ham.

Forward – Amari Morgan-Smith: ‘Big moaner who loves an FA Cup goal’

Kidderminster Harriers forward Amari Morgan-Smith
Amari Morgan-Smith helped York City win the FA Trophy at Wembley in 2017

‘Morgs’ loves to score in the FA Cup. He’s got five of our 13 in this season’s competition – including the winner against Reading in the last round.

He plays a vital part in making the team tick and sets the tone with his aggressive pressing from the front.

But crikey, he doesn’t half moan. He moans to his team-mates, match officials, opposition players. He does not stop from the first kick to the last.

Forward – Ethan Freemantle: ‘Our Diego Costa’

Kidderminster Harriers forward Ethan Freemantle was a youth player at Walsall
Ethan Freemantle came on as a substitute in the win over Reading

Ethan is a big part of our FA Cup journey and won the penalty against Grimsby for the winning goal in the first round.

I call him Costa because he reminds me of former Chelsea forward Diego Costa. He’s always trying to fight defenders and cause a nuisance.

He fancies himself as a bit of a rapper. I keep telling him to stick to football.

Mark Carrington was speaking to BBC Sport’s Neil Johnston.

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