Kidderminster Harriers were formed in 1886 and the following year moved to their current ground, Aggborough. In 1890 they merged with Kidderminster Olympic and turned professional joining the Midland League as Kidderminster FC. However, the club found it too difficult as a professional club and reverted to amateur status in 1891, joining the Birmingham & District League and reverting to the name of Kidderminster Harriers. Kidderminster were Birmingham & District League Champions in 1938 & 1939.
A move to the Southern League in 1939 was aborted by the outbreak of WW2, but they subsequently joined the Southern League in 1948, the club finishing 10th in their first season. The club struggled near the bottom for the next couple of seasons but finished 3rd in 1952. However, they often finished near the bottom of the table and in 1959 were relegated to the new Division One but left after one season to re-join the Birmingham & District League which was renamed the West Midlands (Regional ) League in 1963. They were champions in 1965, 1969, 1970 & 1971 and in 1972 joined the Southern League Division One North.
In their first season they finished 5th and in 1979 the Southern League was split into two Premier Divisions, midland and Southern and Kiddy were placed in the Midland Division, finishing 4th in 1979/80. In 1982, they finished 3rd and became part of the re-organised Southern League Premier Division. The following season, they were runners up to AP Leamington and were promoted to the Alliance Premier League, finishing 10th in 1983/84. In 1987, Kidderminster won the FA Trophy for the first time, defeating Burton Albion 2-1 in a replayed final at the Hawthorns after a goalless draw at Wembley. In 1991, they reached the FA Trophy final again but lost 1-0 to Wycombe Wanderers at Wembley.
In 1994, Kidderminster were Conference champions but were denied a place in the Football League due to not meeting the required ground criteria in time. The following year, 1995, they reached the final of the FA Trophy for the third time, losing 2-1 to Woking at Wembley. In 1997, they finished as runners up and then, finally, in 2000, they won the title again, by a margin of nine points from Rushden & Diamonds and were promoted to the 3rd Division of the Football League (now League Two) where they finished 16th in their first season.
In 2005, they finished second from bottom and were relegated back to the Conference. Two years later, in 2007, Kidderminster reached their fourth FA Trophy final, losing 3-2 to Stevenage in the first one played at the new Wembley Stadium. In 2013, they finished 2nd to Mansfield Town and qualified for the play-offs but lost in the semi-final to Wrexham. Last season, Kidderminster finished 7th.
The first meeting between the two clubs was in the 1st round of the 1970/71 FA Trophy when Kidderminster won 3-0 at Aggborough. The two clubs first played for league points in the Southern League Division 1 (North) in 1975/76, Barnet completing the double winning 2-1 away with goals from Billy Meadows and Williams and 3-1 at Underhill; Blackaller and Les Aggio (2) scoring for the Bees.
At the end of that season, Barnet were moved to the southern section of the division and the two clubs did not meet again until 1984 when Kidderminster were promoted to the Alliance Premier League, a competition that Barnet joined at its inception in 1979. Barnet lost 2-0 at home and the two sides fought a high scoring 4-4 draw at Aggborough with Barnet’s goals coming from Steve Mahoney and Stewart Atkins who both scored twice. The two clubs also met in the FA Trophy that season, Barnet winning a 3rd round tie at Underhill, 2-1 with goals from Atkins and Steve Ragan.
In 1984/85, the Bees won 4-1 at Aggborough,the league now renamed as the Gola League. Steve Mahoney scored a hat trick, Parker scoring the other goal. Kidderminster got their revenge in the return, winning 4-2 at Underhill, Mahoney scoring both Bees’ goals.
In 1985/86, Barnet again won at Aggborough, this time by 2-0, Nicky Evans scoring both Barnet goals, while Kidderminster again won at Underhill, by 1-0. The following season, 1986/87, Barnet did the double over Kidderminster winning 3-0 at Aggborough with two goals from John Margerrison and one from Nicky Evans and 5-2 at Underhill, Evans and Dave Sansom scoring twice and Eddie Stein scoring once.
In 1987/88, both matches ended 1-1; Gary Abbott scoring at Underhill for Barnet and Robert Codner at Aggborough. In 1988/89, Barnet lost 1-0 at Aggborough, their first defeat there since the first meeting between the two clubs in 1971. Kidderminster completed their first double over the Bees by winning 2-0 at Underhill.
However, in 1989/90, Barnet reversed things doing the double themselves over Kidderminster, winning 1-0 at Aggborough; Andrew Clarke scoring and 2-1 at Underhill with goals from Tony Harding and an own goal.
The following season, 1990/91, Barnet won the title and promotion to the Football League. Barnet won 3-0 at Aggborough with goals from Mick Bodley, Kevin Durham and Andy Clarke. Frank Murphy scored twice in the game at Underhill, but Kidderminster won 3-2.
The last occasion that the two clubs met was in 2000/01 after Kidderminster had been promoted from the Conference the previous season. The game at Underhill ended goalless, but Kidderminster won 2-1 at Aggborough, Tony Cottee scoring for the Bees. Barnet were relegated at the end of the season.
Last season, the Bees beat Kidderminster 1-0 at the Hive with a goal from Luisma Villa and Kiddy won by the same score at Aggborough.
Earlier this season, the two clubs met at the Hive and Barnet took a 3-0 lead in the first half with goals from John Akinde, Lee Cook and Luisma Villa but a Michael Gash inspired comeback in the second half ended with Kidderminster grabbing a point as the game ended in a 3-3 draw.
Amongst players who have played for both Barnet and Kidderminster are:
Exodus Geohaghon had a very short spell at Barnet in 2011/12 after being released by Rotherham United. He made just 4 appearances, including 1 start, for the Bes while on a short term contract which wasn’t extended. He then signed for Darlington. He had an equally short spell at Kidderminster last season after joining them from Darlington. He then joined Mansfield Town.
Taiwo Atieno had a loan spell at Kidderminster in 2005/06 while at Walsall, scoring 5 goals from 23 appearances. He joined Barnet in 2013 from Torquay and scored 1 goal in 4 appearances for the Bees.
Greg Pearson had a spell on loan at Barnet in 2003/04 while at West Ham and scored 1 goal for the Bees (away at Gravesend) and won a crucial penalty in the 2-1 home win over Burton Albion that lead to the Bees reaching the Conference play-offs that season. He had a loan spell with Kidderminster in season 2012/13, scoring 1 goal, while with Grimsby Town.
Neil Midgley had a loan spell with Kidderminster in 1999/00 while at Ipswich Town and joined Barnet in March 2001 and made 84 first team appearances for the Bees, scoring 14 goals before moving to Canvey Island in 2003.