FORMER Burnley assistant manager Mark Yates has admitted he owes his new-found career at the helm of Kidderminster Harriers to the man he still refers to as "the gaffer".

And he revealed he has already called his old mentor Steve Cotterill this week to wish him luck against Birmingham City this afternoon, the club where Yates kicked off his football career.

Yates, who left Turf Moor in January to take over at the Aggborough Stadium, is expecting a real cracker when his two old teams clash.

And although his Conference side will be entertaining Stevenage, Yates admitted he would be looking up the Burnley score as soon as the final whistle goes - and hopes to be celebrating good news for the Clarets.

"It'll be a tough game. They are two decent sides that are flying high in the Championship. The gaffer will be looking to get back to winning ways after the West Brom defeat and he will be wanting to bounce back as soon as possible, but Birmingham are flying high at the moment.

"I started off at Birmingham, but obviously my loyalties lie with Burnley and Steve," he said.

"It's the first result I look for and, more often than not, we're on the phone texting each other before the match wishing each other good luck," he added.

Yates started his career as a trainee at Birmingham City in 1988 and made 38 starts in the league for the Blues, scoring six goals during his time at St Andrews.

And in 1991 he was signed by the Clarets for £40,000, helping them win the old Division Four title But, after a loan spell at Lincoln City he left East Lancashire for spells with Doncaster, Kidderminster and Cheltenham, where he linked up with his mentor Cotterill.

Clarets fans will have painful memories of Yates in the 2002 FA Cup fourth round when he shot down Stan Ternant's side and knocked them out of the competition.

But they have warmer recollections of the work the former midfielder did with Cotterill.

And Yates admitted he loved his time working with the club.

He said: "It's a smashing club. A good, traditional football club, from the chairman down to the kit man. It's very friendly and very professional.

"I enjoyed it as a player. I had one good season and one indifferent one. But the year and a half I had there on the coaching staff, the training ground was really good and the gaffer made sure that everything was top quality. It was a pleasure to go to work with the players. I really enjoyed it. I had a really good relationship with the players and the staff and I'm still in contact with them pretty regularly.

"I talk regularly with Steve, asking him his advice on certain things and just generally having a chat. I've known him for a long time and he was a big part of the reason why I've gone into football management."

The Clarets endured a torrid time at The Hawthorns last weekend and the games ahead are no easier as Cotterill pushes to reailse his dream of managing in the Premiership.

Working with one of the smallest squads and budgets in the Championship, Yates conceded it would be a tough task, but had every faith that, if anyone could do it, Cotterill could.

He said: "I'm not surprised. I knew there was potential there, but with the small squad and the number of players he has available it's now a case of maintaining that fantastic start. They've had some great results at some difficult places.

"They've got a good collection of players who believe in what they're doing. They're good professionals and they've got some good young players coming through in Chris McCann and Kyle Lafferty.

"It's a good mix and if they can keep everyone fit I'm sure they can go where they want to go.

"It's a difficult ask because it's a big division to get out of.

"There are some big teams desperate to get out so it would be a monumental achievement for Steve and his staff to do that.

"But he's a very ambitious, driven, committed manager.

"He'll have the belief in what he's doing and, come May, I'm sure they'll be up there."