Kidderminster star explains bizarre garlic superstition as he eyes West Ham FA Cup upset

You could be forgiven for thinking something out of the ordinary might be powering Kidderminster Harriers’ impressive FA Cup run this season.

Few can deny the Harriers’ march to the Fourth Round has been one of the feel-good stories of the competition thus far.

Already the National League North side have claimed several upsets en route, dumping out both Halifax and Grimsby from the tier above, before eliminating Championship side Reading in a Third Round upset.

Now the Harriers now have a real chance at a true FA Cup giant-killing with West Ham the visitors to Aggborough Stadium on Saturday, as one of their players is eyeing another big-name scalp, with help of his trusted yet strange matchday ritual.

It’s hardly been an orthodox journey for Kidderminster’s Geraldo Bajrami in his football career to date.

Born just two weeks after his parents fled war-torn Kosovo for the UK midlands, it took Bajrami three attempts to force his way into Birmingham’s academy after growing up in nearby Quinton.

Rejected after trials at under 10s and U11s, it wasn’t until U14s that the defender became part of the Blues' group of rising youth stars.

Yet despite making his senior debut alongside the likes of Jude Bellingham, Bajrami’s career has taken him in an alternative direction following his release by the Championship club in the summer.

"You’re not everyone’s cup of tea sometimes," he admits. "Football is a game of opinions, you can have one manager that thinks you’re good enough, he gets sacked, next manager comes in and he thinks you’re the best player in the team."

Bajrami had risen through the Birmingham academy ranks, and was captain for their run to the FA Youth Cup semi-finals at U18s, before going to make a several