Hereford United F.C.
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| Hereford United | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Hereford United Football Club | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Nickname(s) | The Whites, The Bulls | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Founded | 1924 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ground | Edgar Street, Hereford (Capacity 7,100 (2,761 seated)) |
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| Chairman |  Graham Turner |
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| Manager | Graham Turner |
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| League | League One | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007-08 | League Two, 3rd (promoted) |
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 Current season |
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Hereford United Football Club are an English professional football club based in the city of Hereford. Founded in 1924, they will compete in League One in the 2008-09 season, the first time they will have played in the third tier for 30 years.
Hereford shot to national prominence in 1972 when, as a Southern League team, they knocked top-flight Newcastle United out of the FA Cup.[1] In the same season they were elected to the Football League, and reached the old Second Division by 1976. But after a rapid decline into the Fourth Division, where they spent nineteen seasons, they were eventually relegated on the final day of the 1996-97 season with serious financial troubles.[2]
After nine seasons in the Conference, Hereford returned to the Football League after winning the 2006 Conference Playoff Final.[3] At the end of the 2007-08 season they were promoted from League Two, despite being tipped to struggle,[4] thus making it two promotions in three seasons. They also equalled their best performance in the FA Cup, being knocked out in the Fourth Round by eventual finalists Cardiff City.
Hereford United are managed by Graham Turner, the second longest-serving manager in the top four divisions of English football,[5] Turner purchased the majority shareholding in 1998, saving the club from probable extinction and taking them back into the Football League with a greatly improved financial situation.[6][7] In twelve and a half years at the club he purchased just two players for a total of £40,000.[8] Several players including Gavin Mahon, Gavin Williams, Paul Parry, Michael McIndoe, Andy Williams, Lionel Ainsworth and Tamika Mkandawire are now playing at a higher level.[9]
Hereford have played at Edgar Street for their entire history and are nicknamed 'The Whites', after their predominantly white kit, and the 'The Bulls' after the local breed of cattle. The club's motto is "Our greatest glory lies not in never having fallen, but in rising when we fall".
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[edit] History
Hereford United Football Club was founded in 1924 with the merger of two local clubs St Martins and RAOC (Rotherwas), with the intention of sustaining a higher class of football in the city of Hereford. Hereford joined the Birmingham Combination and lost its first match 2-3 to Atherstone United. The club's second ever match was an FA Cup Preliminary Round tie against future rivals Kidderminster Harriers which they lost 2-7.
Hereford progressed to the Birmingham & District League in 1928 where the club was to spend 11 seasons, during which they managed a best position of 4th. By the late 1930s the number of clubs in the league had decreased and Hereford successfully applied to join the Southern League. At the same time the club became a limited company but only played a few games in their new league before the outbreak of the Second World War.
When football resumed United finished 1st in their first full season in the league only to be demoted to 2nd behind Chelmsford City, who were awarded points for unplayed matches.[10] In 27 seasons in the Southern League, Hereford finished as runners-up three times, and also lifted the Southern League Cup three times. When the league was regionalised for one season in 1958-59, Hereford also won their regional division to add to their third League Cup win.
In 1966 Hereford signed John Charles, the former Leeds United, Juventus and Welsh international, boosting the support of the club.[11] He became manager a year later and set about building a team to challenge at the top of the Southern League and gain election to the Football League. With the club becoming one of the best-supported non-league outfits in the country Charles used his standing within the game to canvass votes from member clubs for election to the Football League.
The 1971-72 season was a watershed as it saw the club finish second in the Southern League and gain national prominence due to its exploits in the FA Cup. Charles had departed the club in October 1971 and his successor Colin Addison inherited a side that went on to defeat top-flight Newcastle United in the FA Cup. Ronnie Radford and Ricky George's famous goals earned the club a Fourth Round tie against West Ham United where they were defeated in a replay at Upton Park. The success of this Cup run played a part in the club's successful election to the Fourth Division at the expense of Barrow although Hereford were, at the time, more supported than most of the clubs in that division.
The club embarked on a meteoric rise to the Second Division after finishing runners-up in their debut season in the Fourth Division and winning the Third Division title in 1976. Dixie McNeil was the leading goalscorer in the top four divisions of English football in the same season, but Hereford would only spend one season in the second tier before quickly dropping back into the Fourth Division. The club's highest peak was in October 1976 when they were in 6th position before they played Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest, losing 3-4 at the City Ground.
After this period of success the club spent 19 years in the bottom division, suffering financial problems in the early 1980s which resurfaced in the mid 1990s. The club enjoyed brief glimpses of their past success in the Cup competitions, holding Arsenal to a 1-1 draw in the League Cup of 1985 and narrowly losing 1-0 to Manchester United in the FA Cup of 1990. The first silverware for 14 years was achieved when the club lifted the Welsh Cup in the same season. In the league the club usually finished in the bottom half as it went through a succession of managers, finishing 17th in 5 consecutive seasons.
Graham Turner was appointed manager for the beginning of the 1995-96 season and managed to lead the team to 6th place and the play-offs, despite the club being in 17th position two months previously. This resurgence was in part thanks to the goals of Steve White who emulated Dixie McNeil by being the leading goalscorer in the top four divisions. Hereford lost to Darlington in the play-offs and, with financial problems worsening, the club lost key players for the following 1996-97 season. After a terrible run of form the club were ultimately relegated after a relegation-decider at Edgar Street with Brighton & Hove Albion.
Having initially offered his resignation Graham Turner went on to purchase the majority shareholding in the club in 1998 from the previous regime of Peter Hill and Robin Fry who left the club with debts of £1 million owed to a developing company which also controlled the leases on the stadium. The club's first five seasons in the Conference saw little success on the pitch, with the club being forced to sell many of its key players and the future of Edgar Street in serious doubt. The 2001-02 FA Cup saw the club receive a financial bonus when the BBC televised the First Round match against Wrexham live. Turner stated that the money was critical to the club's survival and therefore Gavin Williams's goal against Dover Athletic in the previous round is seen as the goal that saved the club.[12]
Having reached a 40 year low of 17th in the Conference, the summer of 2002 proved a turning point as almost the entire squad was changed. The majority of new signings having been released from Football League clubs as a result of the ITV Digital collapse. This all-new squad evolved the club into genuine title contenders which, after a record-breaking season in the 2003-04 season, finished as runners up in the Conference only to fail in the play-offs. 2004-05 saw an identical outcome but the 2005-06 season saw Hereford finally secure promotion after defeating Halifax Town in the play-off final.
The club returned to the Football League with a vastly improved financial situation. Under Turner the club was now strictly living within its financial means, having turned a sizeable profit in the latter Conference seasons whilst spending just £20,000 on transfers. In addition the team was playing attractive football which had earned them the mantle of "the best footballing side in the Conference".[13][14]
In 2006-07 Hereford achieved victories over five of the top eight finishing clubs, but a poor run of form in the last part of the season dropped the club into 16th position.
Despite enjoying a successful League Two campaign, Hereford’s relatively small home crowds continued to attract concern and were even branded ‘highly disappointing’ by manager Graham Turner. As of April 2008, the Bulls currently have a an average attendance of just over 3,000; a failure which has led to many media experts questioning whether or not the club can survive in the Football League.
Hereford were promoted to League One after winning 3-0 at Brentford with Stockport County losing 2-1 against Barnet on April 26th 2008. 30 years since they last played in League 1 (then known as Division 3).
[edit] Colours and badge
Hereford originally played in an all-white strip, but their traditional colours are white shirts and black shorts. This dates back to the end of the Second World War when they used material from blackout curtains to make shorts when they ran out of white material.[15] However they have occasionally reverted to an all-white strip, most recently in the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons. Their away colours have varied over the years, with predominantly yellow colours being used in recent years. Hereford's kit is currently manufactured by Nike and the shirt sponsors are Sun Valley Foods; one of the city's biggest employers who have backed the club since 1991. A new three year deal was agreed in May 2007 which has extended the sponsorship to 19 years, one of the longest in British football history.[16]
Prior to 1971 the club played in plain shirts with no crest. A depiction of a Herefordshire Bull was introduced for the 1971-72 season with H.U.F.C. lettering underneath. A supporter's club crest was also used during the 1970s. The shirt crest design has changed several times over the years, with the full club name being added above and below the Bull, which has remained largely untouched. The current crest was introduced in the early 1990s but was not featured on the shirts until 2003.
[edit] Stadium
Hereford United have played their home matches at Edgar Street since their formation in 1924. In far more recent years the ground has been central to Hereford's financial troubles, with the previous owners of the club handing the leases over to a development company to whom they owed a large debt. During the club's time in the Conference there were real doubts over the future of the ground, and the club could have been forced to relocate. However an arrangement was made between the club and the developers, and the ground is now part of a substantial redevelopment plan in Hereford, known as the Edgar Street Grid.[17]
The ground itself has changed little since the mid 1970s, and is largely outdated and in need of urgent redevelopment. In particular the Blackfriars Street End has fallen into a state of disrepair in recent years which, along with health and safety considerations, has reduced the capacity from nearly 9,000 to reportedly 7,100, although the capacity was officially confirmed as 7,700 earlier in the season.[18] Improvements have been made in recent years to ensure the ground met Football League standards; including new floodlights, dressing rooms and barriers on the terraces. The pitch itself has also been completely relaid for the new season.[19] The club are looking to submit the redevelopment plans to the council by the end of the year, with the developers absorbing the £1 million debt into the development costs.[20]
[edit] Support
Hereford United was historically one of the best-supported clubs in non-league football, particularly in the last two seasons before their election to the Football League.[21] Indeed in their campaign for election they produced a newsletter which highlighted the fact that their average attendance (5,224) was higher than those of eight Third Division clubs, and fifteen Fourth Division clubs.[22]
The club is known to have a floating support who only turn out for the bigger games. This became apparent in the current season when the club enjoyed capacity home support in the FA Cup matches.[23] [24] Approximately 10,000 Hereford supporters attended the Conference Playoff Final.[25]
The club's official programme is Bullseye and there is also a fanzine called Talking Bull.
[edit] Home attendances
Between 1972 and 1977, during the club's rise to the Second Division, home attendances averaged almost 8,000 per game. The support fell during the 1980s with the average home attendance under 3,000, the exception being the 1984-85 season when the club finished fifth.
It was not until the latter Conference years that attendances improved, with the 2003-04 season seeing the average home attendance rise to 3,704. The following season saw the figure drop to just over 3,000 while in the 2005-06 season, despite the club successfully gaining promotion, the figure was 2,791. For the 2006-07 season the club had an average home league attendance of 3,327. With the exception of 2003-04, this is the highest average attendance since the 1984-85 season (3,881).
The club has rarely enjoyed capacity crowds at Edgar Street in recent years, having last seen a five-figure home attendance in 1990.[citation needed] Since the reduction of the Edgar Street capacity in line with the Taylor Report the highest home attendance has been 8,953 in 1994 - a Coca Cola Cup Second Round match against Nottingham Forest. The highest league home attendance was 8,532, which was the relegation decider against Brighton & Hove Albion in 1997.
[edit] Club anthem
The club's official anthem is Hereford United (We All Love You) which was written and performed by the late Danny Lee, a notable supporter of the club.[26] Originally recorded and released in 1972, the same year as the famous FA Cup run, a rendition is usually sung at every Hereford match both home and away. The song has been remixed three times: in 1979, 2002 and 2006.
[edit] Rivals
Hereford have had a number of rivalries with other clubs throughout their history. In the club's Southern League era Worcester City were considered their fiercest rivals. Both Cardiff City and Newport County were considered rivals in the 1970s and 1980s. In the recent Conference era the club's rivals included Kidderminster Harriers, Cheltenham Town and Shrewsbury Town; the latter being considered the club's biggest rivals at present. Forest Green Rovers also count Hereford as rivals.
[edit] Personnel
[edit] First team squad
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[edit] Reserves & Youth Team
Hereford United do not have a dedicated reserve team playing in a league, but several reserve matches do occur throughout the season, featuring teams with a mix of fringe players, trialists and youth players. Hereford United Youth play in the South West Conference Puma Youth Alliance, the team is run in association with the Pershore College Football Academy.
[edit] Club staff
- Chairman / Director of Football / Manager: Graham Turner
- Company Secretary / Director: Joan Fennessy
- First Team Coach: John Trewick
- Fitness Coach: Tony Ford
- Goalkeeping Coach: Pat Mountain
- Physiotherapist: Wayne Jones
- Youth Team Coach: Gary Stevens
- Youth Team Coach: Colin Williams
[edit] Managers
- For a full list of Hereford United managers, see Hereford United managers
Graham Turner is the longest serving Hereford United manager, having completed 13 seasons at the club. Statistics shown below are for league matches only from the 1972-73 season onwards. Correct as of 11 February 2008.
| Manager | Period in charge | Record | ||||||
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| G | W | D | L | Win % | Draw % | Loss % | ||
| Graham Turner | 1995–present | 562 | 237 | 152 | 173 | 42.17 | 27.05 | 30.78 |
| John Newman | 1983–1987 | 206 | 77 | 50 | 79 | 37.38 | 24.27 | 38.35 |
| John Sillett | 1974–1978, 1991–1992 | 204 | 67 | 58 | 79 | 32.84 | 28.43 | 38.73 |
| Colin Addison | 1971–1974, 1990–1991 | 138 | 50 | 41 | 47 | 36.23 | 29.71 | 34.06 |
[edit] Notable players
- For more information, see List of Hereford United F.C. players
- Full internationals who have played for Hereford
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[edit] Records
After their solitary season in the old Second Division in 1976-77, the club became the first old Third Division champions to finish bottom the following season. Hereford are also the last English club to have won the Welsh Cup, which they did so in 1990.
John Layton, Sr. holds the record for competitive appearances for the club, making 549 appearances between 1946 and 1964. In recent times the only player to come close to breaking this record was Mel Pejic who had made 523 appearances before his departure in 1992. Pejic made a record 412 Football League appearances for the club. Charlie Thompson holds the record for goals scored for the club, scoring 184 in all competitions between 1945 and 1958. In recent times Stewart Phillips is the only player to even approach this total with 124. His total of 95 goals in the Football League is a club record.
The sale of Lionel Ainsworth is set to break the club's transfer record of £440,000, dependent on the fortunes of Watford.[27]
[edit] Honours
- Second Division (now Football League Championship): Best Season: 22nd position (1976-77)
- Third Division (now Football League One): Champions (1975-76)
- Fourth Division (now Football League Two): Runners-Up (1972-73), Third Place (2007-08), Play-offs (1995-96)
- Conference National: Runners-Up (2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06), Playoff Winners (2005-06)
- Southern League: Runners-Up (1945-46, 1950-51, 1971-72)
- FA Cup: Fourth Round (1971-72, 1973-74, 1976-77, 1981-82, 1989-90, 1991-92, 2007-08)
- Welsh Cup: Winners (1989-90), Runners-Up (1967-68, 1975-76, 1980-81)
- Southern League Cup: Winners (1951-52, 1956-57, 1958-59)
[edit] Further reading
- Parrott, Ron (1998). Hereford United: The League Era. Desert Island Books. ISBN 187428718X.
- Parrott, Prime and Williamson (2006). Hereford United: The Wilderness Years. Desert Island Books. ISBN 1-905328-22-2.
- Rowland, George (2001). The Ultimate Drop. Tempus Publishing. ISBN 0-7524-2217-0.
- Williamson, John (1974). The Hereford United Story: 50 Years At Edgar Street. Hereford Printing Co. Ltd.
- Powell, Denise and Edge, David (2003). Hereford United. Tempus Publishing. ISBN 0-7524-3155-2.
- Charles, John (2003). King John. Headline Book Publishing. ISBN 0-7553-1208-2.
- Stansbury, Mitch (2007). A Corner Kick from the Middle of Nowhere. Offside Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9557351-0-3.
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ Ronnie Radford Rocket Stunned Newcastle Utd Daily Telegraph, 5 January 2008. Retrieved on 11 February 2008.
- ^ Financial crisis threatens Hereford The Independent, 17 October 1997. Retrieved on 8 May 2008.
- ^ Green finds the extra edge to put Hereford on cloud nine Guardian Unlimited, 21 May 2006. Retrieved on 27 February 2007.
- ^ League Two form guide BBC Sport, 6 August 2007. Retrieved on 8 May 2008.
- ^ Longest Serving Managers League Managers Association. Retrieved on 27 February 2007.
- ^ Turner ready for final push BBC Hereford and Worcester. Retrieved on 27 February 2007.
- ^ Hereford mourn loss of a legend The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved on 20 March 2007.
- ^ Turner's Bulls on a League Charge The Football League Official Website, 14 December 2007. Retrieved on 14 December 2007.
- ^ Turner's Bulls on a League Charge The Football League Official Website, 14 December 2007. Retrieved on 14 December 2007.
- ^ Hereford United - 1924–1949 Hereford United Official Website. Retrieved on 6 March 2008.
- ^ Hereford United - 1960–1970 Hereford United Official Website. Retrieved on 6 March 2008.
- ^ Back In The Big Time! BBC Hereford and Worcester, 2 August 2006. Retrieved on 22 February 2008.
- ^ Warburton Leads Aldershot Through The Independent, 4 May 2004. Retrieved on 22 February 2008.
- ^ Turner Bullish About A Hereford Comeback The Daily Telegraph, 8 May 2004. Retrieved on 22 February 2008.
- ^ Parrott, Ron (1998), p.10
- ^ Sun Valley deal is one of longest in history Hereford Times, 3 May 2007. Accessed on 4 October 2007.
- ^ Edgar Street plans made public BBC Hereford & Worcester, 19 June 2003. Accessed on 19 July 2007.
- ^ Leeds FA Cup Tie Brings Financial Boost For Bulls Hereford Times, 1 November 2007. Retrieved on 11 February 2008.
- ^ Pitch work completed Hereford United Official Website, 22 May 2007. Accessed on 19 July 2007.
- ^ Edgar Street Development Update HerefordUnited.co.uk, 13 July 2007. Accessed on 19 July 2007.
- ^ Williamson, John (1974), pp 121, 133
- ^ Powell, Denise and Edge, David (2003). Hereford United. Tempus Publishing, p.18
- ^ Chance To Reflect On A Remarkable Cup Run Graham Turner column, Hereford Times, 31 January 2008. Retrieved on 11 February 2008.
- ^ Very Good Start But Attendances Are Still A Concern Graham Turner column, Hereford Times, 27 September 2007. Retrieved on 11 February 2008.
- ^ Early Day Motion UK Parliament, 22 May 2006. Retrieved on 22 February 2008.
- ^ Danny Has Booked His Place In Heaven For All The Things He's Done Hereford Times, 16 August 2007. Retrieved on 22 February 2008.
- ^ Lionels Transfer Fee Could Set New Bulls Record Graham Turner column, Hereford Times, 29 November 2007. Retrieved on 11 February 2008.
[edit] External links
- Official
- General
- Hereford United F.C. on BBC Sport: Club News - Recent results - Upcoming fixtures - Club stats
- Bulls News
- Hereford Times
- Bulls Banter - Independent Bulls Forum
- Independent Hereford United Online Archive
- HUFC In Action - Match Photos
- BOLSA
