Welcome to the latest Gloucester Groundhopper blog post.
We returned to Hereford for more Hellenic Premier League action in this chapter, as Hereford Lads Club faced Mangotsfield United. The County Ground, located in the heart of Hereford, served as the venue.
A History Of Hereford
Hereford refers to the army's ford. In the seventh century, the Saxons arrived in this part of England and established a settlement at the ford. It became the seat of a bishop in 676 AD. Hereford had grown into a town by 700 AD.
Hereford was the site of a battle between the English and the Welsh in 760. Hereford was probably fortified with a ditch and an earth rampart topped with a wooden palisade. In 1055, the Welsh burned down the town.
Following the Norman conquest, many Frenchmen settled in Hereford. As the town expanded northward, the market was relocated to a new location north of the old town. By the early 12th century, Hereford had a Jewish community. Maylord Street was populated by Jews. In 1290, however, all Jews were expelled from England.
Hereford was granted a fair in 1121. A fair was similar to a market in the Middle Ages, but it was only held once a year for a few days. People would travel from all over Herefordshire and Worcestershire to attend the Hereford fair in June.
Civil war broke out in 1642 between the king and parliament. Hereford was a staunch supporter of the king. Nonetheless, a parliamentary force took Hereford in September 1642, but withdrew in December. A small royalist army occupied the town at the time, but they fled in April 1643 when a superior parliamentary force arrived. However, when the parliamentarians left and a royalist army arrived, Hereford changed hands once more.
During the nineteenth century, Hereford experienced numerous improvements. Gas street lighting was installed in Hereford in 1836. It had a fire department after 1849. The Hereford Improvement Act was passed in 1854. Following the act, a waterworks was built in 1856. A sewer network was also constructed. The Buttermarket was constructed in 1860. Hereford has had electricity since 1899.
In the twentieth century, Hereford's industries included food canning, brewing, furniture manufacturing, leather tanning, brick manufacturing, and nickel alloy production.
It's All In The Name
The Hereford Lads Club is known as The Blues. This is in reference to the colour of their kits.
Some More Notable People From Hereford
Andy Williams-Footballer
Martin Chambers- Drummer From The Pretenders
Nell Gwyn- Wife Of King Charles II
Florence Canning- Suffragette
Archie Bastock- Footballer
Some Notable Former Players
Kevin Sheedy
Ian Rodgerson
Stewart Phillips
A History Lesson With AFC Finners
Hereford Lad's Club was founded in 1925 with the goal of providing boys with opportunities to grow into men through sports. Emphasizing gentlemanly conduct and good sportsmanship, they began with boxing and gymnastics before expanding to football and cricket. All of the club's records were destroyed in a fire in January 1940, but thanks to local businessmen led by MR W R Bufton, the club was rebuilt on its current site, allowing it to flourish.
Later, an adult team joined the Herefordshire league and won division one in 2003. After finishing second in the Herefordshire Premier Division in 2011, they were promoted to the West Midlands Regional League's division two. In 2013, they were promoted to Division One after finishing third.
They were unable to secure further promotion due to their ground not meeting the required standards. In 2018, they were denied promotion after winning the West Midlands Regional League Division One and losing the Herefordshire County Challenge Cup final to Hereford FC. They were transferred to the Hellenic League's division one west in 2019, and will enter the Hellenic Premier Division in 2021 based on their results from the previous two seasons, which were forced to be abandoned.
In addition, legendary Everton player Kevin Sheedy dedicated the club's new permanent stand, which was built in 2017.
Honours
🏆 West Midlands Regional League
Division One (Champions: 2016–17)
🏆 Herefordshire League
Division One (Champions: 2002–03)
Matchday: Hereford Lads Club 1-3 Mangotsfield United
We drove to Hereford on a bitterly cold Saturday morning. With many games being cancelled due to the freezing temperatures, a game on a 4G pitch was required, and thankfully, Hereford Lads Club stepped up and provided us with a game to attend. The roads leading to the stadium were absolutely filthy, and some of the drivers had death wishes, so it wasn't a pleasant journey. There is parking on the ground floor, but it is pay and display. I would bring some coins with you because paying with the app costs slightly more.
Before the game, we went into the club bar and sampled some of the hot chocolate on offer. In the bar, there are a couple of signed shirts by Razor Ruddock, as well as a large screen showing the early kickoff between Blackburn Rovers and Preston North End.
The club has a club shop, but it was closed on the day we visited for unknown reasons. Pin badges are available for £1 behind the bar. They're button-style pin badges, but to be fair to the club, the price reflects what you get.
To be honest, the club appeared disorganised on the day we visited, with the earlier kick off seemingly catching them off guard. There was no indication of when the turnstiles would open, and we were not allowed in until at least 40 minutes before kick-off. The turnstile then couldn't locate the card machine and had no change for cash. We paid the £7 entrance fee either way, and we were in.
On the usual circuit of the ground, there are two stands with approximately 100 seats each. The ground is entirely 4G and will undoubtedly be a valuable asset to the club, as it will be available for rental all year. There was no food available on the ground, as far as I could tell. The pitch made it clear that none were available. I only gave it a 2/10 because it was only £2 for a hot chocolate and a chocolate bar, which is excellent value. I apologise if I missed any food that was available, but it wasn't clearly marked if there was any.
The welcome we received was outstanding. The club was holding a reunion day for former players who had played for them over the years. I struck up a conversation with a couple of them, and it was fascinating to hear their stories about their time at the club. There were also a couple of non-league referees present who were extremely sociable and chatty, and it was fascinating to hear their perspectives. There was a lot of chatting, which was great for the atmosphere. As stated in previous chapters, pyrotechnics are not expected at this level of football.
Teamsheet
Hereford Lads Club
Manager: Danny Moon
Steve Bell
Ollie Guinane
Henry Dyde
Mason Godsall
Jamie Cuthbertson
Brandon Jennings ⚽️
James Hancocks
Rob Whitlock
Kiea Cowley
Zac Sirrell
Adam Hockey
Substitutes
Jack Mayo-Evans
Luke Fairweather
Jack Harding
Cameron Godsall
Chris Gwynne
Mangotsfield United
Manager: Glyn Jones
Jakob Glover
Harley Purnell
Jordan Anstey
Ollie Jenkins
Luke Bence
Matt Binding
Andras Smolka
Owen Ridler
Jaydan Crosbie ⚽️ ⚽️
Simon Prangley ⚽️
Jeffery Barimah
Substitutes
Tabu Minzamba
Will Ashton
Kerum Karakus
Chigozie Ude
Isaac Flynn
The game began dramatically in favour of Mangotsfield United, who executed their possession-based football strategy flawlessly. In the ninth minute, a poor header back to the goalkeeper allowed Simon Prangley to steal in and chip the goalkeeper sublimely to make it 1-0. Mangotsfield challenged for every ball and passed it around with precision, allowing Hereford Lads Club to open up on numerous occasions. In the 25th minute, they made it 2-0. A cross from the right appeared to be the goalkeeper's, but he didn't come, allowing Jaydan Crosbie to head in. It's hard to believe Mangotsfield didn't go in three up at the break. A cross from the left reached the back post, and Andras Smolka had the entire goal to aim for, but instead headed wide. At the break, the score was 2-0.
For the first 30 minutes of the second half, it was a dull affair. Mangotsfield's good play put Crosbie through on goal in the 74th minute, and a professional finish made it 3-0. Soon after, Hereford Lads Club equalised when a corner found the head of Brandon Jennings, who powered a header past the Mangotsfield goalkeeper. The game appeared to be winding down when Jennings allegedly said something foul and abusive to the referee, earning himself a red card. This enraged the manager of Hereford Lads Club, who screamed and bellowed at the referee, earning himself a red card. The assistant manager of the Lads Club was also shown a red card, meaning both of them were sent to the dressing room (one pretty much being dragged there). It ended 3-1, with Mangotsfield scoring. They appear to have resurrected their season, whereas Hereford Lads Club's off day means they will need to play much better if they are to make the play-offs.
Scores On The Doors
Atmosphere: 3/10
Food and Drink: 2/10
Stadium: 4/10
Welcome: 8/10
Overall Experience: 5/10
GG
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