Welcome to the latest Gloucester Groundhopper blog post.
For this chapter of the blog, we indulged in some more FA Cup action. This time, we visited Hereford FC, who are currently playing in the National League North after a meteoric rise through the leagues. They would face Bromsgrove Sporting of the Southern League Premier Division Central.
Hereford is close to the Welsh border, as well as Gloucester and Worcester. Hereford Cathedral, Church Street, and Berrington Hall are just a few of the sights to see. There are also many bars and cafes where people can eat. After taking in the delights of Hereford, we headed to the stadium.
It's All In The Name
Hereford are nicknamed 'The Whites' or 'The Lilywhites', after their predominantly white kit, or 'The Bulls' after the Hereford cattle breed.
Some Notable Former Players
Jarrod Bowen
Febian Brandy
John Eustace
Ronnie Radford
Adam Stansfield
Some Notable People From Hereford:
Ellie Goulding-Singer
Frank Oz-Actor
Mick Ralphs- Mott The Hoople Founder
Connor Wickham- Footballer
Beryl Reid- Actress
A History Lesson From AFC Finners
Hereford United, a merger of St Martins and Rotherwas, was formed in 1924 as the first incarnation of the club. In 1928, they joined the Birmingham and District League, where they stayed for 11 seasons. They joined the Southern League, but their first season was ruined by the outbreak of World War II.
Following the war, they spent 27 seasons in the southern league, winning the cup three times. In 1966, legendary Welshman John Charles joined the club in order to help it grow. Because of his position at the club, many people came to watch them play, and they became one of the best-supported non-league clubs in the UK.
Charles left the club in 1971, but they were in a strong position, and they gained national prominence in 1972 when they knocked Newcastle out of the FA Cup, with Ronnie Radford's goal in that game regarded as one of the best in the competition's history.
The cup run enabled them to be elected to the Football League for the first time. They rose all the way to the Second Division before plummeting to the fourth tier, where they would remain for the next 19 years, and faced financial difficulties on several occasions.
They were relegated to the Conference in 1997, and in 1998, they were purchased by Graham Turner, the club's manager, despite having debts of over a million pounds. Between 1997 and 2008, Turner paid a fee to acquire only two players for a total of 40,000.
The club stayed in the Conference, but a turn of events saw them return to the Football League after defeating Halifax in the 2006 playoff final.
With newly secured financial security, the only way up was up, and in 2008, they were promoted to the third tier for the first time since the 1970s. Unfortunately, they were relegated immediately and were relegated back to the conference in 2012.
The club ran into financial difficulties once more and was kicked out of the conference in 2014. They would not be saved this time, and were closed down in December of that year.
Hereford F.C., a phoenix club, was founded in December 2014 and joined the Midland Football League the following year. They won the league, as well as the Herefordshire County Cup and the Midland Football League Cup. They would then join the Southern League South and West, and successive league title wins would propel them to the National League North, where they remain to this day in their quest to re-enter the Football League.
And here's a fun fact: English conspiracy theorist David Icke played goal for Hereford from 1971 to 1973 before being forced to retire due to injury.
Honours
Hereford United
🏆 Football League One (Champions: 1975–76)
🏆 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)
🏆 Welsh Cup (Winners: 1989–90)(Runners-up: 1967–68, 1975–76, 1980–81)
🏆 Southern League Cup (Winners: 1951–52, 1956–57, 1958–59)
Hereford FC
🏆 Southern Football League Premier Division (Winners: 2017–18)
🏆 Southern Football League Division One South & West (Winners: 2016–17)
🏆 Southern Football League Champions of Champions Trophy (Winners: 2016/17)
🏆 Midland Football League Premier Division (Winners: 2015–16)
🏆 Herefordshire County Cup (Winners: 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18)
🏆 Midland Football League Cup (Winners: 2015–16)
🏆 FA Trophy (Runners-up: 2020–21)
🏆 FA Vase (Runners-up: 2015–16)
An interview with Hereford FC fan, Ian Sandford:
We sat down with Hereford FC supporter, Ian Sandford, who spoke about all things Hereford.
GG: Could you tell us a bit about Hereford FC?
IS: Hereford FC is a phoenix club formed from the ashes of Hereford United FC. The new club was formed in December 2014 and began playing in the Midlands Football League in the 2015/16 season. The club was founded by local businessmen who were also fans, as well as a supporter's trust (HUST).
GG: How long have you supported Hereford FC/Hereford United, and can you remember your first game?
IS: I've been a fan since I was a child. I don't recall my first game, but I recall being taken to Edgar St by my grandfather at a young age and sitting by the clock in the Len Weston Stand.
GG: Can you tell us a fun fact about Hereford FC?
IS: The Bulls are the first phoenix club to reach the finals of the FA Vase and FA Trophy.
GG: What are your opinions on supporting a Hereford in non-league? In your opinion how is it different to supporting Hereford in the higher leagues?
IS: I've become a huge fan of non-league football, which I consider to be real football as opposed to the showbiz stuff that most people watch on Match of the Day. Non-league is closer to the fans both on and off the field. Non-league is more personal and accessible to the community.
GG: What does the club mean to the community?
IS: The club has always meant a lot to the community; for many years, Hereford was the smallest town or city in the country to have a Football League club, demonstrating the community's pride and passion for the club over many decades. The excitement and record-breaking attendances for Hereford FC's first season following their reformation speak volumes.
GG: What are the clubs’ aims in the near future?
IS: Since reforming, the club's goal has been to return to the Football League. Personally, I believe this is a stretch; football, and particularly football finances, have advanced since the Bulls were last in the fourth tier. Any full-time professional club that wants to be successful must learn the dark arts of football finance, a world of deception, smoke, and mirrors. I don't believe HFC has access to sufficient funds to even consider such wizardry, and they shouldn't. The National League North is our true level, and the National League would be an overachievement.
GG: The game is an FA Cup match, what does having the opportunity to play in the FA Cup mean to a club like Hereford FC?
IS: The FA Cup and Hereford are inextricably linked. In the country's premier knockout competition, the club has a legendary record. Ronnie Radford, 1972, and everything. Not to mention the numerous other giant-killing acts. The FA Cup is held by Hereford.
GG: Hereford FC have risen up the leagues quickly, what do you think has been the reason for that?
IS: Hereford FC climbed the leagues without breaking a sweat in the first three seasons after reforming. Three promotions as champions, but the run came to an end. We are in our fourth season of National League North and have yet to mount a challenge. This can be attributed to frequent changes in manager/coach and chairman, as well as the fact that we are now competing against clubs with larger budgets and a high rotation of players. Perhaps this season......
GG: What’s your favourite part of being a football supporter?
IS: Good question......the buzz of anticipation an hour before kick-off, the excitement of a cup run, the build-up to a new season. A win. Any win!
GG: Who is the best footballer you’ve seen play at Edgar Street?
IS: The greatest player to ever wear the white shirt was the great John Charles; I don't recall ever seeing him play; I was too young to remember. Dudley Tyler, Chris Price, Darren Peacock, and Steve White are all contenders, but Jarrod Bowen could be the best. I'm sure I've forgotten many of the opposition players, including Malcolm MacDonald, Gary Lineker, and Mark Hughes.
GG: Finally, can you tell us why people should come and visit Hereford FC?
IS: Cos it's in Hereford! God's country.
A massive thank you to Ian for spending the time to answer these questions, it is greatly appreciated.
Matchday: Hereford FC 1-0 Bromsgrove Sporting
The stadium is about five minutes from Hereford's centre and is accessible by bus and train. For a small fee, parking is available across the street from the stadium. The stadium is fairly easy to find, with various signs pointing you in the right direction, and the floodlights are visible from the city centre.
When we arrived at the stadium, we were greeted by a man trying to sell 50/50 raffle tickets. Near the fan zone, there is a small club shop that sells pin badges, replica shirts, and scarves. A club bar on the stadium's side served a wide range of drinks and was showing the Premier League early kick off on their big screen. The bar was really cool because there were photos of various key events in Hereford's history all over the place, including one that was used as a tabletop. The staff was extremely friendly and eager to assist. After paying the £8 entrance fee, we entered the stadium (joys of being a student).
The stadium was reasonably pleasant. There are four stands, each with its own personality and charm. However, one of the stands, which used to house away fans, has been condemned for being unsafe for supporters to stand in, which is unfortunate.
One thing I liked was how close the fans were to the pitch, so you could hear everything the officials and players said. The atmosphere was lacking, but I believe that the game itself contributed to this; the minute silence was meticulously observed, as was the national anthem. A small kitchen near the stand's entrance served a variety of drinks, burgers, and chips.
Teamsheets
Hereford FC
Manager: Josh Gowling
Harvey Wiles-Richards
Jared Hodgkiss (c)
Luke Haines
Ryan McLean ⚽️
Ryan Lloyd
Harry Pinchard
Jethro Hanson
Orrin Pendley
Tyrone Barnett
James Caton
Thierry Latty-Fairweather
Substitutes
Zak Lilly
Aaron Amadi-Holloway
Miles Storey
Mark Derricott
Lekan Osideko
Yan Klukowski
Seb Osment
Bromsgrove Sporting
Manager: Thomas Baillie
Ollie Taylor
Lewis Wright
George Forsyth
Michael McGrath (c)
Miro Pais
Dan Sweeney
Harvey Gregson
Ryan Edmunds
Dominic Perkins
Keiron Dawes
Michael Taylor
Substitutes
Zac Hartley
James Fry
Matthew Barnes-Homer
Ryan Pratt
Jack Byrne
Callum King-Harmes
Joe Curtis
The game itself began fairly evenly, with neither side creating any clear-cut chances. Hereford had a chance to open the scoring when Hodgkiss played a ball across the 6-yard-box, but no one got on the end of it. Bromsgrove Sporting then had a chance when Michael Taylor received a ball over the top, but Haines came back with a great challenge to stop the shot. At halftime, the score was 0-0.
The second half was much more entertaining, with Bromsgrove coming close through Michael Taylor, but a save from Wiles-Richards sent the ball out for a corner. Ryan Mclean was played through and slotted past the goalkeeper to give Hereford the lead. Ryan McLean then won the ball and attempted to cross the goal line, but a Bromsgrove player intercepted it. McLean was then put through on goal by a fantastic passage of play. His shot, however, was simple enough for Ollie Taylor to save. After Pendley's clearance was blocked, Wiles-Richards came up with a brilliant reaction save. Storey's shot was deflected for a corner after Amadi-Holloway played a delightful ball over to him. In the end, Hereford won 1-0 and advanced to the next round of the FA Cup. Meanwhile, Bromsgrove Sporting can be pleased with their performance against higher-level opposition.
Scores On The Doors
Atmosphere: 3/10
Food and Drink: 5/10
Stadium: 5/10
Welcome: 7/10
Overall Experience: 7/10
GG
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