The Summer Of 2014 - Part Five

BN's look back at the summer of 2014 continues. The new owners of Hereford United were finding it difficult to arrange pre-season friendlies.

Statement From Grays Athletic

The following statement was released by Grays Athletic last night.

The board has responded to public speculation in order to clarify matters regarding the situation at a fellow football club

There is public speculation that the Football Association (The FA) is investigating our Chief Executive Joel Nathan regarding his involvement with Hereford United Football Club. We can clarify there has thus far been no contact from The FA regarding this matter. The board is fully aware that Joel Nathan has offered advice to a fellow football club that, like Grays Athletic, has dropped from the football conference to a lower tier of English football.
There is further public speculation regarding threatened demonstrations at our friendly match being played at Hereford United in July and intimidatory posts against our supporters on public forums regarding their attendance at that match. We recognise the right of individuals to protest but our club is not related in any way to the current financial situation at Hereford United and we believe our supporters should not be intimidated in any way. We have offered our supporters free travel on our team coach as a thank you gesture for the numerous times the supporters paid for our team to travel to away fixtures last season. We have spoken to Cardiff City and if they are happy to play there, we are happy to play there.
Joel Nathan has made himself available in public forums to answer questions posed by concerned Hereford United fans. Mr.Nathan has since been banned by the administrators of those forums while Hereford United fans have joined Grays Athletic supporters forums to criticise Mr.Nathan. Mr. Nathan is a football fan as well as a club official and has specific experience in dealing with the situation Hereford United finds itself in and is happy to offer his advice in helping that club, and he is also available to supporters with genuine concerns and wish to ask him questions. We would politely suggest that those public forum bans be lifted so that Mr.Nathan can respond to any queries from supporters.
We would also like to place on record our sympathy and empathy towards Hereford United, a football club with a fine history and tradition that now finds itself in a situation we ourselves went through just a few years ago. We wish the club and it's supporters the best of luck and a swift return to the higher levels of English football.

Grays Athletic have also issued a statement about the proposed friendly set to take place on July 19th.

Hereford United Friendly

By GAFC News, 28th Jun 2014

The club has agreed to travel to Hereford United on Saturday 19th July and as it stands this match is expected to go ahead as planned

The club is committed to fulfilling this fixture which is to be played one week after league club Cardiff City visit Edgar Road for a pre-season game.
The club has made seats on the team coach available to our supporters free of charge on a first come, first served basis but we fully understand if supporters do not wish to travel to this game. There has been a number of intimidatory and abusive posts in public forums regarding our supporters and club officials which we take very seriously and the relevant details have been passed to the appropriate authorities in Hereford.
We have accepted this friendly in good faith and for footballing reasons as it represents an opportunity for new manager Jody Brown to give his new charges a challenging run-out just weeks before the start of the new season.
The club reiterates it's desire to fulfil this fixture unless the Football Association decides otherwise. If Cardiff City visits Edgar Road as scheduled, we will fulfil our commitment to Hereford United one week later.

 

News Round Up

Former Hereford United defender Rod McDonald has joined Crewe after being released by Carlisle.

Another former Hereford player in the news is Kingsley James. He will continue as first team coach with York City for the 2022/23 season.

The Summer Of 2014 - Part Four

Continuing BN's look back at the summer of 2014, local MP Jesse Norman spoke about the situation at Edgar Street.

Jesse Norman MP And The Situation At Hereford United

BN caught up with Hereford MP Jesse Norman earlier this evening just before the news of a likely CVA for Hereford United.

Firstly BN asked whether the MP had received a reply to his letter sent to HMRC. (http://bullsnews.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/mp-pushes-for-hmrc-action.html)

"I not sure I would expect one but if I do I'll see if I can make it public."

BN - Should Herefordshire Council be making more effort to get payment of the £65K the club owes?

"I certainly think they should be pressing for the money because that is council tax payers money and if you look at the situation with grass cutting etc that's money that could be put to good use elsewhere in the country.

"We've seen promises to pay creditors before from Mr Agombar so it's not clear that has any real credibility.

"Instead of persuing him directly, they could attach that debt to some of the proceedings that are already going to be in front of the court next week."

BN - Do you believe the Council have the leases for the ground tightly drawn?

"I haven't read the leases but my impression is the Council has done an initial legal review of the leases and therefore has at least a preliminary understanding of its powers under the leases.  

"What the leases say is very important and also what could be plausibly asserted in a court of law to defend them."

BN - If the club goes into administration and/or liquidation do the leases return to the Council or is that only in liquidation?

"I don't know and that's a very important question. If the club goes into liquidation then one would expect the leases to revert to the Council.

"Administration is a work in progress in which a company tries to reach an accommodation with its creditors. I would be surprised if the leases change at that point. It all depends what is written in the contract. 

"Administration is important for other reasons as it does potentially allow a more formal process by which other bidders, parties of interest, can seek to look at the basis of changing ownership"

BN - Could that involve a CVA?

"I think it could involve a CVA."

BN then asked about the current directors of Hereford United. For a spell this week it was thought there were no directors then a couple appeared out of the woodwork.

"My team noticed the club had two new directors having not had any - it's not absolutely clear that there was a point when they didn't have any. We need to clarify that with Companies House.

"What is clear is that Mr Agombar took himself off the directors register for the process of acceptance into the Southern League and has now put himself back on.

"That itself is not a great cause for hope."

BN - Is it legal that maternity pay wasn't passed on to Leigh Renton, an employee of the club? (http://bullsnews.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/ex-employee-still-owed-money-by.html)

"It's absolutely terrible and the idea that she would now become, or be treated as, one of the unsecured creditors of the club and therefore potentially may not receive that amount, or not the full amount, is a cause of enomous embarrassment to the club and to the owners.

"The whole situation is a desperate one and she seems to have been one of the biggest victims."

BN - With the threat of administration or liquidation what is worrying supporters is whether Tommy Agombar and Co could 'buy' the club from the administrators and buy it without so much debt in it.

"It's a fair concern.

"If anyone has got the best interests of the club and football in Herefordshire at heart there is a phenomenon called a 'pre-pack' whereby a club goes into administration and use that process to pay their creditors at very low levels or not at all.

"And then the assets of the club are bought out of adminstation by a bidder and if that's in a 'pre-pack' that may be bidder who was responsible in the first place and the effect of that is they end up with pretty much what they had before but without the having to pay the debt on it.

"That's a huge worry and I share that worry and I'm sure every other fan of Hereford United does as well.

"I'm not a legal expert but administration is a semi-formal process, there are rules associated with it and presumably it would be possible for other interested parties to come to the administrators and say look you could get a better deal for your creditors if you accepted our offer rather than let the club run as it presently is funded by the owners in the way they are funding it.

"I think the Supporters Trust backed by Jon Hale's business group could come in, may be other interested parties as well at that point.

"The key thing at this point is to make sure there is no 'pre-pack', that there is enough time for everyone to put alternative bids together if they can, those bids are as strong as they possibly can be, as long term, as well funded, as well supported as they possibly can be and the group (HUST and Hale) would be a very serious potential bidder."

The Summer Of 2014 - Part Three

Continuing BN's look back to the summer of 2014, Hereford United supporters marched to the Council HQ.

Council Leader Talks To Supporters

Council Leader Tony Johnson With The Petition

 

After being presented with a petition, Herefordshire Council leader Tony Johnson spoke to supporters outside the Council HQ.

"You are asking us to reject calls to transfer the leases,"said Johnson.

"We've had an e-mail from the owners of the club.

"Herefordshire Council has received the following from the new owner of Hereford United football club.

"This is a quote - 'We wish to leave all leases for the club in the name of Hereford United Football Club 1939 Limited.

"We have paid all football creditors and have been accepted into the Premier Division of the Southern Football League.' 

"The council has accepted this information in good faith.

"I can't vouch for the accuracy of any of this. That's come to us in the last 48 hours, we've heard nothing since, other than a couple of curious telephone calls.

"As a Council we support the efforts of you and your colleagues, we like you want to see football remain in the city.

"We are the Landlords, we have no control over the club, we are not shareholders, we don't the club itself.

"We simply own the site on which the club sits.

"None the less, as a Council we share your ambitions. From a personal point of view I share your ambitions.

"I've had many conversations with one of your supporters here, Cllr Kenyon.

"We will do what we can."

Cllr Kenyon then asked Cllr Johnson if he could confirm whether the council have been paid the £65K owed by the football club.

"To my knowledge it's not been paid yet. 

"We've been told they will pay (supporters laughter in background)."

Kenyon then asked if the date they were going to pay had passed are the council now going to take legal action against the club to recover the money for the taxpayer.

"The correspondance that I have didn't give a date by which it would be paid," continued Johnson.

"The correspondance said it was their intention to settle the outstanding debts to the Council and that there was an outstanding bond with an amount left in it and a question from them, could that bond be drawn down to offset at least part of the outstanding debt to the Council.

"No actual date came with the correspondance that we have received.

"As of the morning I do not believe that the debt has been paid, I do know legal people were looking at their request with regards to the bond.

"We share your concerns about the football club. There's nothing we would like better than football to remain where it is.

"I have to say it's a great pity the football club has got itself in this position. There is huge support from so many people.

"Where there is room for judgement we come down on the same side as you."

One supporter then suggested to Cllr Johnson that 'they do not intend to pay anyone out.'

"I believe your view is shared by many if not all of your supporters.

"Our legal team are looking to see what our options are and what we can do.

"We will do whatever we can and that's a promise."

News Round Up

Southport returned to training yesterday (Saturday) with a 'gruelling session' on Crosby Beach.

Former Hereford midfielder Theo Wharton has joined Newtown on a two year deal.

Another club to return to training yesterday was Salisbury. Cool and damp weather made the session 'more comfortable' than usual.

Chester's players return to training on Tuesday. They will train on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday mornings.

Whing Signs Two Year Deal To Manage Banbury

Andy Whing

Andy Whing has signed a two year deal to manage Banbury United who will play in National North next season.

“It’s great to have Andy on board for two more years," said Banbury chairman Ronnie Johnson.

"The club has enjoyed an amazing two seasons under Andy’s management and we are really pleased to be able to reward him with a new improved deal.

“We are delighted he will lead the team as we face the exciting new challenges of Step Two football.”

Whing joined Banbury in April 2020 after a spell as assistant manager with Hereford.

 

News Round Up

Hereford report that their 'Squad Builder' campaign has reached £35,000.

Malvern have released prices for their pre-season friendly against Hereford on July 16th. More details at: https://malverntown.co.uk/news/pre-season--adult-tickets-for-hereford-clash-now-on-advance-sale 

Hereford's Steve Burr has told the Hereford Times that “There’s going to be a few more exciting signings before we start the season."

Notts County have signed Kidderminster Harriers duo Sam Austin and Geraldo Bajrami.

Omari Sterling has signed with a new club after two seasons with Harriers.

Darlington have sold 700 season tickets.

 

The Summer Of 2014 - Part Two

Today's look back to the Summer of 2014 features Joel Nathan.

Joel Nathan Starts Work At Edgar Street

Joel Nathan has told Bulls News that he has started working at Edgar Street.

Calling Bulls News about advertising boards for the coming season, Nathan added that he had just left Grays Athletic. The Grays official site lists Nathan as their Chief Executive Officer, and he is also previously reported to have been Club Secretary with the Essex side prior to their drop out of the Conference.

During his time with Grays the club were made homeless, causing their two division drop. They currently groundshare at Aveley FC. Grays are yet to announce his departure, but did announce a replacement of their Club Secretary yesterday.

Meanwhile, Nathan's Grays are to make a trip to Andy Lonsdale's Bedfont & Feltham in July for a pre-season friendly.

It is also understood that a number of other new staff have appeared at the club this week.

Update: Nathan has contacted BN again to clarify his earlier comments. He told us he has not yet resigned his position at Grays as he told us yesterday, but is assessing the opportunity in relation to his circumstances.

 

The Summer Of 2014 - Part One

For the next few weeks BN is looking back at the summer of 2014. David Keyte had sold  Hereford United to Tommy Agombar and his associates including Andy Lonsdale. It soon became apparant that all was not well at Edgar Street.

For today's 'episode' we go back to June 24th.

The Feltham Arena Abomination & Andy Lonsdale

Below is a view of Andy Lonsdale written by a Feltham resident. Lonsdale is currently helping Tommy Agombar at Hereford United.

As someone who is one of the local residents in Feltham, where Andy's handiwork damaged a large green space, I can't recommend enough, that you get him away from your club as soon as possible.

I was really surprised to see he has surfaced again, via an article in a local news source here, on your Football Club. He claimed he wouldn't walk away from the mountain he left us with, but he did. I kid you not on the mountain thing! It was as tall as people's houses, and placed a vast blot on Google Maps! He claims in a publication, it was just 6 inches taller than allowed.... clearly to him, 6 inches is his own unique measurement, where 1 inch actually equals 1 METRE! The company (held in his wife's name) that the work was carried out under, then went on to liquidate, after providing inaccurate accounts, so that it appears that it can't come back on him - A regular part of his M.O. it seems.

He fell off the radar for a while, before buying a chip shop, down the road here, just 5 minutes away from the Feltham Arena site, with a name that simply mocked the locals. I bet he laughed his head off every day at that. Cushty Independent (Fish and Chip) Traders! He sure had a 'cushty' deal by mugging us all off, here! It operated for a short time only, and then that went too - to be replaced by another Fish and Chip business, for which he no doubt he gained some cash from too... I've no idea if that business is connected with him, or anyone to do with him.

Before us - he damaged Green Belt land in Surrey, and has liquidated several companies prior to that, while using other companies to apparently hide his actions - like he did here, by being a part of another football team, to secure a Tenancy At Will, on the land with our Council. He was meant to remove an old stadium from here...and create several football pitches for the community. He failed to mention he had no experience in that area of construction - (only construction waste!), was a disqualified Director, and had a previous conviction for Fly Tipping.

He didn't do any of what he promised the locals or the Council. He buried most of the stadium under builder's waste and construction rubble, that may, possibly, be contaminated. He damaged and felled, very old trees, as his waste mountain grew. We speculate that he buried those whole, where they fell too, as he expanded far beyond the previous stadium's boundaries. The drainage was laughable, and a qualified person noted this, and informed the Council of it. It ended up flooding the surrounding streets whenever it rained. And when it rained so much at the beginning of this year - there were small mudslides, and flooding down the roads....but at least it lowered the height of the mountain - however that only revealed the true content of the amount of dangerous rubble there! Photos are scattered about the web on this issue. Currently the mountain is littered with broken glass, porcelain, tiles, bricks, metal spikes, blocks, slabs, and other waste, etc. It's a disgrace!

I personally would take all he says, and does, with extreme caution. This man, it seems, has no thoughts about destroying things, for his own gain. The residents formed a group called The Feltham Arena Residents User Group, and created a Facebook Group of the same name, to keep people informed of what was, and is, going on up there, and they have been working hard ever since to get things sorted out. At one point it was so bad, that the locals ended up physically protesting, in person, blocking the streets to stop articulated lorries coming through and dumping more waste, while they spent years begging the Council to stop the company, and investigate his actions.

If you want to see the damage, Google image "Feltham Arena". You will see photos of the vast wasteland he left, as well as the stadium he was meant to take away. If you Google map the same, with "TW14", you will see a large beige patch in the middle of what was a green space. That is what he did to Feltham. If you Google map "Pyebush Roundabout, Beaconsfield" - there is a large patch of once green, now bare land - also the handiwork of Mr Lonsdale. These are NOT isolated cases....although he, to the best of the local's knowledge, has only been prosecuted for the Surrey Fly-Tipping.

Now the locals want to see the land returned to a large, open, green, community space, with just simple restoration to the running track, and a very small scale, low key, outdoor, sporting facility, to be built within the perimeters of the old Stadium site (not the very much extended site created by Andy!). We've all had enough of all the supposed construction works, and of the heavy vehicles, the noise, the dirt, and the work there, and we want a stop to it. But the Council now say they want to build a large sporting hub over it all, with a few possible sporting warehouses! We assume, it is in a bid to recoup costs of what it will take to put it all right, and to remove most of the 73,000 cubic metres of towering waste he left there. The locals don't want it, and have voiced this. They also simply won't be able to use sporting warehouses after their club hours, and certainly not for free - like the running track is now, not to mention that the buildings simply won't fit in with the whole green area, or the fact that the land is surrounded entirely by residential properties. It will destroy the green space, and several through routes completely, if they go ahead, while creating traffic issues, and parking issues, that no doubt the locals will be penalised for. The locals are desperate for support, in order to stop the Council doing this to Feltham and the people who have suffered enough. If Andy had done what he had promised the Community in the first place, the residents wouldn't be facing this mammoth battle against the Council, to stop them building on the green space.....and Andy... thus far - is getting away with all the cash, and the whole disgusting affair, absolutely scott free!

I just don't know why he get's away with this time and time again. It would be so great, if everyone who has had dealings with him, past and present, could all get together, and bring him to justice.

News Round Up

Former Hereford defender Mitch Hancox has signed a one year deal with York City.

Chester have sold 1000 season tickets. Their early bird deals end on Sunday.

Hereford have announced that adults will pay £10 standing, £12 seated,to watch either of their two pre-season friendlies.

THROWBACK THURSDAY | The best of Jon Narbett - 1998-1992

On this day 30 years ago Jon Narbett would leave Hereford and sign for Oxford United for a fee of £65,000.

Click below to watch some of his goals for The Bulls.

Review Football Governance Says Fair Game

This from Fair Game:

FAIR Game have called for an immediate commitment by all political parties to a comprehensive overhaul of the governance of football. The call comes with doubts whether Derby County will be able to complete the season.

A catalogue of financial issues coupled with delays has put the very future of the Rams under question.

Niall Couper, CEO of Fair Game, said:

“Fans should be looking forward to the start of a new season, not living in fear over whether their club will still be in existence at the end of it.”

“Poor governance at clubs allows owners like those at Derby County to hide their risk-taking behaviours putting centuries of tradition and community at risk.”

“We need a firm commitment from our main political parties to deliver a real overhaul of football and quickly. We cannot allow any proposals to be kicked into the long grass. Football needs an independent regulator now.”

Tonight, Fair Game puts the subject of good governance under the spotlight with a free online panel. The panel is the third in the series The Sustainability Index Explained and will see the former CEO of the FA and current owner of Tranmere Rovers, Mark Palios; the former Sports Minister Richard Caborn; governance expert Radojka Milijevic from Campbell Tickell; and Nick Hawker, the Chair of Exeter City; debate the issue chaired by the acclaimed broadcaster Julian Waters. To register for the session click here.

The Fan-Led Review presented evidence that poor governance practices at clubs allow owners to act unilaterally, with short-term interests that conflict with the long-term interests of fans. Issues that led to the demise of Bury and Macclesfield.

If, as being suggested in some quarters, the financial flow to the Championship is decided through a merit-based system it would expose poor corporate governance and exacerbate the risk-taking behaviour of poor owners seeking to make a quick dollar.

Independent analysis of effective regulation from financial business experts LCP concluded that the most successful regulation often uses financial incentives to change behaviours, including governance.

However, no such incentive is currently being proposed in football. Fair Game believes the Sustainability Index would provide that incentive and ensure that best practice by football clubs is both encouraged and rewarded.

Analysis released this month from Fair Game reveal a massive 97% of clubs below the Premier League are potentially missing out on millions each year – a status quo that will not end until the current broken financial flow is replaced by a more sustainable and fair system. The Sustainability Index, proposes four core changes to the current distribution model:

• A return to pre-Sky percentage level of media split to 25% (currently 14%)

• Divisional funds based largely on average division attendance

• Funds being distributed down to National League North and South

• Funds allocated to the top two women’s divisions

The Index looks to then weight the payments according to how highly a club scores on four criteria: Financial Sustainability, Good Governance, Equality Standards and Fan & Community Engagement.

The importance of good governance in football will be discussed as the third part of Fair Game’s Sustainability Index: Explained programme tonight. Previous sessions on financial sustainability and equality standards were held earlier in June, whilst the final session on fan and community engagement will be held on Thursday 30 June at 6.30pm.

Niall Couper added:

“The Index is essential - we need a fresh approach to the financial flow. But the Index is not just about distribution for distribution’s sake. We must also look to deliver culture change.

“We need to encourage clubs to be financially sustainable, to adopt good governance, to treat equality standards as more than just a tick-box exercise, and to have meaningful fan and community engagement.

“The Premier League can help secure football’s ecosystem. If not, then it is clear that the responsibility must fall to a new Independent Regulator.

“The status quo betrays the 157 towns that are currently seeing their clubs losing out.” 

Hulbert Signs For Yeovil

 

Ollie Hulbert, who had a loan spell with the Bulls early last season, has signed for Yeovil who are now managed by Chris Hargeaves who played for Hereford United.

The 19 year-old is the Yeovil Town manager’s first signing since taking charge of the Glovers earlier in the summer.

Hulbert has signed a one-year contract, with the option of a further year, at Huish Park and is the first new face at Yeovil after a number of contract renewals. 

Hargreaves knows Hulbert well as the youngster was coached by him when he was academy manager and youth coach at Rovers until leaving earlier this year.

Hulbert was released by Rovers this summer after spending 12 years with the club without making a start for the first team.

Hereford May Need More Investment Said Hale

Hereford Chairman Jon Hale With Colin Addison and John Motson

Hereford chairman Jon Hale has suggested that the club may need more investmentin the near future.

"The point has been made many times probably does need investment going foward," said Hale in an interview with BBC Hereford and Worcester,

"It's the sort of thing the board of directors have got to look at.

"There are controls in place for the right reasons, we don't want any Tom, Dick or Harry coming into the club and taking it over and leading it down the wrong path.

"We've got to work with the Supporters Trust on that and look at what we can do in the future.

"Are we in a position to go up, you would imagine on the back of a promotion run that we would have had a very good season, very strong attendances and the revenue base of the club would have gone up as well, it's a big step.

"Full time, I'm not so sure it's as big as some people think it is between where we are now and full time.

"But it is a step up and obviously we would have to have investment into the football club to make sure that we were not just going up there for one season and falling straight back down again. That would never be the intention, we would want to go up and stay up and then look again.

"It's something we've got to look at.

"I believe if push came to shove and we did get promotion it would be alright, we would be able to go full time.

"But it would again need some serious planning and that planning has already been talked about, we are talking about it, we are not ignoring it because we could have ended up going up this season. We didn't but if we did next season we would make sure we were ready.

"There are a number of ex Football League sides in the National Prem but then again there are in National North.

"It is a big step and I watched quite a few of the play-off games in the National Prem and the standard is basically Football League. It is the Division Five of the Football League.

"So yes there is that to think about and obviously you've got to buy the players in who can cope with that level of football.

"We've probably lost players to National Prem that are good enough but probably not that many. Most of the players who have gone from us have gone to the same level so that kind of shows where we are at the moment and where we need to be.

"Again if you had a successful season and you built those revenues up through big attendances and everything that goes with it on a match day then I'd like to think we would be in a good position to push on and get in the National Prem and look up again.

"But at the moment it's all a grand wish."

Extended Contract For Kouhyar At York City

Maziar Kouhyar

Former Hereford midfielder Maziar Kouhyar has signed an extended contract at York City.

Kouhyar moved to York last March from Edgar Street on a free transfer.

He scored on his York debut against Spennymoor Town and also scored the winning goal in the Promotion Final against Boston United.

Raison Joins Beadle At Yate

Toby Raison

Toby Raison who was released by Josh Gowling has joined Peter Beadle at Yate Town.

This from Yate:

Peter Beadle has snapped up 20 year old exciting young defender Toby Raison from Hereford FC.

Toby, centre back, featured on loan at Merthyr Town and Bromsgrove Sporting last season.

He had been with Hereford for the past 2 seasons since 2019.

Toby said on signing for the Bluebells: “After speaking to the gaffer it was a no brainier for me. I can’t wait to get in, get started, and help the club push on again this season”.

 

Pearce Joins Kidderminster

Krystian Pearce

Former Hereford defender Krystian Pearce has joined Kidderminster on a one year deal.

“It’s a very ambitious club and I know a few boys from previous clubs and being local," sais Pearce.

“I spoke to the gaffer and his ideas for the club and what he wants to do here match my ambitions as a player.”

Pearce is the second Hereford player to move to Kidderminster this summer. Tom Owen-Evans signed for the Harriers several weeks ago. 

Suspended Sentence For Hereford Fan After Trouble At Chester

A Hereford fan has been given a suspended sentence after trouble at Chester City last February.

Mark Macdonald, 61, of Bridge Street, Leominster, was captured on police drone footage breaking off a piece of wood from a sign and chasing after a supporter following the match according to a report in the Cheshire Standard.

Defending, Catherine Higham said Macdonald had entered a prompt guilty plea on the first occasion he was able to view the footage with a solicitor present.

The offence had been "spontaneous" in response to seeing a man in a pool of blood on the floor, and he wanted to "ward off people who he believed had caused the injury", but accepted he had gone about that the wrong way.

Macdonald was "thoroughly embarrassed by his actions", which were "isolated behaviour". 

He was given a five-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to carry out 120 hours unpaid work.

He was also given a three-year Football Banning Order.

 

Green Returns To Westfields

 

Hereford legend Ryan Green hasn't put his boots away just yet. He's teamed up with Westfields for the forth-coming season.

'Westfields are delighted to welcome back after suffering a potential career ending Achilles injury the hugely influential & experienced Ryan Green

 

Manager Phil Glover is absolutely delighted to get Ryan back on Board having suffered the injury in the Covid interrupted FA Vase tie away at Long Eaton April 2021 when he was in commanding form.

 

Phil added “I’ve got a good relationship with Ryan, and the when we had a chat back in March it was a no brainer I wanted to get it done and him back with us if he was fit to return to football and wanted to continue.

 

His experience is invaluable and it will no doubt help us this season. He will work closely with Joe Darly our Physio over the next few weeks to make sure we are sensible with his pre season.”

 

A club spokesman added “Let’s hope Ryan can have the same impact as the season he 1st joined when we were one of only 2 step 5 teams who hadn’t lost across the country, at the time we were on course to win the league and gain promotion as winners however Covid struck and the league was null and void” his experience and professionalism proved invaluable to helping the team that season, we look forward to welcoming him back as he was really missed during 21-22 season'.

News Round Up

Former Hereford loanee Taylor Allen has joined Walsall after his release from Forest Green.

Keeper Max Harris is expected to go out on loan from Cheltenham this coming season. Could he return to Hereford?

Gateshead striker Cedwyn Scott has signed for Notts County.

Hereford's 'Squad Builder' has reached £31,000. 

Keeper Owen Evans, who played for the Hereford United youth team in 2014, has joined Walsall from Cheltenham.

 

 

Greenslade joins Bath

 

Former Hereford player Danny Greenslade has joined Bath City.

The left back has signed from Chippenham Town.

 

It's Bath's sixth new 'addition' to their squad this summer.

Tickets For Friendly At Malvern

Adult tickets for the pre-season friendly between Malvern Town and Hereford FC are now on sale.

This from Malvern:

THE START of pre-season is edging ever closer! As part of our preparations for the 2022/23 campaign, we face a mouth-watering pre-season friendly against Vanarama National League North neighbours, Hereford.   

The game will take place here at the HDANYWHERE Community Stadium on Saturday, July 16th with a 3.00pm kick-off. 

Admission prices have been set at £7 (adults) and £4 (concessions). Please note that due to capacity restrictions, we are unable to admit children free of charge for this particular game - they must pay the concession rate. 

Whilst it will be possible to pay on the day, adult tickets are now available in advance here... 

All concessions (including children) must pay on the turnstiles on the day.

Junior Bulls Guard Of Honour At Arsenal Friendly

Digie Joins Gloucester

Kennedy Digie has joined Gloucester after being released by Altrincham. It's the club's first signing of the summer.

"Kennedy is a player we were monitoring last season when he was at Farsley," said manager Lee Mansell.

 He‘s an aggressive, athletic defender who can also play with the ball. He’s a good age and he’s relatively local, with the attributes he’s got he’ll be a very good player for us.”

Digie Released By Altrincham

 

Former Hereford defender Kennedy Digie has been released by Altrincham.

 His first appearance in an Alty shirt was a pre-season game at West Didsbury but a cartilage injury curtailed his pre-season and he underwent an operation in early September 2021. 

He finally made his debut in early November 2021 at Gateshead in the FA Cup. After 8(+2) appearances his departure, on a month's loan to Farsley Celtic, was announced on 21 February 2022.

His release by the club was announced yesterday after just 8(+2) appearances for the club.

Also released by Altrincham was defender Jamie Morgan. He has rejoined Chester.

The National North League 2022/23

News Round Up

Former Telford defender Ross White has joined Bala ahead of them taking part in the Europa Conference League.

Kidderminster have sold 450 season tickets.

Chester supporters have raised £75,000 for their Boost The Budget campaign. 

Banbury have been named non-league team of the season. “The accolade to Andy Whing, his management team and everyone involved in the club is just massive," said the club chairman.

Former Hereford United striker Alan Connell is currently managing AFC Bournemouth’s Under-18s. Last season they won the EFL Youth Alliance title and got to the fifth round of the FA Youth Cup.

FROM THE ARCHIVES | Hereford United 1-1 Arsenal - 5th January 1985 - FA Cup 3rd Round

With the news that Hereford FC will face Arsenal Under 23's in a pre season friendly at Edgar Street next month. Let's head back to January 1985 and a FA Cup 3rd round tie played in front of nearly 16,000 supporters at Edgar Street.

Chris Price scores the equaliser in front of a packed Meadow End

Hereford 1 Kevin Rose 2 Chris Price 3 Ian Bray 4 Keith Hicks 5 Mel Pejic 6 Steve Emery 7 Jimmy Harvey 8 Ian Dalziel 9 Stewart Phillips 10 Ollie Kearns 11 Mike Carter Arsenal 1 John Lukic 2 Viv Anderson 3 Tommy Caton 4 Brian Talbot 5 David O'Leary 6 Tony Adams 7 Stewart Robson 8 Steve Williams 9 Paul Mariner 10 Tony Woodcock 11 Charlie Nicholas Sub Ian Allinson Attendance 15,777

Hereford to play Arsenal U23s

Hereford will play Arsenal U23s in a pre-season friendly on July 13.

News Round Up

Chester City have sold 900 season tickets to date.

Newly promoted to the National North, Banbury are managed by former Hereford assistant Andy Whing. The last time the two clubs met was in the 2014/15 season.

Former Hereford left back Rhys Davies has left Aberystwyth. He was offered terms but declined to accept. 

Another former Hereford player, Harry Franklin, remains contracted to the Welsh League club until the end of this month. 

Brackley Town keeper Danny Lewis has won the ReuschUK goalkeeper of the Year award after he kept 28 clean sheets.