A short history of Hereford United

Bulls News recently came across this potted history of Hereford United.

Article taken from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, although it was probably adapted from Ron Parrot's Hereford United book.

Hereford United F.C. are a football team from Hereford, currently playing in England's Conference National.

The geographical location of Hereford and a lack of local interest meant a senior football team was formed comparitavely late when Hereford United were founded in 1924.

An amalgamation of two local clubs - St. Martins and RAOC - meant the first semi-professional football side in the county. They were to play in the Birmingham Combination and ground-share the Edgar Street stadium with Hereford City, the leading amateurs in the town. United played their first ever match against Atherstone United, losing 3-2, and soon after they played their first ever FA Cup game - against Kidderminster Harriers - losing 7-2 in an extra preliminary round.

By 1932, Hereford were playing in the FA Cup first round but lost in a replay to Accrington Stanley, one of the former greats of English football. United progressed through the local leagues and into the Southern League by the outbreak of World War II in 1939. The Southern League provided the club with much interest in the non-league game and as time progressed, the Bulls became known as one of the top teams outside of the Football League. For twenty one successive seasons, United reached the first round of the FA Cup until election to the Football League, and constantly reminded the Football League of their potential.

The FA Cup provided highlights in the early years, an 11-0 win over Thynnes and a 18,000 crowd to watch Sheffield Wednesday defeat United 3-0 in 1958 were highlights. John Charles, the Leeds, Juventus and Wales legend took over as player/manager in the late 1960's and led the club to great things in the league, but it was his successor who achieved the ultimate aim. BBC Television followed Hereford's FA Cup 3rd round replay at Edgar Street in 1972 against Division One side Newcastle United. After a 2-2 draw at St James' Park, Hereford looked to be going out when Malcolm McDonald put the Magpies a goal up just eight minutes from time, but Ronnie Radford and Ricky George fought back to secure United a 2-1 victory - the biggest FA Cup shock of all time. The FA sat up, and United were duly elected to the Football League in the summer of that year.

Colin Addison led United to Division Three in their first season in the league, but he soon left and his assistant John Sillett took over, taking United up yet another rung in the Football League pyramid. However, everything happened slightly too quickly and United couldn't compete with the likes of Chelsea and Wolves, and were relegated back to Division Four by the summer of 1978.

Since then, United have frequently battled against relegation from the Football League, and their battle was hampered through a limited catchment area and insufficient financial resources. However, they came close to gaining promotion in both 1985 and 1996, and missed out on beating Manchester United by one goal at Edgar Street in 1990. They did, though, beat Wrexham in the Welsh Cup final that year.

With automatic relegation from the Football League implemented in 1987, United clung on but the unimaginable happened in 1997 when they were relegated after a season-ending home draw with Brighton. A win would have meant relegation for the Seagulls.

Conference life hasn't been too good for United after several disappointing seasons, but two FA Cup runs have taken Hereford to the third round, and also to the semi-final of the FA Trophy in 2001. The club was taken over by Graham Turner, the former Shrewsbury Town and Wolverhampton Wanderers boss, in 1998, after he had initially come to the club as Director of Football in 1995. He remains in this position, and also as chairman.

2003/04, though, was a different story. Hereford finished in second position, having won 91 points throughout the season and scored 103 goals, including a 9-0 win at Dagenham and Redbridge and two 7-1 victories, over Forest Green Rovers and Halifax Town. Nevertheless, they stumbled in the play-offs, losing on penalties to Aldershot Town after a 0-0 draw at Edgar Street and a 1-1 tie in the first leg at the Recreation Ground.

Unfortunately in 2005, they failed again to be promoted to the League due to losing 2-1 on aggregate to Stevenage in the play-offs.

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