Joe Wade, who managed Hereford United, has died. He was 84.
The Shoreditch-born full back joined Arsenal as an amateur in 1944 and turned professional during the following year. He stayed 12 years at Arsenal but was kept out of the first team for a large proportion of that by the likes of Walley Barnes, Laurie Scott and Lionel Smith. As a result he amassed more than 300 Reserve appearances. Barnes broke a leg in the 1952 FA Cup final and, during the following season, Wade took his opportunity. He played 40 League games as Arsenal won the title.
However he suffered a leg injury himself in the following season and, in 1956, left for to become player/manager at Hereford where he stayed for six seasons until 1962.
Amidst his acheivements at Edgar Street was taking the Bulls into the third round of the FA Cup.
The biggest crowd ever recorded, 18114, saw Hereford play Sheffield Wednesday in that game on January 4th 1958.
During his time in charge Hereford United were promoted to Southern League, then relegated later.
He remained in the city after relinquishing the manager's job with the Bulls in 1962 when his friend Ray Daniel took over the helm at Edgar Street.
He opened a sports shop, and lived in a house called 'Highbury'.
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