A Good Week for Hereford United

It's been a good week, or to be precise eight days, for Hereford United. Firstly a cup replay win at Lincoln last Saturday, then a third round win at Wycombe last Tuesday evening, and yesterday the Bulls' first home League win of the season against Stockport County.

Granted the Bulls are not out of trouble, but the fact that they are no longer propping up the League must be a relief to all involved.

Then there is the speculation about striker Mathieu Manset and his future at Edgar Street. It's a long time since so many scouts watched a Hereford United player. His value has increased in the last couple of months because of the goals he is scoring and all the publicity that attracts.

Hereford United will always be a selling club and Manset will leave at some stage. Without that income it might be difficult to balance the books. Recently Marc Pugh moved on, before him Toumani Diagouraga, Andy Williams and Paul Parry. The combined total of money received for these players is well over £500,000.

It appears there have been two, possibly more, offers for Manset. One is said to be from a Championship club and the other from a Premiership club. As reported on BN yesterday, one of the offers includes a clause which would allow Manset to stay on-loan at Edgar Street until the end of the season. In the circumstances it's understandable why chairman Keyte might favour this kind of deal even if it's a little short of the money that could be obtained elsewhere.

Selling Manset now and then dropping down to the Conference wouldn't be good business. Chairmen and managers know how difficult it is to get out of that league.

On the other hand Manset is out of contract at the end of the season and it's possible that if he moves on a tribunal would decide the fee. That could be a gamble although it's fair to say the outcome when Marc Pugh moved to Bournemouth was resonable.

Two other good news stories this week.

Firstly the winnings from the A Cup run have come to £112,500 and the share of the gate from forth-coming tie at Sheffield Wednesday should cover the wages for a week or two. And should the Bulls draw or even better win at Hillsborough, well who knows.

Secondly the gate at Edgar Street yesterday was 3154, the highest to date so far this season. Stripping out the away support, the home number was 2820. How many of those were enticed to the club by the 'kids for a quid' promotion isn't yet known. But there's little doubt the idea worked.

It's been a good week for Hereford United.

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