For today's archive article, mainly sourced from a newspaper in the USA, we go back to December 1957 and relive the Bulls progress in the FA cup that season.
MUCH MARCLE FANS UNHAPPY
The champagne cider had a bitter taste last Monday night in the pubs of Much Marcle, a tiny soccer-mad community in Herefordshire.
Supporters of Hereford United, latest giant-killers of British soccer, are downcast because the numbers in a red velvet bag came up the wrong way.
The numbers determine how the teams will line up on January 4th (1958) for the third round of the FA Cup, soccer's biggest attraction.
Hereford, a non-League club, hoped to be drawn to play away from home against one of the glamour teams of the First Division which enter the competition for the first time after drawing automatic byes in the first two rounds.
Instead they will meet Sheffield Wednesday - at home. Sheffield is in the First Division but Hereford won't reap the benefits of a big gate they would have had in Sheffield.
Hereford is one of the minnows left with the big fish in the Cup final pool.
Nearly ten years ago Leonard Weston, pedigree stockbreeder and cider manufacturer from Much Marcle, near Hereford, took over the club of part-time players and infected them with cup fever. They reached the second round seven times in nine years, only to be knocked out before reaching the big money.
Hereford finally reached the third round last Saturday. In a stunning upset the miracle team trounced Queen's Park Rangers 6-1 in a match rendered one-sided when the Rangers goalie, Ron Springett, had to retire with a torn hip muscle.
Hereford was turned into a carnival city last Saturday night and on Monday the giant-killers went to Much Marcle for a champagne cider celebration thrown by Weston. At noon all gathered around the radio to listen to a broadcast of the third round draw, hoping for an away game against Arsenal or Manchester United. They were disappointed.
The financial stake was a big one. It costs Hereford about £350 to keep going, and qualifying matches for the Cup have been expensive. So far the team hasn't made travelling expenses.
Although Sheffield Wednesday stands second last in its division few give Hereford much chance.
Postscript: The Bulls lost the game against Sheffield 3-0 in front of over 18,000 supporters but chairman Weston did win the battle of the long cigars.
"They might be first division but none of their directors have got a cigar like this."
It was reputed to be 18 inches long.
Text at top (next game etc)
Next Game: Away At Buxton On Saturday 12th October at 3.00pm