Glorious sunshine basked over Edgar Street as a host of former stars returned to face a fans team in a well-attended spectacle, with 502 present in the stands.
Arriving at the ground at twelve o'clock, the players for both sides sifted in one by one to the impressive upstairs of the Starlite Rooms. It presented the first opportunity for the former players to catch up with one and other, whilst the fans team put faces to the names that were their team-mates. A tasty dinner was served up for those present; one wonders whether this was a ploy by the legends to deter the fans from being fully fit!
With lunch over, both sets of players headed down to the changing rooms. The fans were given the away changing rooms, and were quickly settled in, with the legendary Colin Addison calming the pre-match nerves and telling some old tales. All players were provided with a home shirt, with name and number on the back too. A training top was also provided. All very professional.
Trotting out on the Edgar Street turf for the first-time as a player was a delight; the carpet-like green turf was a cut above any other pitch I'd set foot on before and spraying the passes to one and other in the warm up was excellent.
The Fans Team
With both sets of players warm (or even warmer, given the heavy sun), they returned to their changing rooms for one final team-talk. Addison told the players to go out and enjoy it but showed his tactical knowledge by assigning certain roles to certain players. His assistant Peter Isaac weighed in with some telling words, leaving captain Andy Clements to then lead out his troops. After the pre-match niceties were exchanged, the ref blew the opening whistle and the game was off.
Early signs were that the legends were a little rusty; Kevin Goodwin dispossessed Ian Rodgerson to burst down the left, but his low pass to Jack Tomlinson saw the young striker scuff an effort past the post. And with that, the legends eased into the game, with Andy Ferrell pulling the strings. He converted a penalty, after he was felled inside the box. A quick-fire double from Ian Wright and Rob Elmes made it three, before Elmes tucked in at the back-post to make it four. John Snape delightfully chipped in a fifth before Kevin McCall denied Aidan Phillips with a strong save. As half-time approached, Matt Clarke lofted a ball over the head of impressive fans 'keeper Joshua Smith, before Snape made it seven.
Double goalscorer Andy Ferrell alongside Peter Heritage
With the half-time team talks given, the players returned for the second-half, with the legends introducing some new faces and the fans mixing it up once more. Within minutes, Steve Guinan waltzed through the back-line to cleverly finish. Yet, the fans didn't give up and grew into the game as the space opened up. Tomlinson collected a pass by Jamie Price and smashed a right-foot shot into the near-post, receiving the biggest cheer of the day so far. Further chances followed, with Goodwin narrowly missing the far corner, Greg Edwards smashing the bar from twenty yards and Tomlinson forcing McCall into a smart save. Strikes from Chris 'Oxo' Olesky and Ferrell once again, either side of a top right-foot finish from Price for the fans meant the score finished 10-2.
Steve Guinan scored on his return
Both sets of players received generous applause when the final whistle blew and after shaking hands with their heros, the fans returned to the changing room for a quick shower and up to the bar, where the club had put on a post-match buffet for all to enjoy.
Hereford United chairman David Keyte pondering whether to offer Gareth Davies a contract
A top day all round for those involved in the occasion. The club were superb in their planning of the day, with the food and the shirts an excellent gesture. The match was the centre-stage however and what a pleasure it was to be on the same field as the players who have given so much in the past for Hereford United, providing us fans with such good memories. A day to saviour.
Fans: Joshua Smith, Aidan Phillips, Andrew Holmes, Greg Edwards, Andy Clements, Jon Watts, Duncan Field, Ryan Careford, Jack Tomlinson, Kevin Goodwin, Adam Wright.
Subs: John Pritchard, James Sheath, Dan Phillips, Rob Edwards, Jim Davies, Jamie Price.
Legends: Kevin McCall, Mitchell Gore, Murray Fishlock, Matt Clarke, Ian Wright, Tony James, Ian Rodgerson, John Snape, Andy Ferrell, Rob Elmes, Peter Heritage.
Subs: Stewart Phillips, Chris Price, Steve Guinan, Gareth Davies, Luke Powell, Andrew Boucher, Chris Olesky.