Twenty years ago this weekend Hereford United played their first game in the Conference since dropping out of the Football League.
Here's a look back.
Aug 15th 1997:
FROM the Independent:
For the first time since 1972, Hereford United will be playing non-League football tomorrow, when they entertain Welling at Edgar Street in the opening round of GM Vauxhall Conference fixtures.
The Bulls will launch their campaign to regain their Nationwide Football League place with Graham Turner, their director of football, still at the helm. Turner, the former Aston Villa and Wolves manager, offered to resign in the aftermath of the traumatic final game of last season, when Brighton gained a draw at Edgar Street to save themselves and relegate Hereford.
Turner changed his mind, however, and has maintained a full-time playing squad which has been strengthened by the signings of the forward Neil Grayson from Northampton and two defenders, Ian Rodgerson from Cardiff and Richard Walker from Notts County.
The man in charge on the pitch at Hereford is their captain David Norton, a former Villa midfielder, who said this week: "It's been a long three months since the Brighton game. Everyone has had those three months to reflect on what happened last season... I've been surprised at the quality of our football pre-season, but against Welling it's three points that matters, not how we play."
Not all of Norton's team-mates from last season have stayed at Edgar Street, though. The centre-back Dean Smith has gone to Leyton Orient for £42,000 while two forwards have left: Adrian Foster to Rushden & Diamonds and John Williams to Walsall.
In Hereford's last season in non-League football, 1971-72, they finished as runners-up to Chelmsford City in the Southern League. Tomorrow the Essex team play Clevedon in what may be their final game at their New Writtle Street ground, which has been sold for redevelopment. City have arranged a ground-sharing deal with the Jewson Eastern League side, Maldon Town.
August 16th:
HEREFORD United 1 Welling 2 (report by Peter Povall)
Hereford United made a poor start to their Conference season in front of a bumper 3132 crowd.
Hereford were physically dominated throughout the first half of the match by Welling who were expected to be an easy first scalp on the run back to the league.
Wellings lead came in just the 4th minute when captain Paul Copley headed neatly into the back of the net from a Barry Lakin corner.
The assault by Welling escalated and they made their second in the 27th minute thanks to Andy DeBont failing to hold a cross, leaving Mark Cooper looking at an empty net which was just asking for the ball.
After the break Hereford pushed on the pace and managed to maintain more control of the game forcing some 10 corners, but the Welling defence was strong, and held until youngster Gavin Mahon crossed to Tony Agana who powered home a shot from the edge of the box.
Hereford continued to pressure the Welling defence but almost lost a further goal as Welling substitute Colin Simpson broke away leaving Andy DeBont to push his shot away.
Hopefully Hereford will now concentrate on the job at hand and present some useful results so that the present support is maintained, and the move back to the league is as swift as possible.
August 17th:
"We are going into the unknown," Hereford United's manager, Graham Turner, had said last week as his team contemplated a season in the Vauxhall Conference after finishing bottom of the Football League last May.
Well now he and his players know they are in for a long hard slog after losing this first game to Welling United, a team who, to give the result some perspective, finished fifth from bottom of the Conference last season. Their victory was no fluke either, Welling being far more determined than their opponents.
Hereford are hoping that they can do what Darlington and Lincoln City have done in the past, in climbing back out of the grave before the diggers had time to pour on the soil. But Hereford's quick return to League status is by no means guaranteed.
Hereford have hung on to their full-time professional squad, albeit reduced in numbers, while Turner, who offered his resignation after that fateful draw against Brighton, has been persuaded to stay on with the slightly inflated title of director of football. Turner's management experience with Wolves and Aston Villa had been seen as a vital advantage to Hereford, who were installed as 7-1 fourth favourites to win the Conference. Those odds would have lengthened like the evening shadows after this game.
Hereford's gush of optimism for a good start to their Conference campaign lasted just four minutes by which time they were already a goal down. Welling's big central defender Paul Copley was left unmarked from Barry Lakin's corner to head past Andy de Bont in the Hereford goal.
The home crowd's patience, carefully nurtured over the summer break, seemed to dissolve fairly quickly, almost as quickly as Hereford's confidence. Inside the half hour they were two down, courtesy of more poor football at a setpiece.
Tyrone King's free-kick was too much for de Bont, who could only fumble the ball on, allowing Mark Cooper a stooping header into an unguarded net.
Hereford were understandably more energetic in the second half, having no doubt been reminded of their full-time professional status. And it was the old pro Tony Agana who brought the home team back into the game, driving home a shot off a defender after Welling had failed to clear a free-kick.
But the better chances were all Welling's, particularly for the substitute Colin Simpson, who might easily have had two goals. By the end the Tannoy's invitation to book seats on the coach trip for Monday's game to Hednesford Town were being greeted with loud cheers
FROM the Independent:
For the first time since 1972, Hereford United will be playing non-League football tomorrow, when they entertain Welling at Edgar Street in the opening round of GM Vauxhall Conference fixtures.
The Bulls will launch their campaign to regain their Nationwide Football League place with Graham Turner, their director of football, still at the helm. Turner, the former Aston Villa and Wolves manager, offered to resign in the aftermath of the traumatic final game of last season, when Brighton gained a draw at Edgar Street to save themselves and relegate Hereford.
Turner changed his mind, however, and has maintained a full-time playing squad which has been strengthened by the signings of the forward Neil Grayson from Northampton and two defenders, Ian Rodgerson from Cardiff and Richard Walker from Notts County.
The man in charge on the pitch at Hereford is their captain David Norton, a former Villa midfielder, who said this week: "It's been a long three months since the Brighton game. Everyone has had those three months to reflect on what happened last season... I've been surprised at the quality of our football pre-season, but against Welling it's three points that matters, not how we play."
Not all of Norton's team-mates from last season have stayed at Edgar Street, though. The centre-back Dean Smith has gone to Leyton Orient for £42,000 while two forwards have left: Adrian Foster to Rushden & Diamonds and John Williams to Walsall.
In Hereford's last season in non-League football, 1971-72, they finished as runners-up to Chelmsford City in the Southern League. Tomorrow the Essex team play Clevedon in what may be their final game at their New Writtle Street ground, which has been sold for redevelopment. City have arranged a ground-sharing deal with the Jewson Eastern League side, Maldon Town.
August 16th:
HEREFORD United 1 Welling 2 (report by Peter Povall)
Hereford United made a poor start to their Conference season in front of a bumper 3132 crowd.
Hereford were physically dominated throughout the first half of the match by Welling who were expected to be an easy first scalp on the run back to the league.
Wellings lead came in just the 4th minute when captain Paul Copley headed neatly into the back of the net from a Barry Lakin corner.
The assault by Welling escalated and they made their second in the 27th minute thanks to Andy DeBont failing to hold a cross, leaving Mark Cooper looking at an empty net which was just asking for the ball.
After the break Hereford pushed on the pace and managed to maintain more control of the game forcing some 10 corners, but the Welling defence was strong, and held until youngster Gavin Mahon crossed to Tony Agana who powered home a shot from the edge of the box.
Hereford continued to pressure the Welling defence but almost lost a further goal as Welling substitute Colin Simpson broke away leaving Andy DeBont to push his shot away.
Hopefully Hereford will now concentrate on the job at hand and present some useful results so that the present support is maintained, and the move back to the league is as swift as possible.
August 17th:
"We are going into the unknown," Hereford United's manager, Graham Turner, had said last week as his team contemplated a season in the Vauxhall Conference after finishing bottom of the Football League last May.
Well now he and his players know they are in for a long hard slog after losing this first game to Welling United, a team who, to give the result some perspective, finished fifth from bottom of the Conference last season. Their victory was no fluke either, Welling being far more determined than their opponents.
Hereford are hoping that they can do what Darlington and Lincoln City have done in the past, in climbing back out of the grave before the diggers had time to pour on the soil. But Hereford's quick return to League status is by no means guaranteed.
Hereford have hung on to their full-time professional squad, albeit reduced in numbers, while Turner, who offered his resignation after that fateful draw against Brighton, has been persuaded to stay on with the slightly inflated title of director of football. Turner's management experience with Wolves and Aston Villa had been seen as a vital advantage to Hereford, who were installed as 7-1 fourth favourites to win the Conference. Those odds would have lengthened like the evening shadows after this game.
Hereford's gush of optimism for a good start to their Conference campaign lasted just four minutes by which time they were already a goal down. Welling's big central defender Paul Copley was left unmarked from Barry Lakin's corner to head past Andy de Bont in the Hereford goal.
The home crowd's patience, carefully nurtured over the summer break, seemed to dissolve fairly quickly, almost as quickly as Hereford's confidence. Inside the half hour they were two down, courtesy of more poor football at a setpiece.
Tyrone King's free-kick was too much for de Bont, who could only fumble the ball on, allowing Mark Cooper a stooping header into an unguarded net.
Hereford were understandably more energetic in the second half, having no doubt been reminded of their full-time professional status. And it was the old pro Tony Agana who brought the home team back into the game, driving home a shot off a defender after Welling had failed to clear a free-kick.
But the better chances were all Welling's, particularly for the substitute Colin Simpson, who might easily have had two goals. By the end the Tannoy's invitation to book seats on the coach trip for Monday's game to Hednesford Town were being greeted with loud cheers