Ryan Green's Fifth Season At Edgar Street

The players returned to Edgar Street for pre-season training on July 1st 2010. David Keyte had taken over as chairman from Graham Turner and Simon Davey had been apppointed manager.

Ryan Green and five other players had signed new deals so there were plenty of new faces at the club. But as ever Green was one of the first on the team sheet.

However he blotted his copybook in a friendly against Swindon.

'Swindon went two-one up. It came courtesy of another soft penalty given away; trickery on the edge of the box by Hughes-Mason saw him nut-meg Green, who in turn bought him down with an impressive rugby tackle.'

Hereford won their first league fixture, 1-0 at Crewe. But three days later were knocked out of the Carling Cup 3-0 by Colchester. Worse was the news that former striker Adam Stansfield had died from cancer. Green and Stansfield were team-mates in 2005/06.

A 4-0 defeat at Chesterfield, a 1-0 defeat by Rotherham. And by September 4th, after a 3-0 defeat at Burton, it was just four points from five games.

Green continued to feature but by September 25th the Bulls had dropped to the bottom of League Two after a 3-1 home defeat by Southend.

A few days later Green was reported to have a virus and so missed what turned out to be manager Simon Davey's last game, a 2-0 defeat at Barnet. But he was back for Jamie Pitman's first game, a 3-0 defeat to Exeter in the Paint Trophy.

'Little Jimmy then set up Ryan Green, joining the attack to good effect and flashing a shot across the goal. Bauza’s dramatic appeal for a penalty fell (rightly) on deaf ears before Rose played a superb pass to Green whose progress towards goal was halted by a hefty collision with Billy Jones.'

A game to remember at Northampton whehere the Bulls having been 3-0 down at half-time came back to win 4-3. And not long after a 5-0 win at Stockport which included two goals from Rob Purdie in his first game on lan from Oldham.

Green was given a yellow card during the 1-1 draw against Cheltenham on November 13th.

"I'm enjoyed every minute of it," he told BBC Hereford and Worcester.

"It was end to end and I think a draw was a fair result.

"Kenny (Lunt) had a good chance (near the start). He's getting in positions and one will go in for him soon.

"Manset is in great form. He's just got to keep doing what he's doing. He could be a championship player if he keeps working hard."

With injuries to other players Green had been partnership Michael Townsend in the heart of the defence.

"I don't mind playing centre-half. I'm a little small but I don't mind getting stuck-in.

"If Pits wants me to play there I'm happily play there." 

A change from football the following Thursday with a trip to Hereford Racecourse as the club were sponsoring a race.

A red card for Green in a 4-0 defeat at Shrewsbury and a three game ban.

'Late in the game Ryan Green picked up a red card for a strong challenge on Mat Sadler. The Welshman came out of the 50/50 challenge with the ball but presumably incurred the referee’s wrath for showing his studs or leaving the ground. He will probably miss a few games as a result.'

It was January 1st before Green was able to play again, the weather had caused several games to be postponed. Then a 2-1 win at Aldershot lifted the Bulls off the bottom of the table.

'From the restart, the dangerous Jermaine McGlashan crossed from the right but Ryan Green rose majestically to head clear as Guttridge shaped to strike.'

A 4-3 win at Lincoln on January 8th saw the Bulls into the third round of the FA Cup but it wasn't Green's day as he collected two yellow cards and a two game ban.

"Very difficult for him to get out of the way of it. For me, the officials got involved on the side of the pitch and got him sent off with the reaction of their players. Very unfortunate. Thought it was a little harsh," said manager Pitman. 

Green had to be content with a place on the bench for several games including the fourth round FA Cup tie at Sheffield Wednesday. But he was back for the 3-1 win at Torquay on February 1st.

'Ryan Green and Quilks worked a short free kick to enable Green to hook the ball into the six-yard box, Fleetwood nodded it down and Featherstone volleyed in from ten yards to wrap up the points with ten minutes remaining of normal time.'

Two days later it was announced that Green had signed an extension to his contract keeping him at Edgar Street until June 2012.

Ryan Green taking little notice of former Bull Gavin McCallum - pictures taken by Andy Compton of the Hereford Journal

A defeat by Lincoln saw Hereford stuck in a relegation battle. But a 3-0 win at Cheltenham restored belief that the Bulls could avoid the drop.

Green was looking as fit as ever which was noted by former colleague Ben Smith.

'I’m five years younger than Ryan Giggs, who looks like he could go on playing for ever.'  

Hereford drew with Northampton 1-1 on a cold Tuesday evening.

'With 67 minutes played, Hereford then grabbed a deserved equaliser. Ryan Green, playing a solid defensive role for the first period, was now starting to push forward, and he delivered a peach of a cross onto Fairhurst’s head, and the Donny loanee gratefully tucked the ball home. The goal celebration left Edgar the Bull, who unwisely attempted to join in, with an unspecified injury.' 

Ryan Green getting the better of Bury's Lennell John-Lewis

Then a 2-0 win at Oxford lifted spirits but a 3-0 home defeat on March 5th by Bury meant the Bulls were still fighting relegation. However a welcome away win at Stevenage three days later lifted the Bulls to 18th place. 

Meanwhile Green was continuing to start every game. Then a rare home win over Crewe on March 27th.

'Green pushed forward, almost managing to get on to the end of an imaginative back flick from little Jimmy, though he was fortunate not to concede a free kick for an overzealous challenge moments later. Retribution followed immediately as the Welshman was unceremoniously taken out with an ugly challenge, though Mr Sutton did not penalise this either.'

A draw at Gillingham and an honour for Green.

'Ryan Green has been named in the Football League Team of the Week for League Two. The Welshman helped the Bulls to a clean sheet in the weekend draw with Gillingham.'

And then a draw at Wycombe.

'Nikki Bull, the ex Shots stopper, then showed his class as a current shot-stopper by diverting a terrific Green strike for a corner, and then dealing confidently with an awkward shot from Fleetwood.'

A 3-0 home win over leaders Chesterfield came as a surprise. However Green was subbed in the second half because of a shoulder injury. He miised the following game, a draw at Rotherham but was back for an A49 derby which Shrewsbury won.

It wasn't until April 30th and a 1-1 home draw against Bradford that the Bulls were safe from the drop.

The last day of the season and another 1-1 draw, this time at Macclesfield and Green got the goal.

'Fairhurst picked himself up to fire a low shot which Veiga was only able to parry away and Ryan Green was on hand to force the ball over the line from close range. Greener obviously has a liking for final match goals.

"Ryan Green could probably have gone in with the match ball in the end as we had probably 10 shots and he had eight of them," said manager Pitman.

Green probably played more minutes of football in 2010/11 but in many ways it was a season to forget.