On This Day

A look back to this day from the BN archives.

Firstly March 16th 2001:

MIDLAND football became the latest victim of the foot and mouth outbreak today when soccer was banned across a large part of the region.

The halt on matches in Herefordshire was imposed by the County FA in a desperate bid to halt the spread of the disease.

The ban follows nine outbreaks of the virus in the county, famous for its beef cattle and dependant on agriculture as the mainstay of its economy.

But the move immediately caused uproar amongst some clubs who accused the FA of double standards by allowing Hereford United to continue playing.

The heat of the criticism later brought a possible relaxation of the ban provided there were no further outbreaks of foot and mouth disease reported in the county today.

Club officials said they were livid that United had been exempted so it could play a crucial FA Trophy semi final game reports the Birmingham Evening Mail.

Bill Mayglothing chairman of Kington Town, which plays in the Banks's Brewery league, which also contains many teams from the Black Country, said; 'While I support moves to protect farmers, it is ludicrous to believe that 2,500 fans visiting a Hereford United home game would pose less of a risk to farmers than a much smaller number visiting non-league grounds which also don't come into contact with farmland.'

He made his feelings clear in a series of telephone calls to the national FA headquarters at Lancaster Gate in London.

Following the criticism, County FA chairman Ted Powell, said the situation would be monitored on a daily basis. 

He said that providing there were no further outbreaks of foot and mouth disease in the county today, clubs with fenced in grounds would be allowed to make their own decision on whether to play home fixtures.

'We are talking about hundreds of millions of pounds at stake here in terms of the value of prize herds,' he said.  

March 16th 2008:

Beering up for promotion

Bull's fans with an interest in hop-based fluids will recall that the Wye Valley brewery produced special commemorative ale, "Bulls Up", following the teams' success at the Crisp Packet Stadium in Leicester.

Bulls News was naturally interested to hear if any similar plans were to be expected should a further promotion be achieved this season. Yesterday's win against Wycombe was, therefore, sufficient to prompt an enforced visit to The Barrels after the game where Wye Valley supremo Peter Amor was found "holding court" at the bar. Peter, the former Guinness brewer who founded Wye Valley in 1985, was able to confirm that there was "a severe possibility" that another brew would be produced with the likely name of "Bulls Up Again".

Wye Valley currently own two Pubs in The Shire, The Barrels in Hereford and The Rose and Lion in Bromyard, and have won the Camra Pub Of The Year no less than six times in the last fifteen years.

Finally, The Barrels was, unsurprisingly, well populated by enthusiastic Bulls fans including one who had travelled down to the match from Scotland and another who had flown from the United States.

March 16th 2010:

Turner returns to the Dug-out

Graham Turner probably thought his days at pitchside were finished when he appointed John Trewick as manager of Hereford United nearly twelve months.

But with Trewick relieved of his post, Turner was back in the dug-out at Edgar Street this evening for the game against Morecambe.

He will have been disappointed with his team's first half performance. However Turner had to make two substitutions around half-time, firstly because of an injury to Gavin McCallum and secondly because of the poor performance by Edrissa Sonko.

He introduced Mathieu Manset and Matt Done and as the second period progressed the Bulls came into the game and perhaps just about deserved a point.

Meanwhile as soon as the final whistle blow Kenny Lunt rushed off the pitch whereas some of the other players notably Marc Pugh and Ryan Green stayed to clap the supporters.

Lunt's body language suggested all is not well with the mid-fielder. Speculation that he will stay with the Bulls until the end of the season and then leave has not been confirmed.

Finally keeper Adam Bartlett appears hopeful Graham Turner will continue as manager for sometime to come.

"If we can put some good results together, it might tempt the gaffer Graham Turner to consider taking up the manager's role on a permanent basis again as the players have a great respect for his long managerial experience," wrote Bartlett in the match programme.

And, to be fair, there did seem be to be greater motivation by the players, particularily in the second half, this evening.