Hereford Club Historian Ron Parrott had a day to spare last week and as the saying goes “The Devil finds work for idle hands” so as Ron was sitting thinking, his thoughts turned to HUFC/HFC players who had the shortest playing time in history. It took him the best part of a day’s work but Ron has come up with a list of players who only ever made a single appearance for the club and that as a substitute. This meant that it came down to how many minutes each of them played and believe it or not, it turned out that 46 players met this criterion.
Ron commented: “There are some interesting names on the list and I would defy fans to name many of them. For example, Mark Cross in 1992/93, Samba Canoute in 2010/11, Astrit Ajdaravic in 2009/10 etc., etc.. Anyway, the bottom line is that in 4th place we have Mark Farrington who came on in the 89th minute at home to Gillingham and thus officially, he played for just one minute in his whole Hereford career! In 3rd and 2nd places, we have Andrew Martin and Danny Moon who both came on in the 90th minute so officially, their total time at Edgar Street was less than a minute each.
"Of course, we have to have a winner and what a clear and magnificent winner it is! Who remembers Cameron Ebbutt from 2018/19? Well, he came on as a substitute at home to Guiseley in the 96th minute and failed to touch the ball before the final whistle blew and that was the sum total of his Hereford career!”
| Position | Player | Minutes | Opposition & Date |
| 1 | Cameron Ebbutt | 0 (came on 90 + 6) | 2018/19 Guiseley (H) |
| 2 | Danny Moon | 0 | Harrow Borough (FAC) (A) |
| 3 | Andrew Martin | 0 | 2002/03 Farnborough Town (H) |
| 4 | Mark Farrington | 1 | 1994/95 Gillingham (H) |
| 5 | Nick Evans | 2 | 2008/09 Pegasus Juniors (HSC) (A) |
| 6 | Chris Freddi | 2 | 2008/09 Pegasus Juniors (HSC) (A) |
| 7 | Paul Allam | 5 | 2004/05 v Kington Town (HSC) (H) |
| 8 | Mark Medford | 7 | 1995/96 Swindon Town (HSCF) (H) |
| 9 | Andy Moran | 8 | 2000/01 Leigh RMI (H) |
| 10 | Sam Lewis | 9 | 2011/12 Westfields (HSCF) (A) |
| 11 | Rory Worthing | 10 | 2011/12 Westfields (HSCF) (A) |
| 12 | Matthew Beale | 11 | 1999/00 Dover Athletic (A) |
| 13 | Adam Hockey | 12 | 2018/19 Cardiff City (HSCF) (H) |
| 14 | James Baxendale | 13 | 2011/12 v Barnet (A) |
| 15 | Paul Mallender | 13 | 1987/88 Halifax Town (H) |
| 16 | Nick Plotnek | 14 | 2000/01 Kingstonian (A) |
| 17 | Adam Bendall | 14 | 2007/08 v Ledbury Town (HFA CC) (H) |
| 18 | Mark Hacker | 15 | 1984/85 Colwyn Bay (WC) (H) |
| 19 | Astrit Ajdaravic | 16 | 2009/10 v Barnet (H) |
| 20 | Mark Lowry | 16 | 2001/02 Swansea City (HSCF) (H) |
| 21 | Nick Harrhy | 17 | 2003/04 Northampton Town (LDV Trophy) (A) |
| 22 | Harry Hill | 17 | 1978/79 Torquay United (H) |
| 23 | Sam Harrison | 18 | 2007/08 Bromyard Town (HSC) (H) |
| 24 | Simon Osborn | 19 | 2006/07 Barnet (A) |
| 25 | Paul Harrison | 19 | 2006/07 Stockport County (A) |
| 26 | Samba Kanoute | 22 | 2010/11 Oxford United (H) |
| 27 | Chris Summers | 23 | 1995/96 Swindon Town (HSCF) (H) |
| 28 | Chris Rowley | 23 | 2001/02 Swansea City (HSCF) (H) |
| 29 | Josh Hunt | 24 | 2011/12 Westfields (HSCF) (A) |
| 30 | Ryan Jones | 24 | 2011/12 Westfields (HSCF) (A) |
| 31 | Danny Corner | 25 | 1985/86 v BSC Shotton (Welsh Cup) (H) |
| 32 | Gary Patterson | 25 | Shrewsbury Town (HSCF) (H) |
| 33 | Lee Ellison | 27 | 1996/97 Torquay United (A) |
| 34 | Daniel March | 27 | Wellington FC (HSC) (H) |
| 35 | Iollan Guinane | 28 | 2019/20 Lads Club (A) HFA CC |
| 36 | Matt Walsh | 29 | 2007/08 Westfields (HSCF) (A) |
| 37 | Jordan Marks | 30 | 2011/12 Westfields (HSCF) (A) |
| 38 | Zac Evans | 34 | 2010/11 Exeter City (JPT) (H) |
| 39 | Mark Cross | 35 | 1992/93 Doncaster Rovers (H) |
| 40 | Tomi Ameobi | 38 | 2009/10 v Wellington FC (HSC) (H) |
| 41 | Lee Evans | 39 | 2001/02 Nuneaton Borough (A) |
| 42 | Josh Beadle | 40 | 2017/18 Tenbury United (HFA CC) (H) |
| 43 | Calum Wood | 42 | 2019/20 Hinton (HSC) (A) |
| 44 | Peter Denton | 45 | Charlton Athletic (HSCF) (H) |
| 45 | Will Haines | 51 | 2015/16 Stourport Swifts (A) |
| 46 | Lee Thomas | 70 | 1989/90 v Burnley (A) |