There is a view that it's time to consider changing the name of
Hereford FC back to Hereford United. A resolution was put to the HUST AGM
last week, and members are to be balloted in the New Year to assess the strength of feeling for such a change.
Even if this is voted through, and a resolution is eventually put to the Football Club, a minimum of 75% of the club shareholders must then vote for it at a special meeting.
Below is one shareholder's view. Other views are most welcome.
History
is priceless
As a volunteer and
shareholder of HUFC in the past, and now a HFC shareholder, I recognise that
although a limited company died at Edgar Street, the club I supported was to be
re-formed as HFC, and promoted as a “continuation”. Indeed, at the very first
open meeting at The Welsh Club on the 16th January 2015 a return to
Hereford United, after the requisite Football Association delay of 5 years, was
outlined.
Yes, there is a passion to regain the history of our Edgar Street club
– all of it – both the good and the bad. Even the toxic years when the ownership
of the club became so factious, will remain a part of our club history, and to
this day there is a collective resolve among many supporters to finally seal
the open wound.
For many fans it’s not simply a yearning to return to the good old
days of yesteryear (whenever they were precisely), but to reject an outlook
that appears to emphasise that HFC stands alone as a totally new entity, a new
club, a phoenix club, building from the bottom and creating its own history. I’ve
even heard Hereford United described as a ‘toxic’ brand. If that is the case
the pretence of ‘Forever United’ must end.
If HFC is a separate club, making its own way and history, it
cannot at the same time pick out selected HUFC historical highlights to promote
itself when say, an FA Cup tie comes around. There is no club history before
2015. We are United, or we are never going to be United.
Supporters of clubs such as Wimbledon and Newport fought
tirelessly to reclaim and restore their clubs back story, roots and history –
the hideous and the heroic - in equal measure. Hereford fans should have the
right to do the same.
To change a football club name will require Football Association
approval. They will look for evidence of support from within the local
community for such a move, and so a majority of fans would need to campaign for
it. If the support is not in place – it will not happen. That is why ballots of
supporters’ trust members, season ticket holders and fans on the turnstiles would
be both beneficial and fully transparent.
The constitution of HFC has also been amended over the last couple
of years meaning a change of club name, colours or ground etc, now requires 75%
of the shareholders to vote in favour. Given that the original club investors have
ownership of approaching 50%, only with some of their backing will a name
change ever occur in the future – otherwise it will not happen. A groundswell
of support plus evidence of financial backing is likely to be a pre-requisite
for any shareholder before a change is even considered.
A figure of £50,000 has been mooted as to the cost of re-branding.
Where is the cost-analysis evidence for this? Have other clubs who have
restored their name been approached for factual information? Liaising directly
with the Football Association and Newport County might be quite revealing.
Should there be actual evidence (through ballots) that there is a
desire among Hereford supporters to become United once more, then an actual
timeframe for change would need to kick-in.
This would not be an overnight process, and is unlikely to be
until at least 2024 given that the resolution will need, in the first instance,
be put to the HFC board at an Annual General Meeting or an Extra-ordinary
Meeting.
Supporters would need to appreciate that any such ‘Bring Back
United Campaign’ will need to be a separately funded, stand-alone project. Much
like the SOS campaign of the 1980s and the Len Weston Stand funding of the
1970s.
All existing revenue streams would have to remain totally
unaffected (50/50, Golden Goal, Club Lottery etc). There would have to be total
transparency of funds raised, and absolute confirmation that Josh Gowling’s budget
WOULD NOT be affected.
Once a minimum ‘re-branding’ cost figure is established ‘Bring
Back United’ Crowdfunding, fundraising events and activities, retro-merchandise,
donations, etc could be put in place to reach that target – and in what
timescale. If the funds are not forthcoming within the timeframe specified -
then it will not happen.
A ‘United’ committee, Campaign co-ordinators and volunteers would
need to come from a groundswell of supporters who are passionate about a return
to the name Hereford United – otherwise it will not happen.
So, maybe it does not have to be an un-costed and ill-thought-out indulgence.