Two games were played in the National North League this evening.
Boston 1 Scunthorpe 1
Buxton 2 Tamworth1
Good result for Buxton against leaders Tamworth.
Hereford remain in 13th position.
Tuesday, October 31, 2023
3643 Tickets For Gillingham Sold So Far
3643 tickets for Saturday's FA Cup game between Hereford and Gillingham have been sold to date.
2200 had been sold previous to general sales which started at 10am this morning.
And with 1443 sold today until 7pm this evening, that's a total of 3643.
Gillingham Owner - His Search For A New Manager
Gillingham owner Brad Galinson has spoken about his search for a new manager and what qualities he is looking for.
As at Wednesday afternoon there is still no news of a deal but Galinson said 'we are pretty much there'. Whether someone new will be in the dug-out at Hereford on Saturday remains to be seen.
“We wanted to make sure the manager realises it is the players first, not the manager first,” said Galinson.
“Specifically, he cares about things like ‘are they
married, do they have children, where do they live, how can they be a
better player, do they need to an arm around them or do they need to be
told directly’, very much a player-first organisation.
“Secondly, we wanted to make sure the culture and the
personality of the manager fits very specifically with what we are
trying to build at Priestfield; transparency, collaboration,
communication, very open, very group setting, one club and one vision,
and we happily and transparently work together.
“As well as honesty and personality, someone that can
smile and joke and realise this is the best job in the world, that in
the end we want to win but we want to have fun doing it. We wanted to
make sure the personality and the culture of the manager really fits the
kind of people we have.
“The third is the playing style. We wanted to make sure
that naturally, the person we appoint is above all brave, courageous,
takes risks, is front-footed, expansive, entertains and wins at the same
time.
“Obviously sometimes you have to use direct football but
we want to build something that is a bit more brave and courageous. We
wanted to make sure the manager naturally thinks that way and plays that
way, without even being told, that is just the way they think.
“He is the first one to come in in the morning and the
last one to leave, because that is his personality, he loves the game,
that is his life and he would do it for free, he doesn’t need to be
paid, that kind of guy.
“We started with looking at all of the above criteria,
they could be American, Portuguese, Spanish, French, English, Premier
League, never coached before, etcetera, what we did is try and get the
best person.”
Gillingham Ticket Update - Not Many Left
In essence there are not many tickets left for Saturday's FA Cup game between Hereford and Gillingham.
The club reported earlier this afternoon that they had sold over 1300 tickets today - which is probably the most sold in one day before the day of the game itself since the club reformed.
The Main Stand is sold out.
There is limited space in the Len Weston Stand.
And less than 30 spaces in the Meadow End as at 4pm.
Tickets can be purchased online at: https://herefordfc.ticketco.events/uk/en/e/gillingham_fa_cup
Or from the club shop until 6.30 this evening.
It looks like it could be a sell-out!
Update 7pm: The club has said 1443 general tickets sold today. That's some tickets.
665 Tickets Sold In First Hour Of General Sales For Gillingham Match
665 tickets have been sold in the first hour of general sales for Saturday's FA Cup tie against Gillingham.
Block B is now sold out.
There is limited availability in other areas of the ground.
Sales continue online at: https://herefordfc.ticketco.events/uk/en/e/gillingham_fa_cup
And the club shop is open until 6.30pm today.
The Last Time Hereford And Gillingham Clashed In The FA Cup
It's 27 years since Hereford and Gillingham last met in the FA Cup.
The game was played at Gillingham on November 16th 1996.
GILLINGHAM 1 Hereford United 0 - FA Cup 1st Round (report from Sunday Mirror)
Steve Butler's 25th-minute goal earned Gills a clash against Cardiff in the next round of the Cup - but it was hard-won.
They had plenty of chances to sink Hereford but, unfortunately, most fell to out-of-sorts striker Iffy Onuora.
He had four opportunities but found keeper Andy De Bont hard to beat.
De Bont even saved a Butler penalty - awarded after he floored Onuora in the second half.
That sparked the visitors into all-out attack, with keeper Jim Stannard saving twice before Chris Hargreaves hit the woodwork.
Then in a frantic finish Hereford had appeals for a penalty turned down,
and the Gillingham defenders were forced to hack the ball off the line
with virtually the last kick of the game.
''It's very disappointing to go out of the FA Cup at this stage,'' said United director of football Graham Turner.
''The lads are sure that Dean Smith's shot was over the line and also that we should have had a penalty. The team was lifted by Andy DeBont's penalty save and we could have got at least a replay.''
From The Archives - Who Is This Hereford United Player
Who is the Hereford United in this picture taken by Andy Compton.
We don't know which game it is and what the result was.
Anyone with a good memory?
Eight Matches For Hereford In November
Hereford FC are set to play at least eight matches in November.
Some of the details may change, for example if there is a replay in the FA Cup.
Here's the list:
Saturday, November 4: Gillingham (h) – 3pm (FA Cup First Round)
Tuesday, November 7: Brackley Town (h) - 7.45pm
Saturday, November 11: Boston United (a)
Tuesday, November 14: Banbury United (h) - 7.45pm
Saturday, November 18: Isuzu FA Trophy 2 - Redbridge (h) - 3pm
Tuesday, November 21: Buxton (a) - 7.45pm
Saturday, November 25: Farsley Celtic (a)
Monday, October 30, 2023
Lindsey Can't Wait For Gillingham To Appoint A Manager
Gillingham are still looking for a new manager and the smart money appears to be on Scott Lindsey who is currently manager of Crawley but has played and worked for Gillingham in the past.
Lindsey is reported to have had two interviews for the post but at present interim manager Keith Millen remains in charge.
On Saturday Gillingham travel to Hereford in the first round of the FA Cup.
Whether they will have appointed a new manager by then is anybody's guess.
Lindsey has spoken to the Sussex Express about the situation.
"I can’t wait for Gillingham to make an appointment so it settles everyone down a little bit," he said.
"It’s been going on a long, long while.
"Fair play to them they are doing their due diligence but it just keeps going on and on, and people are questioning me.
"I understand why the link is there but I have just got to concentrate on what I am doing.
"I just hope
Gillingham appoints quickly now because it’s half getting on my nerves
to be honest with you."
Printed Programme For Gillingham Game
Hereford FC have confirmed that there will be a printed programme for next Saturday's FA Cup First Round Tie against Gillingham.
Programmes can be posted out or collected on Saturday. They will cost £3 plus postage if applicable.
There should be copies available for purchase next Saturday as well as long as enough are printed.
To order please go to: https://hereford-fc.myshopify.com/products/programme-hereford-vs-gillingham
Kit man's elderly mum hurt as Gloucester lose everything in catastrophic fire
National League North club Gloucester City have lost "everything" after a fire at their kit man's house.
The club said kit man Chris Farr "suffered a catastrophic fire at his house last night".
They said it was caused by his tumble dryer.
His 81-year-old mum remains in hospital after the fire, and the club said they all send her their best wishes.
But for the Tigers, it means they've lost "everything".
Pictures of the kit man's house show everything has been charred. The ceiling in what appears to be the living room has fallen down, with furniture covered in debris.
A second picture, of what looks to be a kitchen or utility room, has also been shared but barely anything is recognisable after the fire tore through yesterday.
Drinks bottles and warm-up kit have been lost, along with "all" the away kit and GPS vests.
The Catapult vests could cost as much as £200 each. They're the vests players wear during training and games to track and measure their performance on the field.
The vests are designed to hold a pod between the shoulder blades that contains a 10Hz GPS, an accelerometer and a magnetometer, according to the company.
These GPS devices are able to capture over 1250 data points per second to measure how much and how hard the players are working, and players and coaches are able to analyze data such as total distance, top speed, number of sprints, sprint distance, power, load, intensity, and more.
"Those core metrics are displayed in an app for athletes, sport scientists, physiotherapists, strength and conditioning coaches, and anyone else related to the sport to help inform if their team is training optimally for performance on game day, at potential risk of injury or returning from injury safely," the company's website said.
A Few Words About Gillingham
Iain McBride, who is a former sports presenter for ITV in the South East, looks at Gillingham in the run up to next Saturday's FA Cup tie at Hereford.
'Gillingham (pronounced 'Jill-ingham as opposed to Gill-ingham which is in Dorset) is one of the five Medway towns of Kent, with the county's largest conurbation of more than three hundred thousand people. So you would think it could support a decent level of football. However Gillingham have spent most of their life bumbling around the lower reaches of the bottom divisions, and on any London bound train on a Saturday you will see a proliferation of Chelsea, Arsenal and West Ham scarves. The only exception was the early 2000s when Peter Taylor took a side built by Tony Pulis into the Championship. After four seasons with one of the lowest budgets in that division nature took its course and since then they've ping ponged between Leagues One and Two.
Last season it looked as if they were headed for the trapdoor into non-league only to be saved by the injection of American money when the club was taken over. So, to borrow from Medway's most famous writer, they went from Hard Times to Great Expectations. The season started promisingly with Neil Harris, credited with saving them the year before, getting them to the top of the league. However rumblings soon started over a perceived boring, limited style of football and there were rumours of Gillingham fans being treated for nosebleeds brought on by the excitement of scoring a second goal in a game. So in early October Harris was sacked because the club 'wanted to go in a different direction'.
As I write this I wonder if they had the same advisers as Birmingham City - though in a stroke of genius the Gills didn't appear to have anyone lined up to take over, which in view of Mr Rooney's start at St Andrew's was probably a smart move. Rumours ranged from Steve Bruce, a former player, to Karl Robinson, Dean Holden and lately another former player Scott Lindsey, currently managing Crawley.
Chairman Brad Galinson initially told supporters he wasn't going to rush things and was conducting a worldwide search. He says he's now interviewed at least twenty potential replacements and has finally got his man - subject to "documentation." So we appear to be in the realms of the Old Curiosity Shop. Despite any new manager "bounce" even die-hard Gillingham fans won't be surprised if they lose on Saturday with much criticism on the fans forums of players,tactics, defending and the inability to score goals. Apart from that it's going well.
Should it go to a replay though any Bulls fans would be advised to pack their wet weather gear. It's a well known fact that polar bears and Arctic explorers prepare for their ordeal by watching a game in November from the Brian Moore stand where away fans are accommodated. This was meant to be temporary (in 2004) but, aside from re-defining the word temporary, has no roof and also open sides. You have been warned. On the plus side the locals are friendly and Shepherd Neame's Spitfire and Harvey's Sussex Best are highly recommended.'
General Sale Of Gillingham Tickets Starts Tomorrow.
Tickets for Saturday's FA Cup tie against Gillingham go on general sale tomorrow.
Priority sales finish today.
'General' tickets will be available online and also from the club shop tomorrow (Tuesday) and Friday.
Skinner In National North Team Of The Week.
Hereford defender Aaron Skinner has been selected to be in the National North team of the week.
Also in the team is former Hereford winger Kyle Finn now with Tamworth.
Hereford To Play Redbridge At Edgar Street In Trophy
Hereford will play Redbridge in the Second Round Proper of the FA Trophy.
The tie at Edgar Street is set to take place on Saturday November 18th.
Winners receive £3750, losers £1000.
Redbridge are London based and play in the Isthmian League North.
Two Articles About Former Players
 |
| Sam Clucas After Scoring At Cambridge In May 2013 |
Two articles about two different former Hereford players have been published in the last few days.
The first, in the Guardian, is all about Sam Clucas who played for Hereford.
He joined the Glenn Hoddle academy in 2010 after being released by Leicester.
"People were there for different reasons but with the same goal," said Clucas.
"Everyone was at a different level; some were there because technically they were not good enough to play in the professional game, some weren’t tall enough, some were good enough but did not have the right attitude, some mentally could not handle football and were out there to improve."
Read more at: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/oct/27/sam-clucas-jordan-hugill-rotherham-glenn-hoddle-academy
The second, on the BBC Wales website, is all about Tommy Best who was the first black player to wear a Cardiff City shirt. He became known as 'Darkie Best' and suffered a lot of abuse.
Best later played for Hereford.
The Hereford Historian Ron Parrott became a good friend of Best.
"He said it could be pretty bad at times, but he told me the worst he ever had was in a game at Merthyr where there had been bananas thrown and the monkey chants," recalls Ron.
"But he swore it didn't upset him. As he told me about it, he leaned to me with a wicked glint in his eye and said the more they did it, the harder he tried."
Read more at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67255682?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA
Two Midweek National North Fixtures
There are two National North fixtures set to be played tomorrow evening.
Boston v Scunthorpe
Buxton v Tamworth
News round-up: Darlington's frustration, ugly play-off scenes and Scunthorpe cuts looms
The National League has now ratified charity Big Help taking a controlling interest in Southport as it becomes a shareholder.
In April, the charity said it would invest £100,000 in Southport and their Haig Avenue stadium being renamed. Helping people in poverty across England and Wales, the charity, founded in Merseyside, said the funding boost for the club would support them and their charitable community foundation to support long-term success on and off the pitch.
Big Help Project said it wants a bigger presence in Southport and it looks forward to engaging with the fanbase and wider community throughout the course of the summer and into next season to understand how Big Help can support the club and the community foundation’s wider ambitions.
A new Darlington stadium is not likely to open until 2026 because "frustrating" delays have set the plans back, according to managing director David Johnston.
The ambition to leave Blackwell Meadows and move to a purpose-built site remains one of the club's top priorities but requires detailed planning and significant investment.
The Quakers have identified the potential locations for the new stadium, which could include additional sports, retail and hospitality facilities. The new site, which could have a capacity for up to 8,000 fans, was initially planned to be built in time for the 2024-25 season.
Another five men are to be sentenced after ugly scenes at Chester's play-off semi-final against Brackley Town at the Deva on May 7.
At Chester Magistrates Court, Daniel Radford, 22, of Sumner Road, Chester; Joseph Gillam, 24, of High Street, Saltney; Mark Perrin, 34, of Auckland Road, Chester; John O’Hanlon, 36, of Arnhem Way, Chester; and Timothy Mills, 39, of Penmon Close, Chester have now all admitted affray and will be sentenced at the city's crown court next month.
The court was told that the men were part of a large group who had entered the pitch at the end of the match. They made their way over to the section of the stadium where Brackley Town fans were and engaged in threats of violence and missile throwing. Police were forced to create a mini-cordon to keep opposing fans apart.
There may have to be cuts to Scunthorpe United’s playing squad in order to balance the books, assistant boss Chris Plummer has said.
The Iron assembled some big names in order to bounce straight back to the National League but off-field turmoil continued into the new campaign with then-owner David Hilton relinquishing control at the start of the month.
Successor Michelle Harness and her board have been focused on trying to secure a deal to stay at or buy Glanford Park, prompting manager Jimmy Dean to refer to “adjustments” to work towards a “more sustainable model” in his programme notes.
Asked by the BBC whether that would affect the playing squad, Plummer said he didn't know, but the football club has to survive and has to be sustainable.
A teenager who ran onto the pitch following a dramatic King’s Lynn Town match has been banned from The Walks for three months.
Lynn Police confirmed in a statement today that they had identified the “unwelcome visitor”, who entered the field of play after a goal deep into stoppage time from substitute Jack Smith had clinched a crucial 3-2 win for the Linnets against Bishop’s Stortford.
The youngster has subsequently been reprimanded for his behaviour.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)