Before giving my usual demonstration that I can lift stuff off Google, it is worth checking out the length of English football's summer breaks back in the '70s. Hereford beat Crewe to gain promotion on the last day of the season; 28th April. They kicked off the 1973-74 season on 25th August: a 119 day long close season. Stevenage finished second in League 2 in 2022-23 playing their last game on 8th May, they kicked off the 2023-24 season in League 1 on 5th August, a gap of 89 days, so a full 30 days less than the 70's. The teams that get promoted via the play offs, or Wrexham, who spend the summer in America, get even less of a break.
The Crewe programme review (see Bulls News 9/9/24) revealed a couple of games were tagged on to the end of the season in the form of a home and away Herefordshire Senior Cup Final against Shrewsbury, but that was wrapped up by early May. Those that were lucky enough could watch Hereford on tour in Mallorca during June - beyond that and dreaming of life in Division 3, the highest the club had ever been for the second successive season, what was happening in the world to distract Hereford fans from the lack of football between May and August 1973?
In the News: 5th May - Sunderland pull off a famous 1-0 win over Leeds United to win the FA Cup Final.
20th May - The Royal Navy sends three to protect British fishing boats during the Cod War with Iceland.
29th May - Princess Anne is engaged to Mark Phillips.
6th July - The James Bond film Live and Let Die is released. The 8th in the series, it is Roger Moore's debut.
30th July - 18 coal miners are killed in the Markham Colliery disaster in Derbyshire.
8th August - England goal keeping legend Gordon Banks announces his retirement from football, almost 12 months after a car accident that caused sight loss in one eye.
20th August - Football League President Len Shipman calls for the return of the birch to combat the rise in football hooliganism.
21st August - The coroner heavily criticises the British Army after the jury in the Bloody Sunday enquiry returns an open verdict.
In the Charts: The 1972-73 season finished with Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree by Dawn Featuring Tony Orlando at No.1. This was followed by, See My Baby Jive by Wizard (4 Weeks at No.1), Can The Can by Suzi Quatro (1 week), Rubber Bullets by 10cc (1 week), Skweeze Me Pleeze Me by Slade (3 weeks), Welcome Home by Peters & Lee (1 week), I'm The Leader Of The Pack (I Am) by Gary Glitter (4 weeks), with Donny Osmond taking us into the 1973-74 season with Young Love.
On TV: The cult British horror film Witchfinder General starring Vincent Price and Ian Ogilvy has it's ITV London network premiere on 18th May 1973, not showing on ITV Midlands until November 23rd.
May 20th - BBC2 airs the first episode of Korean War comedy M*A*S*H.
May 26th - That's Life starring Esther Rantzen debuts on BBC1.
June 13th - Children's sports themed show We Are The Champions kicks off on BBC1.
August 15th - The first episode of Man About The House is shown on ITV. The series starring Richard O'Sullivan would lead to two further spin off series, Robin's Nest and George and Mildred.
August 20th - Children's show that would be the backdrop to many a school holidays, Why Don't You, starts on BBC1, a show that would run until 1995.
In the Maternity Ward: Comedian Marcus Brigstocke born 8th May 1973. Footballer Gareth Ainsworth born 10th May 1973. Scientist and broadcaster Alice Roberts born 19th May 1973. Comedian Noel Fielding born 21st May 1973. Presenter Dermot O'Leary born 24th May 1973. Footballer Jamie Redknapp born 25th June 1973. Politician Tom Tugendhat born 27th June 1973. Comedian Peter Kay born 2nd July 1973. Travis lead singer Fran Healy born 23rd July 1973. Footballer Kevin Phillips (surely still playing somewhere?) born 25th July 1973. Actress Kate Beckinsale born 26th July 1973. Chef Tom Kerridge born 27th July 1973. Mystery artist Banksy believed to be born 28th July 1973. Actor Stephen Graham OBE born 3rd August 1973. Radio presenter Stephen Nolan born 20th August 1973.
The flurry of births in late July were 9 months after Hereford's excellent and season kick starting win at Edgar Street against high flying Mansfield in October 1972, so understandable.