We continue our look-back at the life and times of Graham Turner at Hereford United. This article covers what was probably his most successful season - 2005/06.
After two consecutive defeats in the Conference play-offs, Turner (pictured at the open day in August 2005) decided he wanted to strengthen his squad to mount another challenge to get promotion. In any case transfer windows were to be introduced.
His first signings were Alex Jeannin, Jon Brady, Dean Beckwith and Stacy Coldicott. Later Andy Ferrell and Graham Evans joined. But perhaps the most talked about signings came on later on - those of Wayne Brown and Guy Ipoua.
In early August both an open day and a fans forum were held. Turner was bullish. He spoke about future developement.
"I think we will get, eventually, two nice new ends," he said.
"They (the Richardsons) will get what they want out of it. The million pounds will be written off. We'll get a hundred year lease. We'll get new floodlight pylons. We'll be in the Football League and I'll have the freedom of the city!
"As regards public relations, I think we are the best club in the country.
"I think when you see an event like yesterday (the open day), you tell me how many clubs would put on an event where supporters can get access to players and spend some time with them.
"We have liasion meetings which take place once a month with different sections of support. We come in here (Legends) a couple of times a year. I think there is very little more we can do in the circumstances to better our public relations."
The first game was against Scarborough and Turner was optimistic.
"The ambition is to get promoted," said Turner. "That is the be all and end all. Getting the club out of the Conference is the target."
It couldn't have started better - a 4-0 victory for the Bulls and all the goals in the second half playing down the Edgar Street slope.
"But we have to be delighted with the three points, the four goals and the manner it was achieved," explained Turner. "It was exciting stuff in the second half.
"If that's the promise of things to come then we could be in for a good season."
But it wasn't all plain sailing. The following Tuesday at Cambridge in front of the Sky Cameras the Bulls lost 2-1.
And by mid-September the Bulls had dropped to tenth position. There was no consistancy in the results. A 2-1 defeat at Halifax left Turner fuming.
"After a good start and a decent first half we committed football suicide," said Turner.
"We did absolutely nothing in the second half and you do not play like that for 45 minutes without getting a rollocking."
Part of the problem was the continued absense of Guy Ipoua through injury.
"We thought Ipoua would be OK, but he was clearly lacking fitness and barely lasted 20 minutes so we are all disappointed," commented Turner.
Having defeated Cambridge City in the first round of the FA Cup it was Stockport at Edgar Street in the second.
And eleven days before the Stockport game, the Bulls had put Port Vale out of the LDV.
However on the day Stockport won 2-0.
"We have betrayed the giantkilling tradition of this club," said Turner. "I thought we were awful."
Meanwhile Turner was talking about plans for the future.
"We have met with Councillors and Officers about the future developement of the ground, and our own architects have been to Hereford on a couple of occasions recently in order to advise us how the ground could be developed to everyone's satisfaction," he noted.
The Bulls played at Bognor in the first round of the FA Trophy. The result 7-1 to the Bulls. Three days later on December 20th the Bulls put Scunthorpe out of the LDV.
"The first-half was about as well as we could have played," said Turner. "The only disappointment was that we hadn't killed them off."
Over the new year the Bulls moved up to fifth place and on Jasnuary 14th travelled to Halifax for a second round Trophy tie.
"Halifax are unbeaten at home but that record will end sometime," said Turner. "They are ripe to be beaten."
The Bulls won 1-0.
"We contained them and there was a solidness in our performance," noted Turner after the game.
Ten days later a poor showing by the Bulls at Macclesfield put paid to any dreams of a LDV cup final. But maybe this was a blessing in disguise as by the end of January the Bulls had climbed to third place. The play-offs were in sight.
On January 24th the Bulls draw 2-2 at Grays who had a player called Gary Hooper in their starting eleven. A week later Grays put the Bulls out of the Trophy. in between a young striker called Stauart Fleetwood joined Hereford.
"I believe he can be a real asset," said Turner. "He's very sharp, very quick and mobile."
Meanwhile Turner had the FL inspectors around for a look at Edgar Street.
"We now await the inspectors report. With the exception of one or two issues which can be corrected, I think our application to join the League, if we so qualified, would be accepted," said Turner.
After defeating Halifax 1-0 on February 11th, the Bulls were up to second place albeit some eleven points behind leaders Accrington. However injuries and suspensions were making life difficult for Turner, particularily after striker Adam Stansfield received a broken cheekbone at Canvey Island and Alex Jeannine received a red card in the same game.
For the Stevenage home match, televised by Sky, on Feruary 27th Turner was without six of his squad - Tony James, Jamie Pitman, Guy Ipoua, Stacy Coldicott, Alex Jeannin and Adam Stansfield. Nevertheless the Bulls won 2-0 with goals from youngsters Andy Williams and Stuart Fleetwood.
Despite a few setbacks, including losing 1-0 to Kidderminster, the Bulls continued in second place all through March and April. A 1-0 win against Tamworth on April 17th sealed a play-off place.
The Bulls were drawn against Morecambe in the play-offs with the first leg at Christie Park on May 7th. Turner said his squad was ready and would travel on the day of the game.
"It's one to look forward to," he said. "All we have to do is think positively.
"Anybody in a two-leg play-off situation would accept an away draw before playing at home."
The game was drawn 1-1. Turner was hopeful.
"We have had two years' experience of getting a one-all draw in the first leg and not being able to finish the job at home," he said.
"But I don't think that will have too much bearing on events, we will still have the edge going into the second leg."
The Bulls 3-2 and were off to Leicester to meet Halifax in the final.
"I've worked eight years to get the club back into the League and we've given ourselves a great opportunity," said Turner after the victory.
Tickets sold well and Turner was optimistic of a great following.
"I don't think the place has buzzed so much in my 11 years here," he said.
"Even by Monday you couldn't book a coach for miles around. People are booking up to 50 tickets at a time for coachloads of supporters and we would hope to have a following of about 10,000 there."
The press appeared to back the Bulls and Turner to return to the League.
"Graham Turner, the manager of Hereford United, my local team, who this afternoon take on Halifax Town for the right to join the Football League," wrote Brian Viner in the Independent.
"Turner is not only Hereford's manager, but also the chairman and majority shareholder, and when my colleague Phil Shaw called the club earlier this week to request an interview with him, I think you can probably guess who it was who answered the phone. In short, he is a marvellous football man who devotes practically every waking hour to running this splendid little club, and with all respect to Halifax, I hope he gets his due reward in Leicester today."
And he did as the Bulls won the game 3-2 after extra time and so were back in the Football League.
"I think relief is the first feeling," said Turner. "We've been so close on several occasions and it's been a long and hard nine years for us to get back in there and the overwhelming feeling right at the moment is releif.
"There is the joy and the excitement of seeing the supporters celebrating, they're terrific scenes for us.
"We've taken a massive following here - nearly 10,000 - and they're enjoying every minute of it."
Later Turner summed up what the victory meant.
"I can recall the day we went down against Brighton and the day was full of despair," he said.
"I've never known such emotion in football.
"Probably distance lends a bit of forgetfulness because I've been to Wembley with Wolves with 80,000 fans and they were great days.
"But under the circumstances this is as big as anything I've done, possibly because of my involvement as chairman and major shareholder as well.
"Possibly it has been put right now what went wrong on that day against Brighton."