Seventeen years ago to the day the Sunday Mercury published the following article on how Hereford United manager Graham Turner had turned a deep frown into a broad grin.
Last May (1997), Turner stood on the pitch at Edgar Street and announced he was offering his resignation as Hereford United's manager.
Turner had just watched his Hereford side lose their Football League status after drawing with Brighton, the only other club who could have gone down on an emotion-charged final day of last season.
It meant Hereford slipping back into non-league soccer 25 years after getting into the League.
Then, Turner's sombre face matched the occasion.
Now, though the former Villa and Wolves manager greets me with a smile.
Not only is he still at Hereford, but he is also the man trying to save the club from extinction - and talking in optimistic terms about the future.
Technically, he is United's chairman. And while he prefers not to use that title for the moment, there is a certain irony to the situation.
Turner is one of several managers who were shown the door at Villa Park by Doug Ellis.
Then, after hauling Wolves from the depths of the old Fourth Division, he suffered a similar fate at the hands of the Hayward family.
But now, even Turner can appreciate just how difficult a job the money men have.
"I still follow the fortunes of Wolves and spoke to Sir Jack Hayward before the Albion game," he said.
"It was my club as a lad so that makes a difference. I keep a close touch on their affairs.
"The amount of money Sir Jack has put into Wolves has been astronomical and he's aiming for the Holy Grail of the Premiership.
"I had a lot of satisfaction at Wolves, taking them from where we did to leaving them in Division One.
"I always said that Wolves was the ultimate challenge considering the state they were in when I took over. People forget how badly off they were.
"It is a similar sort of challenge here. Clubs like this, providing they're well run, can sustain First Division football.
"I don't know whether I will be a manager as such, I have a totally open mind and I need to see how the whole thing evolves from now on.
"But sometimes I wonder whether I should sit in my office and negotiate a new contract with myself swapping seats as I do so!"
It won't be until next month that the club's financial future is settled one way or the other.
But there is no doubt that these are happier days following Hereford's potentially disastrous relegation.
They narrowly avoided a winding-up petition and earned the positive backing of their creditors.
Turner took control of the cash-stricken club and became the majority shareholder to replace long-serving chairman Peter Hill.
But that did not happen overnight.
For seven long weeks, there was a real danger that the club would go under.
It meant desperate measures.
"I used to put my hand in my pocket to pay for petrol for the mini-bus to take the youth team to away matches - things like that," recalled Turner from his pitch level office at Edgar Street,
"And it was difficult to keep morale up when wages weren't being paid.
"They were tough times, but I can't speak highly enough of the players, their attitude was immaculate.
"But now we'll have to batten down the hatches. I want us to stay full-time however and the eventual aim is to regain our Football League status."
Hereford have gone into partnership with a company called Bristol Stadiums who have effectively become their landlords. But the club are still £500,000 short of settling up with their creditors so United have asked another developer to provide that amount of money.
"If that arrangement is not in place by March 14 then the club is finished," said Turner.
"But we are well down the line and hopeful that it will all happen."
So how did Turner become involved to the sort of level where he has effectively saved the club?
"There was a group of people who wanted to become involved with the club, but there was also a total impasse between them and the current chairman.
"I sat at home one day and thought 'why don't I make a bid for the club and his shares'.
"I did that and 24 hours later he accepted in principle, then it came as quite a surprise to find people referring to me as chairman.
"I've no wish to be that, that wasn't my aim, all I want to do is make sure the club is passed from the present chairman into good hands.
"We needed help and quickly. If there is one particular person who is prepared to put a lot of money into the club then he can take it provided it's right.
"It would have been easy to have walked away from it on one or two occasions, I've had offers from other league clubs.
"I offered to resign at the end of last season, but it was the fans who persuaded me to stay."
Last May (1997), Turner stood on the pitch at Edgar Street and announced he was offering his resignation as Hereford United's manager.
Turner had just watched his Hereford side lose their Football League status after drawing with Brighton, the only other club who could have gone down on an emotion-charged final day of last season.
It meant Hereford slipping back into non-league soccer 25 years after getting into the League.
Then, Turner's sombre face matched the occasion.
Now, though the former Villa and Wolves manager greets me with a smile.
Not only is he still at Hereford, but he is also the man trying to save the club from extinction - and talking in optimistic terms about the future.
Technically, he is United's chairman. And while he prefers not to use that title for the moment, there is a certain irony to the situation.
Turner is one of several managers who were shown the door at Villa Park by Doug Ellis.
Then, after hauling Wolves from the depths of the old Fourth Division, he suffered a similar fate at the hands of the Hayward family.
But now, even Turner can appreciate just how difficult a job the money men have.
"I still follow the fortunes of Wolves and spoke to Sir Jack Hayward before the Albion game," he said.
"It was my club as a lad so that makes a difference. I keep a close touch on their affairs.
"The amount of money Sir Jack has put into Wolves has been astronomical and he's aiming for the Holy Grail of the Premiership.
"I had a lot of satisfaction at Wolves, taking them from where we did to leaving them in Division One.
"I always said that Wolves was the ultimate challenge considering the state they were in when I took over. People forget how badly off they were.
"It is a similar sort of challenge here. Clubs like this, providing they're well run, can sustain First Division football.
"I don't know whether I will be a manager as such, I have a totally open mind and I need to see how the whole thing evolves from now on.
"But sometimes I wonder whether I should sit in my office and negotiate a new contract with myself swapping seats as I do so!"
It won't be until next month that the club's financial future is settled one way or the other.
But there is no doubt that these are happier days following Hereford's potentially disastrous relegation.
They narrowly avoided a winding-up petition and earned the positive backing of their creditors.
Turner took control of the cash-stricken club and became the majority shareholder to replace long-serving chairman Peter Hill.
But that did not happen overnight.
For seven long weeks, there was a real danger that the club would go under.
It meant desperate measures.
"I used to put my hand in my pocket to pay for petrol for the mini-bus to take the youth team to away matches - things like that," recalled Turner from his pitch level office at Edgar Street,
"And it was difficult to keep morale up when wages weren't being paid.
"They were tough times, but I can't speak highly enough of the players, their attitude was immaculate.
"But now we'll have to batten down the hatches. I want us to stay full-time however and the eventual aim is to regain our Football League status."
Hereford have gone into partnership with a company called Bristol Stadiums who have effectively become their landlords. But the club are still £500,000 short of settling up with their creditors so United have asked another developer to provide that amount of money.
"If that arrangement is not in place by March 14 then the club is finished," said Turner.
"But we are well down the line and hopeful that it will all happen."
So how did Turner become involved to the sort of level where he has effectively saved the club?
"There was a group of people who wanted to become involved with the club, but there was also a total impasse between them and the current chairman.
"I sat at home one day and thought 'why don't I make a bid for the club and his shares'.
"I did that and 24 hours later he accepted in principle, then it came as quite a surprise to find people referring to me as chairman.
"I've no wish to be that, that wasn't my aim, all I want to do is make sure the club is passed from the present chairman into good hands.
"We needed help and quickly. If there is one particular person who is prepared to put a lot of money into the club then he can take it provided it's right.
"It would have been easy to have walked away from it on one or two occasions, I've had offers from other league clubs.
"I offered to resign at the end of last season, but it was the fans who persuaded me to stay."