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| Rob Purdie - All Pictures With This Article Are Copyright Andy Compton Or Bulls News |
Rob Purdie has played with 'a lot of good players' whilst with Hereford. Below he remembers some of them the majority of whom will be at his testimonial which is on Sunday May 12th.
"I've played with a lot of good players over my years at Hereford, some for short spells and some for long," Purdie told BN.
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| Ben Smith |
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| Tamika Mkandawire And Steve Guinan |
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| Ryan Green |
The ones that always stand out for me personally are Ben Smith, Steve Guinan, Ryan Green and Tamika Mkandawire.
Smudger and Guins just suited my game perfectly, playing simple football
and making it all seem so easy. Greeny is probably the best player I've
played with, and he should of had a career in the top divisions if he
had reached his potential.
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| Tony James |
Tam forged a great partnership with Tony James and in the end succeeded
him as captain which I think was perfect. He, along with Jamo, had a
knack for doing things that go unnoticed. Sometimes a defender can head
the ball 50 yards and it goes out for a throw
in, the crowd cheer. Tam and Jamo would just nod it down to a
midfielder or defender instead and it would go unnoticed, but that is a
particularly hard skill to master, a lot harder than heading it so far
and losing possession at the same time.
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| John Eustace |
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| Guy Ipoua |
John Eustace, Guy Ipoua and James Chambers were players I admired but only had the privilege to play with for a shorter spell.
Going into HFC, players like Jimmy Oates, Pablo Haysham, Jamie Edge, Aaron Birch and Joe Tumelty are players that are a dieing breed now a days. Great attitude, play the game unselfishly and are a joy to work with on and off the field. Add to that Mike Symons, Martin Horsell and Joel Edwards and you have a team made for success!
All the managers I have played under have had different qualities. Graham Turner will always be the one I speak highest of and still call gaffer, it is down to his man management that I had a career in football after Leicester City.
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| Jamie Pitman And Graham Turner |
Jamie Pitman started really well in charge then started to lose it in
the second season, most of which wasn't helped with the people he had
around him and the attitude of the players.
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| Martin Foyle |
It didnt work out for me with Martin Foyle. I didn't like the way he
worked and I would imagine he felt I didnt do well enough for him, which
is a fair point.
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| Peter Beadle |
Then there was Beads. Beads' recruitment is up there with Grahams.
People say anyone could do what he did with his 'budget' but apart from
the first season there were teams paying the same and more in the next 2
seasons. He was passionate and made you want
to win, and the players he bought it got him success.
Apart from my time under Martin Foyle I have loved every second playing for Hereford. Whether it be promotions or relegation, I am proud of my career and I'm glad I have got to experience both joy and heart break, I feel I have done everything a footballer sets out to do, and I have managed to cram all of those parts into 1 club over 4 spells.
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| Alex Jeannin |
I can't wait to see some friendly faces at the game. Alex Jeannin and Guy Ipoua are both flying in from abroad to play in it so hopefully the fans will give them the send off they all deserve.'