Club Historian Ron Parrott writes “Many Bulls News readers will
already have heard the sad news that former Hereford United player Les
Rees has passed away. He was a local lad who made good with
his home-town team Hereford United and he spent
the whole of his life, Army service apart, living in the city. Back in
April this year, Les took a trip down memory lane for his birthday and
re-visited Edgar Street and was pictured scoring from the penalty spot.
The smile on his face that day is one that
I will never forget!
The following is a “pen-pic” of Les’ football career and his time at Edgar Street:-
Born Hereford 25th April 1939
Les started his footballing life playing with Holmer School and played six times for the County Schoolboys' team as an inside-left. After leaving school, he played for the Lads' Club in the old Hereford "Minor League" and he also represented them at badminton and cricket. Les then signed for Pegasus and won medals for the championship of Herefordshire League Divisions 2 & 3 and the Under-21 League. He then had his first trial, with West Bromwich Albion, before going into the army. He was stationed in Shrewsbury, where he played for Town's colts team, as well as playing for his depot and having a trial with Aston Villa.
When Les left the army, he joined Kington Town and impressed enough to earn a two-week trial with Blackpool, followed by further trials with Queens Park Rangers. Whilst in London, he landed a place in Finchley's first team, a nursery club for QPR, and went on tour with them to Germany. Les then played for Hendon in the Athenian League but found the weekly travelling to London too much and he signed for Hereford United in November 1961, initially as an inside-left but soon converting to an out and out right-winger. Les had undoubted ability and spent three seasons with Hereford, making 38 first-team appearances but strangely, never managing to find the back of the net. Les will be sadly missed by all of his friends and family.”