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| Could the name Hereford United make a return? |
Rules meant that after Hereford United folded in 2014, any new phoenix club couldn't use the name for five years.
A move to revert to United was dismissed by HUST members in 2022 amid fears it would be too expensive, with a ballpark figure given as £30,000.
The club said that included changing the logo and trademark registration, changing signage, all admin work and writing off club shop stock. If the company's name was changed as well, as opposed to just the team name, then costs could be £10,000 higher.
Those costs would have directly impacted the playing budget, it was reported at the time, and funds were also down to around £6,000 at the end of last season.
Hereford United Supporters Trust members were not in favour. Had they been, the motion would have been taken to the club's shareholders, and 75 per cent needed to agree.
While HUST owns 50 per cent of shares in the club, 40 per cent is owned by the original benefactors and 10 per cent by others.
But a new poll shows overwhelming support among fans for changing the name. As of 11am on Wednesday (February 7), more than three-quarters want United back.
In 2022, only HUST members were able to vote on whether they wanted to pursue a name change and this poll is seen as a way to garner the thoughts of supporters.
The Hereford United 2024 Twitter account, not affiliated with the club or HUST and run by fan Matty Rowe, said: "100 years ago, Hereford United was formed. It would be a fitting tribute to restore the name back to the original Hereford United.
"I feel it's time to understand the fan's thoughts, with a free-to-access poll."
On Facebook, the issue has been divisive.
Some fans feel that Hereford FC was only a 'placeholder' until Hereford United was available again, whereas others think this is now a new club, it would only be for nostalgic reasons and there is no point going over old ground.
Simon Wright, who is heavily involved at Edgar Street including in fanzine Talking Bull, HUST and Radio Hereford FC, said: "Struggling to see the point of this. The exercise has already been conducted on another site.
"Seems a recipe to stir up old divisions and it’s quite redundant. Seventy-five per cent of the shareholders have to approve this change.
"If this is something you want to happen then you will need to raise a motion with HUST."
But then the issue of the current club using Hereford United's history to its advantage was raised with the feeling that if it is a new club, it shouldn't. For example, retro United kits will be released this year.
Mark Farmer, who worked for United, said: "The "history" is sometimes rather unfairly used, even pinched, by the people that do not wish to return to HUFC.
"You cannot use United's history when it's a bit handy to use it to form a new club, then just discard it now as part of the old club's history (while still regularly claiming it as the current club's history), it just does not make sense!
"The badge, the ground, the colours and the majority of fans are still exactly the same, and younger, newer fans will still look upon a return to United as the same as the current club.
"The over-exaggerating of the costs involved have been laughable."