Hereford go into this with three games to go, two of which are at fortress Edgar Street. Hereford had won 9 games on the spin at ES and had not conceded in the previous 4. Unfortunately, they had lost their last two away games at Bury and Aldershot, so were in 3rd place, only two points (or one win) inside the promotion places.
Edgar Street is therefore full of tension as the clock winds down with the score at 0-0, before Hereford scored a vital injury time winner courtesy of Billy Tucker. With the promotion race at full speed, Hereford were now dealing in 5 figure crowds, an incredible 10,612 nail chewing wrecks at this one.
On the Pitch: The front cover features an action shot from the previous home game against Newport County. In the background, fans are packed into the last remaining section of the cowshed. When the original central section of the current main stand was constructed, the section shown in the photograph, which is now Block A/Radford's, was retained. It had previously run the full length of the pitch and United fan Chris Powis remembers that it contained crude seating in the form of about six rows of raised sleepers, and that there was a tea-hut at the Meadow end of the structure.
Colin Addison has got the season in the position that his notes write themselves; they give a great sense of how well-poised the end of the season was. He also finds time to name check all the staff that are involved with the reserve and youth set ups, a process that he is confident will bear fruit in the next few years.
The last page lists Division 4 Easter Bank holiday fixtures that are spread out in a manner that would make even Sky Sports blush. Hereford were to play at Torquay on Easter Tuesday, which is a new one on me.
Off the Pitch: Bits and Pieces reveals that the collection at the Newport game for the Lofthouse Colliery Disaster, which had occured on 21/3 and resulted in seven miners perishing, raised an impressive £200, which would equate to roughly £3,000 in 2024.
The player of the year competition is also publicised in Bits and Pieces which takes the opportunity to reel off a tasty list of previous winners: Fred Potter, Billy Tucker, Dudley Tyler, Albert Derrick, Roger Griffiths, Ian McIntosh, and Selwyn Vale.
Supporters' Club Jottings rightly celebrates the recognition that this season's programme had received, being voted the 3rd best programme available for 5p, 12th best overall. Not bad for the new kid in the school, and dare I say it, very well deserved.
In the Opposition: The wonderfully named Tommy Spratt played most of his career in the equally wonderfully named position of half back. Paul Hart is a name that probably rings a bell; he is one of that breed that was involved in zillions of games as both player and manager. 600 games as a player over 18 years, many in the top flight, and he would go on to have an equally impressive managerial career that has in various guises spanned 35 years. He is still going strong as Charlton assistant manager. Whilst he managed Nottingham Forest for three seasons during their protracted turbulent post-Clough era, perhaps his most productive job was as Leeds youth team manager in the mid 90s, nurturing talent that included Harry Kewell, Ian Harte, Alan Smith, and Gary Kelly.
Another player that could be linked to Clough was Ian Lawther, a prolific goalscorer who had scored an impressive 41 times in 75 matches after breaking into the Sunderland team in the late '50s. He was sold to Blackburn for £18k in 1961 following Clough's arrival at Roker Park.
Ian Broomfield was chief scout at Spurs from 2014 to 2024.
In the News: British Leyland launched the object of motoring magnificence that was the Austin Allegro on 17th April.
In the Charts: Gilbert O'Sullivan is still at No.1 with Get Down
On TV: 18th April - ITV London transmit American horror show Night Gallery for the first time. It was created by Rod Sterling, who had been behind the Twilight Zone.
In the Maternity Ward: Naturalist, writer and television presenter Steve Backshall was born on 21st April 1973.
Click on photos to enlarge.
