History of Hereford United F.C. facts for kids

The history of Hereford United Football Club tells the story of a football team that existed for 90 years, from 1924 to 2014. For more about the club itself, see Hereford United F.C..

Before Hereford United was formed, there were four main amateur football clubs in the city of Hereford. People thought that if some of these clubs joined together, they could create a stronger team. In 1924, two clubs, St Martins and RAOC (Rotherwas), decided to merge. This is how Hereford United was born, with Dr E.W. Maples as its first chairman.

Starting Out: 1924–1945

The new club joined the Birmingham Combination league. They played their home games at Edgar Street, which was also an athletics ground. Their very first competitive match was in August 1924 against Atherstone United, which they lost 2–3. The next week, they played Kidderminster Harriers in the FA Cup and lost again.

Hereford United played in the Birmingham Combination League for four seasons. Their best finish was 4th place. Many fans came to watch, with over 2,000 people at big matches. A famous player from these early years was Viv Gregory, who scored an amazing 60 goals in one season! The team even scored over 100 goals in the 1926–27 and 1927–28 seasons.

Because they played well and reached the final of the Birmingham Senior Cup, Hereford was allowed to join the Birmingham League for the 1928–29 season. They finished 11th in their first year. A record 5,000 fans watched their second cup final match, a record that lasted for 18 years. In the early 1930s, Hereford usually finished around 8th place in the league.

A big moment was reaching the FA Cup first round for the first time in 1932–33. They lost 1–2 to Accrington Stanley. By 1938–39, the Birmingham League had fewer teams, and fewer fans were coming to games. The club decided to apply to join the Southern League, which was a higher level. Their application was accepted, and the club became a limited company.

Southern League Adventures: 1945–1966

In their first season in the Southern League (1945–46), Hereford finished second. They also came second again in 1950–51. In 1958–59, the Southern League was split into two parts. Hereford won their section (North-West) but lost in the play-off final to Bedford Town. They were relegated in 1964–65 but quickly got promoted back the next season.

Hereford had some good runs in the FA Cup during these years. They reached the Second Round for the first time in 1948–49, losing to Exeter. In fact, they made it to the Second Round six times in nine seasons!

The 1958–59 season was special. Hereford reached the Third Round of the FA Cup for the first time. This was a big achievement for a non-league club. In the Second Round, they beat QPR 6–1. This was a record win for a non-league team against a league team at the time. Hereford then played Sheffield Wednesday at Edgar Street. A record crowd of 18,114 fans watched, but Hereford lost 3–0. This is still the highest attendance ever for the club. They reached the Third Round again in 1965–66 but lost to Bedford Town.

Joining the Football League: 1966–1986

Hereford United finally joined the Football League in 1971–72. This happened after they finished second in their league and had an amazing run in the FA Cup.

The Famous FA Cup Run of 1971–72

This was Hereford's most famous FA Cup journey. They played ten matches, including five replays. In the Second Round, it took them two replays to beat Northampton. Then, in the Third Round, they faced Newcastle, a top-division team. Hereford drew 2–2 at Newcastle's stadium.

The replay at Edgar Street was shown live on the BBC. Newcastle scored first, but then Ronnie Radford scored a fantastic goal from 30 yards out, making it 1–1. This caused fans to rush onto the pitch in excitement! Just minutes later, Ricky George scored the winning goal in extra time. Hereford had reached the Fourth Round for the first time.

Next, they played another top-division team, West Ham United. After a 0–0 draw at Edgar Street, Hereford was finally knocked out, losing 3–1 in the replay. Radford's goal became one of the most famous goals ever. It was voted Goal of the Season and is still remembered today.

Life in the Football League

In their first season in the Football League, Hereford finished second in the Fourth Division. This meant they were promoted to the Third Division. They finished 18th and 12th in the next two seasons. Then, in 1975–76, they won the Third Division title! This was the club's greatest achievement. However, the next season, they finished last in the Second Division and were relegated.

The club was relegated again the following season, returning to the Fourth Division for 1978–79. They stayed in this division for the next 19 seasons. Hereford usually finished in lower positions. They even had to ask to be re-elected to the League in 1979–80, 1980–81, and 1982–83. The 1984–85 season was better, as they finished 5th.

Challenges and Comebacks: 1986–2006

Decline and Relegation

The 1989–90 season saw Hereford finish 17th in the league. However, they did well in cup competitions. They won the Welsh Cup, which was their first major trophy in 14 years. They beat Wrexham 2–1 in the final.

In the FA Cup, Hereford reached the Fourth Round. They had a memorable win over Walsall, scoring two late goals to win 2–1. This earned them a home match against Manchester United. In front of a large crowd, Hereford lost 1–0 to a late goal.

The early 1990s were tough for the club. They often finished 17th in the Football League. Things improved under manager Graham Turner, who joined in 1995–96. The club went from 19th to 6th place in two months, earning a play-off spot. However, they lost in the play-offs to Darlington. That season, Steve White scored 29 goals, making him the top league goalscorer in England's top four divisions.

The 1996–97 season was very difficult. The club had big debts, and key players had to be sold. Hereford went three months without a win and ended up fighting relegation. On May 3, 1997, Hereford played Brighton & Hove Albion in a match that would decide which team was relegated. Hereford needed to win, while Brighton only needed a draw. Hereford scored first, but Brighton equalized. In the last minute, Hereford had a chance to score but missed. The final whistle blew, and Hereford was relegated from the Football League after 25 years.

Financial Troubles in the Conference League

By May 1997, the club was in serious financial trouble, with over £1 million in debt. The chairman and board tried to get loans, but the situation was very bad. In November 1997, the club was in crisis, with unpaid wages. To avoid the club closing down, a plan was made to pay off creditors.

When Chairman Peter Hill left, Graham Turner bought most of the club's shares. If he hadn't, the club likely would have gone out of business. On the field, Hereford finished sixth in their first season in the Conference League. A highlight was beating Brighton again in the FA Cup, which was shown on Match of the Day.

Because of the financial problems, Graham Turner couldn't buy new players. Any good offers for players had to be accepted. For example, Neil Grayson, their top scorer, was sold after only seven months.

The club relied on good runs in cup competitions to help with money. In 1999–00, they reached the FA Cup third round again. They played Premiership team Leicester City at Edgar Street. Leicester had famous players, while Hereford's team included part-time players like a farmer, an electrician, and a teacher. Hereford managed a 0–0 draw, forcing a replay. In the replay, Hereford surprisingly took the lead, but Leicester came back to win in extra time.

A run to the semi-final of the FA Trophy in 2000–01 also helped the club's finances. At the start of the 2001–02 season, Hereford's future looked very uncertain, with over £1.2 million owed. It seemed the club might have to move from Edgar Street. After a big loss to Hayes, Graham Turner stepped down as manager to focus on the financial issues.

Player-coach Phil Robinson became manager. Hereford had another FA Cup run. They won against Dover in the Fourth Qualifying Round. The First Round match at home to Wrexham was shown live on the BBC. The money from this match saved the club. Graham Turner said that if they hadn't beaten Dover, the club probably wouldn't have survived into 2002. Hereford eventually finished 17th in the Conference, avoiding relegation.

The Journey Back to the Football League

Big changes were made for the 2002–03 season. Only six players stayed. With the chance to rebuild the team and two promotion spots available, Graham Turner decided to stay with the club. The new team showed great promise, finishing sixth, just outside the play-offs.

The 2003–04 season started very well, with Hereford leading the table. However, some losses and cup distractions caused them to lose their lead. Chester City took over the top spot. Both clubs had excellent runs at the end of the season. Hereford won 11 straight matches, including a 9–0 away win. They finished just one point behind Chester. In the play-offs, Hereford lost to Aldershot Town on penalties.

The 2004–05 season also ended in play-off failure. Hereford lost key players to Football League clubs. They finished second in the Conference again but lost to Stevenage Borough in the play-offs. A positive note was that the club's financial problems were finally sorted out in September 2004.

The 2005–06 season saw Hereford finally get promoted through the play-offs. This was after their third consecutive second-place finish. A turning point was when local teenager Andy Williams joined the team, leading to a 16-match unbeaten run. From December to the end of the season, Hereford lost only once in the league. They also had the best defense, conceding only 33 goals all season.

In the play-offs, Hereford drew 1–1 away to Morecambe. In the home leg, the score was 2–2, and the match went into extra time. Guy Ipoua scored the winning goal, sending Hereford to the final. The final was against Halifax Town at Walker's Stadium in Leicester. About 10,000 Hereford fans watched their team win promotion with a 3–2 victory. Halifax took the lead twice, but Hereford equalized both times. The winning goal came from Ryan Green in extra time, sealing Hereford's return to the Football League after nine years.

Back in the League and Final Years: 2006–2014

In their first season back in the Football League (2006–07), Hereford beat many top teams. A surprising result was a 4–1 win at Lincoln City, with Steve Guinan scoring three goals. This put Hereford in 9th place, but they struggled later in the season and finished 16th.

Because of their poor form at the end of the season, many thought Hereford would be relegated in 2007–08. However, from November onwards, they were almost always in the top four in League Two. They signed some good players on loan, especially Gary Hooper, who scored 11 goals. This helped them finish third and get automatically promoted! They also reached the Fourth Round of the FA Cup, losing 2–1 to Cardiff City in front of a full stadium at Edgar Street. The club even made a profit of over £400,000 that season.

The 2008–09 season saw Hereford playing in the third tier of English football for the first time in 30 years. They struggled against clubs with more money and support. By mid-October, they were at the bottom of the league. They had some good periods but couldn't escape the relegation zone. Manager Jamie Pitman was sacked in March 2012. In the 2011–12 season, Hereford was relegated from League Two on the very last day, even though they won their final match.

Back to the Conference and Difficulties

Hereford played in the Conference National in the 2012–13 season.

On June 10, 2014, Hereford was removed from the Conference League because of financial problems. It was later revealed that the club's debts were as high as £1.3 million. The club was accepted into the Southern League Premier Division for the 2014–15 season. However, financial worries continued, including a legal petition to close the club. Many fans were angry with the club's board because of their decisions.

On December 10, 2014, the FA suspended Hereford United from all football activities. This was because the club had not provided information requested by a special commission. The suspension was lifted the next day after the new majority shareholder provided the necessary documents.

The End of the Club

The 90-year-old club officially closed down on December 19, 2014, after a court order. A new club, Hereford F.C., was formed in 2015. This new club is now playing in the Vanarama National League North.