Bulls ready for carnival atmosphere
Hereford United are aware of this size of the task when they host Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup first round on Saturday, kick off 5.35pm.
Wigan lie top of the second division and are over fifty places above Hereford in the English pyramid, but that will not put off United in the game televised by Sky Sports.
Hereford boss Graham Turner told the Hereford Times: "We know that Wigan are well organised and work hard, and they are not at the top of the Second Division by accident. But it's a cup tie and, if Wigan play below their best and we play out of our skins, there may be a chance of an upset.
"The atmosphere has not been too good at Edgar Street of late but we are the underdogs and the crowd always appreciates this and, hopefully, they will get fully behind us," he continued "I can't say that we can go out there with nothing to lose, because if you lose in the FA Cup it is always a painful experience, whoever it's against. But the players can go out and give it their best shot."
In Hereford's biggest match of the season, the build-up will include a swede worship and parade of a bull - not Billy and Benny but a full-sized real-life one!
United captain Ian Wright is also eager for some good luck in the match. "Too many times this season, the luck has gone against us. We are definitely owed some luck," he said.
Wright scored the winner in last season's first round game, when Hereford beat second division Wrexham 1-0 in front of the BBC television cameras.
The ex-Hull City defender will form a crucial part of the defence in a squad without attacker John Grant. However, there are no other injury worries for the Bulls.
Wigan went out of the LDV Vans Trophy to United's Conference rivals Doncaster Rovers on Tuesday evening and lost their sixteen match unbeaten run. Boss Paul Jewell was eager not to over-hype his side.
"We can rest assured that Hereford will be right up for the game on Saturday," he commented. "We have had them watched and we are paying them all the respect we can. But I tend not to focus on the opposition, it's about our performance on the day."
United fans will be able to see FA Cup hero Ricky George if they watch the game on television. Unlike the BBC, Sky will not be bringing their studio to Edgar Street. There will also be a total crew of fifty covering the game both at the ground and in the West London studio, whilst six cameras, four trucks and twenty five kilometres of cable will be used. George will be part of the Sky Sports team, along with Rob Hawthorne and Brian Little, covering the match for which both sides will receive £100,000. The winner also picks up a £20,000 prize. Any replay will be a week on Tuesday, November 26th, at Wigan's JJB Stadium.