Reunion a success

The re-union of the 1972 Hereford United side took place last weekend. The following detailed report was published in this morning's Hereford Times together with several pictures including one with 21 of those present at the dinner.

HEREFORD United's celebrated `Giantkillers' side gathered in the city for a reunion to mark the 33rd anniversary of their famous FA Cup run.

Although Colin Addison, Roger Griffiths, Ken Mallender, Dudley Tyler and Peter Isaac still live in Hereford, others had travelled from various parts of the country, and beyond, to meet up with their old team-mates for the first time in eight years.

As on that occasion, Mick McLaughlin had put in the most miles to ensure that the conquerors of Newcastle were all together again, jetting in from his home in Atlanta, Georgia.

And the Giantkillers' "15th man", as he was described by skipper Tony Gough, the BBC commentator John Motson sprang the biggest surprise by driving up to attend from Southampton where he had been covering the Saints match with Manchester United earlier in the evening.

It was also a near reunion of the 1972-3 promotion-wining squad with old stars Eric Redrobe, David Rudge, Colin Tavener and David Jenkins making a return.

From an earlier generation, one of Addison's predecessors as player-manager, Joe Wade, now 83, also turned out for the evening as did former World Cup referee Jim Finney.

Despite recent ill health, former chairman Frank Miles was in attendance, too as was his successor Peter Hill.

The evening's principal guest, John Barnwell, the chief executive of the League Managers Association, could also boast a Hereford connection after a stint as Addison's assistant in the 1972-3 season.

After Addison's opening address, the evening's master of ceremonies, Westfields chief executive Andy Morris introduced Barnwell who proposed the toast to the giantkillers and added his own tribute.

"You were a group of players whose achievement will never be surpassed in the modern game," he said.

Ricky George responded on behalf of the players before handing over to Motson, whose own TV broadcasting career began with the match against the Magpies at Edgar Street in February.

"You were the guys who kick-started my career and I will always be grateful to you for that," said Motson.

The evening's speeches were rounded off by Gough, who summed up the feelings he and his team-mates all have for the city which has adopted them as its own.

"As footballers, we never experience this sort of thing at other clubs," he said. "We all want to come back for these reunions. We love it.

"We were just in the right place at the right time for all of us to have made history."

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