Turner - A True Football Man

As one of English football's longest serving managers moves upstairs, Frank Gregan salutes a true football man and discusses the unique scenario which sees Hereford with a chairman who knows more about the game than his manager.

Last week, Graham Turner moved aside at Hereford bringing to an end a very impressive 31 year career in football management. During that time he has managed Shrewsbury, Aston Villa, Wolverhampton Wanderers and for the last 14 years Hereford United.

He won't be giving up the ghost completely however as he is the majority shareholder at Hereford and also the Chairman. John Trewick, who has been working alongside Turner as the first team coach has taken up the reins and will now be able to implement his own ideas as to how the club should be run.

It will be difficult for Graham Turner to step back and let Trewick get on and run things his way, but that is what he has to do. As has been proven on many occasions, football management by committee is a recipe for disaster. The young bull will be grateful for advice when he seeks it - unsolicited guidance leads to resentment.

But John Trewick needn't worry about Graham Turner's knowledge; this is a unique situation where the Chairman knows more about football than the manager. So Hereford have to prepare for life back in League Two. It's not long ago that they were a conference side but under Graham Turner's leadership the club found stability and success. One thing's for sure - as a Chairman nobody will be able to pull the wool over his eyes unlike the Chairman/manager I worked for.

"What a pro," he said to me in the dressing room at half time pointing to our star striker, "see that, he will only drink water at half time, no tea, see - that's because tea's diuretic." "No it's not," I replied, "it's because he was on the lash until 3 o'clock this morning, he's rehydrating - he's drunk!"

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