The First Round Twelve Years Ago

This coming Saturday Hereford United will play Sutton United in the First Round of the FA Cup.

Twelve years ago the Bulls were looking forward to playing Brighton and Hove Albion in the First Round just six months after the Sussex side knocked the Bulls out of the League.

Here's an article from the Independent from November 1997:

Graham Turner still recalls his worst week in football. The staff were not being paid, the fans were demonstrating against the board, players were struggling to turn up for training because they could hardly afford petrol, the manager was spending much of his time selling advertising space. Then, Saturday's opposition snatched an equaliser with the last kick of the match, which was probably their only one.

Considering that this was only a fortnight ago Turner, the Hereford United manager (or to give him his precise, if narrow-ranging title, director of football), is remarkably chipper. Wages are almost up to date, the only impediment to a full complement at training is the usual football club injury list, he is concentrating more on the game itself, and the team seem to have found their touch.

Hereford v Brighton: no tie in the FA Cup first round next Saturday is imbued with such fascination or passion. For it was Brighton who terminated Hereford's Football League status after 25 years. On the last day of last season the two sides met. Brighton earned the draw they needed to secure penultimate spot and consign Hereford to the Vauxhall Conference. "It was inevitable that we'd get Brighton. I suppose," said Turner. "The Cup's like that. I can look forward to it now and even think of winning but till a few days ago all that was on our minds was the struggle for survival.

"There are historic debts to the taxmen that haven't gone away but there is hope in that direction and the staff are getting paid again. In a strange way it has helped. Out of that adversity has come strength."

Hereford's crowds in the Conference are holding up well (the novelty of seeing new teams, the desire that it will be for only season, thinks Turner) and there are plans to sell the lease on their shabby Edgar Street ground. For the moment the fans are mollified.

Despite the keenness of developers, Turner is adamant that a replacement stadium is built before they move in. A spying mission on Brighton for their home match at Priestfield Stadium, Gillingham, on Wednesday night confirmed that belief. "They looked dispirited and no wonder," Turner explained. "They were playing before very few fans miles away from their natural base. I think we should have a very good chance against them. Any non-league side coming up against Third Division opposition thinks they can do it. This is no different. But I do know you've got to have a home ground."

Brighton are once more in desperate trouble this season, being spared last season's awful travails only by the shambolic state of the league's bottom club, Doncaster Rovers. Despite Hereford's patchy start (four defeats including two at home), they start favourites. Their £20,000 close-season signing Neil Grayson, who has already secured a place in the fans' hearts with eight goals, is fit again, and the handling crisis which has forced Turner to use four goalkeepers seems to be over. They may even draw succour from their reputation as legendary non-league Cup giantkillers as their 1972 replay win over Newcastle United will forever testify.

A Cup run is on Turner's mind because Hereford need the matches to garner the revenue to pay the wages. But the Conference championship and re-elevation to the Football League will concentrate it more. "The fans have been marvellously loyal," Turner said. "We have 17 full-time players. We're surviving but we need to be in the league again." Otherwise that week in October may not remain his worst in the game.

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