The Brighton Season

Continuing BN's look back at Graham Turner's time at Hereford United, it's the 1996/97 season.

After watching Turner take the Bulls to the play-offs in his first season in charge, supporters looked forward with the hope of even better things in his second campaign. However after just six games, the Bulls were bottom of the League with just one win.

Pre-season fans favourite Steve White had moved to Cardiff City, Tony James to Plymouth (for £60,000) Stuart Watkiss moved to Mansfield but amidst others Turner brought in David Norton from Northampton and two Fosters, Ian and Adrian. Then just before the season started Richard Wilkins was sold to Colchester for £30,000.

That first win was against Doncaster. A 2nd minute goal by Gareth Stoker clinched the points.

On September 18th the Bulls travelled to Middleborough for a second round Coca-Cola Cup-tie. 'Boro manager Bryan Robson warned his squad: "I have warned my players against underestimating Hereford. People are going to expect an avalanche of goals but it does not work like that. Hereford will be determined not to give anything away."

However 'Boro put 7 past the visitors without reply.

"I was hoping the referee would blow the whistle 15 minutes after half-time. It was a tidal wave at times," commented Turner.

Six days later in the second leg played at Edgar Street the Bulls did keep the scoreline down to 3-0.

In between the two ties the Bulls returned to winning ways in the League. After 428 minutes without a goal a young Gareth Stoker found the net at Rochdale and Hereford ran out 3-0 winners.

November was a very poor month on the pitch with just two draws in five games. December was even worse with just one point from five games. The Bulls were in 23rd spot at the turn of the year.

However on January 25 the Bulls recorded their first league win in 15 games away at Cambridge. But they were still in 23rd place. And figures were announced showing gates at Edgar Street down by 21% from the previous season.

A second win on the bounce, this time 3-1 over Wigan, restored some hope that the season might go out on a high. The next game was drawn and then a win at Barnet finally lifted the Bulls to 20th. Then there were three more draws in a row. In fact the Bulls went seven games without defeat until on March 1st they lost to Exeter.

By this time Graham Turner must have thought the Bulls would be safe from the threat of relegation and a surprising win at Carlisle on March 15th kept the Bulls in 20th place. But there was only one victory in the final eight games.

Turner even resorted to a family member to help boost his squad. Son Mark joined the Bulls on loan from Telford after a transfer embargo was lifted. Also joining the Bulls on transfer dead-line day were Brian McGorry from Wycombe, Tony Agana from Notts County and Bradley Sandeman from Rotherham.

Five games unbeaten in late March asnd early April gave supporters renewed hope but teams around the Bulls were also gaining points.

And after a draw at Scarborough Turner said: "We still have to work hard to survive in the League. But this was a good point and we should do it."

With just two games to go, it wasn't clear who would drop to the Conference as this paragraph from the Independent explained:

Brighton are currently three points adrift in bottom spot, but Hereford, Hartlepool, Exeter, Doncaster or Darlington could swap places with them yet. With Brighton scheduled to visit second-from-bottom Hereford on the final day, a nerve-jangling denouement appears likely.

"Even over the last few weeks when we have slipped to second from bottom, I thought and hoped that everything would be settled beforehand and it wouldn't be significant," said Turner. "But it looks more and more likely that it will be vital for both of us.

"Nothing I've done in 19 years as a manager prepared me for what I'm feeling at the moment," he said. "This is a totally new experience and one I could do without. People talk about pressure when you're chasing championships but it pales into insignificance compared to being near the bottom of the Third Division."


On Saturday April 26th the Bulls lost 2-1 at Leyton Orient. The following Saturday would decide whether Brighton or Hereford would be relegated. At least the Bulls had home advantage.

That Saturday Edgar Street was full. Some 8532 spectators were in the ground to see a game which should have been won by Hereford but ended in the heartbreak of a draw. The Bulls were relegated to the Vauxhall Conference.

Turner offered his resignation.

"I have to take responsibility for what's happened here over the season," he said. "I've just been into the dressing-room and it's awful in there. But that's football I suppose.

"I'm going to take Monday off, it's a Bank Holiday after all, and then I'll come in on Tuesday morning and do the decent thing by handing in my resignation. Then it will be up to the people around me."

The directors soon persuaded Turner to withdraw his resignation.

And in the midst of the relegation battle Turner found time to purchase Carey Court for a reported £212,500. This suggested he was staying at Edgar Street for sometime to come.

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