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Just two players, Ben Smith (pictured signing an autograph at Torquay) and Luke Webb are certain to stay at Edgar Street for next season. Smith is on a deal until summer 2009 and Webb a deal until next summer. One other, Wayne Brown, signed a two year deal twelve months ago but there are rumours he wants a move.
Although several others, Richard Rose, Tim Sills and Phil Gulliver, are rumoured to be on two year contracts no details have been released by Hereford United to confirm this speculation.
Every other player will shortly become out of contract.
As news is released about who is staying at and what new faces are coming to Edgar Street profiles will appear on this site.
Ben Smith:
Now 29, midfielder Smith was born at Chelmsford, on November 23 1978.
He began his career at Arsenal where he signed his first professional contract in 1995, but could not break into the first team and moved to Reading, where he took part in his first professional match against Manchester City. However, after making just one league appearance he moved to Yeovil Town where he played over 70 league games. He then spent the 2001-2002 season with Southend United but struggled to make an impact and left for Hereford United, for whom he made 52 league appearances and scored 18 goals in a two-season-long spell. An injury to his shoulder meant he required an operation in March 2004, shortly before joining Shrewsbury Town. He made 24 league appearances for the Shropshire club. He joined Weymouth in January 2006, playing a significant role in the run in to the Conference South championship.
Weymouth's first Conference match in 17 years saw Ben score the opening goal, in the first minute against Tamworth. He went on to play in every first team match for the Terras up until the turn of the year, when he scored twice in a 3-2 defeat to Forest Green which turned out to be his last match for the club. The entire Weymouth squad had been transfer listed, due to financial problems, even though Smith had only recently signed a contract extension until 2009. Five league clubs expressed an interest in signing the Weymouth captain, and on 25 January 2007, Weymouth confirmed that he had rejoined Hereford United for £20,000 on a 2 and a half year contract. This was the first transfer fee that the Bulls had paid since the signing of Neil Grayson in 1997.
Ben made an impact on his return to Edgar Street against Notts County, hitting the post in the build up to the first goal and providing the assist for the second goal. He went on to play in all Hereford's remaining matches of the 2006-07 season, scoring at home to Barnet in the process. He also wore the captain's armband in many of the matches.
Luke Webb:
Midfielder Luke Webb (pictured) is 20 and was born in Nottingham.
He signed for Arsenal at the age of 11 and progressed through the various youth teams. He was a regular for Arsenal U18s with 20 appearances and 2 goals in the 2004-05 season. With opportunities hard to come by he left Highbury and had a trial with Wycombe, where he injured his ankle, before joining Coventry City for the 2005-06 season. His opportunities were again limited to reserve team football and he had a trial for Hereford prior to the current season. Despite a hamstring injury he impressed at Edgar Street and was signed in September 2006.
He made his first team debut away to Wrexham, coming on as a substitute in the 1-0 defeat. On 21 November he started and scored in the 2-0 win in the FA Cup over Shrewsbury, following it up with a spectacular opening goal against Port Vale in the Second Round. In the final matches of the season, Luke forced his way into the starting XI after the injury to loanee Steve Jennings.
Luke's father is the former England midfielder Neil Webb. His brother Josh is also a footballer, currently at Reading.
(Profiles from Wikipedia)
