With no game for the Baggies yesterday, Glynis Wright braved the elements and paid another visit to Hereford.
No real surprise to where we went, I'm afraid - once more, my other
half heard loud and clear the clarion call of the Bulls persuasion,
so Edgar Street was where we shifted to around lunchtime. By the
way, for the first time in yonks, their accounts have shown a
profit, which is a complete turnaround from the near-disastrous
one-million-quid deficit they had five or six years ago, and nearly
ended up dragging them under. We had planned to include a pre-match
visit to a Levi jeans shop in the town centre, but getting stuck
behind a bloody tractor (speeds 'dead-slow' and 'stop' only)
en-route, and encountering a combination of a speed camera and a
thirty mph limit in one of the villages along the way, it wasn't
until after two we finally pulled up on their enormously-capacious
car park. Which wouldn't have mattered a jot, as the shops were only
about five minutes walk away anyway, but when strolling past the
ground, we just happened to bump into Roy Hayden, of Kiddy Branch
fame, who was also spending his Saturday seeing rather more of the
Bulls than he normally would most days. That's what happens when you
support a club that seems to have developed something of an aversion
to playing at the 'proper' time God ordained, of late!
By the time we'd finished batting the breeze, it was too late to go
in search of new strides, so we opted for a quick tool into a
Cornish pasty shop nearby instead. All hand-made and locally baked,
and a variety of ingredients within that in some instances paid but
little homage to the original Cornish tin-miners' delicacy, but
highly scrumptious all the same, which is why we brought a couple of
the pastry-covered blighters home with us for tea.
Our 'eats' finally sorted, we returned to the ground once more, and
as there was around 15 minutes to go by then, we shifted ourselves
inside without further ado. All the usual crowd in the part of the
stand we frequent on these occasions, including the posse of old
ladies I've mentioned before, plus Nick Brade, quiz compiler
extraordinaire - more of him later. Eighty-odd year-old May not
coming, then? No, sadly - until she rolled up anyway just before the
start, much to our astonishment. And that of our chums - May had
told all and sundry beforehand she wouldn't be coming because of the
awful weather!
Today's opponents were Morecambe, who were around mid-table, but
because of the dog-eat-dog nature of the Conference this season, they too had a legitimate claim to an end-of-season play-off spot in
progress. (Go on - have a look at the table, and you'll see
precisely what I'm banging on about.) They'd brought about a hundred
hardy souls (soles?) from the fastness of their seaside town, now
infamous because of the disaster that occurred to those Chinese
cockle-pickers about a year ago. And, quelle horreur - they'd
brought a bloody percussion band with 'em. One helluva noisy drum -
blimey, I was really glad I wasn't sitting next to the bloke
wielding it - also a tinny sort of noise I couldn't place at first.
And then it suddenly occurred to me, in a flash, as these things
generally do; someone (or several 'someones'?) back home would be
missing not a few familiar items of kitchen-ware before the day was
through.
I can just hear the conversations: Wifey: "Eeeh, Our Joe, I've
looked for me saucepans all over t'kitchen ter do me hotpot in this
teatime, 'an I can't find t'big 'uns any where. Eh, chuck, do yer
know where they've gone?"
Hubbie: "Ah canna be sure, like, but Ah thought Ah saw Our Albert
wi' 'em just afore he went to t'football. Playing down some pansy
southern place somewhere, where they make t'cider, or summat.."
Wifey: "Our Albert? At a bluddy football match? Wi' me bluddy
saucepans? Wait till 'ee gets home - I'll kill the little £$%&@!! So
Ah will!"
The 'musical accompaniment' apart, a listen to the Morecambe side
via the PA proved somewhat instructive. Playing at number four was
Michael Howard! For a moment, visions crossed my mind of the Tory
leader deciding to take time out from biting great lumps out of the
NHS, and turning to 'dirty tricks' on the football field, as opposed
to The House Of Commons, instead - but, alas, the chap who emerged
from the players tunnel was about forty years younger - but hang on
a minute! Wasn't eternal youth the 'prize' for selling your soul to
Old Nick? Well, that's what Faust reckoned; as far as the Tory
leader was concerned, he'd already exceeded the job specifications
required thanks to that lengthy Parliamentary career of his.
The game? Well, Morecambe came primarily to play the defensive game,
but they also got lucky. With two minutes only on the clock, after
attacking right from the start, they earned themselves a corner.
Chuck in a huge wodge of awful marking from the home side, and a
far-post header, unmarked, from about four or five yards, and The
Bulls suddenly found themselves chasing the game. As far as the
visitors were concerned, that was it; they'd shoved their noses in
front, and no bugger was going to shift them. No surprise to learn,
then, that the next forty minutes were to prove an
exceedingly-frustrating time for them. Mind you, I suspected a lot
of their seeming lethargy out there was due to the fact they'd
played more games than any side had a right to over the last few
weeks. There's only so much of that sort of 'two-games-a-week' grind
players can cope with, after all.
But fair play to The Bulls, they did manage to get an equaliser with
about a couple of minutes to the break, from a corner again, and had
they pushed Morecambe even more before half-time, they might well
have taken the lead. The second half? Well, both factions fought
mightily, but neither would yield sufficiently to irrevocably breach
defences. That, plus the fact the Morecambe keeper played right out
of his skin that second-half, so a one-one it was, and, in its
latter stages, a game played to the incessant backdrop of driving
sleet.
Mind you, the interval did prove interesting on the food front. What
normally happens is the aforementioned ladies bring with them enough
sweets to drive any self-respecting dentist crazy, and those in
close proximity - even the Bluenose couple sitting but a few rows
further forward, may I say - benefit mightily from this half-time
equivalent of the 'midnight feast'. But our elderly friends truly
excelled themselves today; first of all, a large box of Terry's
All-Gold was produced with a flourish from a bag that seemed to
possess even more interior capacity than that of The Fart, and once
they'd all gone down the hatch, out came yet another box of sweets -
this lot from Portugal, and very creamy toffees they were, too. Huh.
We don't get spoiled like that at The Hawthorns - but we are open to
bribery, of course!
But back to Nick Brade. As part of the fundraising stuff he does for
the club, he recently set supporters a bit of a quiz, the prize
being a signed home shirt, or a club shop voucher to the value of 20
quid. It might look a simple sort of thing to complete at first
glance, but once you inspect the thing more closely, you suddenly
find there lurks within an absolute stinker. All you have to do is
decide whether a statement is true or false - but there are no less
than 45 of the blighters to sort out! Examples? "Tigers have striped
skin as well as striped fur," or what about "Northwich Victoria were
founder members of Football League Division Two"? Anyone out there
study Jane Austen for A Level English? If so, did she really only
have one book published in her lifetime? The daft thing is, I did an
Austen book when I was studying English Lit about thirty-odd years
ago, but I'm completely banjaxed by that one. I'd honestly thought I
was good at that sort of thing, but it only took a couple of minutes
of close study to make my brain really hurt. But I'm not going to
let the sodding thing defeat me - I'll get the answers if I have to
turn cyberspace upside-down to do it.>
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Sunday, March 06, 2005
Another visit to the Street
Hard for supporters to watch says Turner
Graham Turner agreed with the vast majority of fans at Edgar Street when he admitted that yesterday's game against Morecambe was "hard for supporters to watch."
"It amazed me the way that Morecambe played," Turner told the Non-League Paper.
"They have some ground to make up if they are to get into the play-offs and Jimmy Harvey evidently thinks that is the best way to do it. It was hard for us to break down."
Harvey, who used to play for Hereford, was delighted with a point.
"This week to pick up a win at Stevenage and a point here are two hugh results for us.
"For years we have played brilliant football but sometimes results are more important and that's the situation we find ourselves in at the moment.
"It's not up to us to entertain away from home. I still thought we had the better chances, though."
Saturday, March 05, 2005
Mawson thanks Morecambe fans
Craig Mawson, the Hereford United goalkeeper, faced Morecambe this afternoon for the first time since leaving the Lancashire club and must have been a little nervous in front of his old team and supporters.
"I expected to have more to do," he told BBC Hereford and Worcester after the game.
"I was at Morecambe for three years and they were the type of team that would work the opposition goalie and create chance after chance, but it wasn't the case today.
"I wondered what sort of reception I would get off the travelling Morecambe fans but they were brilliant to be fair. I had three happy years up there but that has gone.
Talking about the Morecambe goal, Mawson said it was annoying.
"The last thing before we go out there, we have the set pieces up on the board. Who is marking who, you stay with your man. To get caught cold in the first two minutes was very disappointing.
"No one panicked. We showed great discipline and stuck to our game plan and we got our goal. But we pressed and pressed (for another) but couldn't break them down."
Early lapse costs Bulls
Hereford United will be disappointed with the point that they took from this afternoon's game against Morecambe. The Bulls dominated throughout but failed to turn possession into goals and with this in mind will see the result as two points dropped, rather than one gained.
Hereford were still without Adam Stansfield, who was expected to make a return to the subs bench at least following a couple of weeks out with an ankle injury. Jamie Pitman was the only other absentee as he failed to recover from his calf injury. Graham Hyde continued in his place.
Morecambe, defending the Meadow End in the first half, started well and Hereford seemed to still be in the dressing rooms by the time the deadlock had been broken. Hyde blocked a cross, diverting it out for a corner on the right, which Kieran Walmsley swung into the middle. Darren Kempson met it with his head and the ball bounced in the box and found its way through a crowd of players into the back of the net in only the second minute.
Hereford from then on dominated possession but found clear cuts chances hard to come by as the Shrimps packed the defence in order to keep the Bulls out. Mark Robinson's cross was just too far in front of the ever dangerous Brian Smikle and Craig Stanley volleyed Simon Travis' cross over the bar from six yards out. Smikle headed a cross from Purdie, after a short free kick, just wide before he glanced another header into the outstreched arms of the 'keeper Robert Robinson, this time from Danny Williams' free kick.
Then, after yet another free kick on the flank, Smikle's header was deflected out for a corner. With just three minutes of the half remaining the Bulls hit back. Robinson swung the corner in and Tamika Mkandawire headed into the top corner. Moments later Smikle almost handed the Bulls the lead when he was played in behind the defence by Travis' flick, but his cross-cum-shot flew inches wide of the upright.
The second half continued in the same way the first, United dominating possession but with Morecambe's defensive tactics foiling their attacks. Against the run of play, Morecambe broke and almost took the lead once again when Michael Twiss found Walmsley in space to the right of the area, but Mawson was quick off his line and blocked the shot.
Jimmy Harvey decided to change things around a bit by bringing on an attacker and midfielder in Gary Thompson and Lee Elam to try and give them extra options in the final third. Hereford finally had a shot on goal in the second half, but Williams, who reacted to the loose ball on the edge of the box first, shot tamely at the goalie. Hyde then found Danny Carey-Bertram in the box and he spun off his defender but was denied by the onrushing Robinson, as he faced a one-on-one situation.
Hereford then made a change, bringing Lee Mills on for Williams meaning that Rob Purdie dropped into the midfield. Another free kick led to another chance for Hereford, but Smikle's well hit effort was luckily deflected off target by a defender. Stanley then gave Thompson a clear run on goal with a poor pass back from the midfield, but luckily for him man of the match Mkandawire was able to make a superb recovering challenge as Thompson raced clear.
Purdie crossed for Mills who volleyed towards the bottom corner but the 'keepers fingertips diverted the ball into the side netting. Mills then shot from thirty yards out forcing the Robinson into a smart save as the ball bounced in front of him. A good switch of play led to Robinson crossing from the left, and Mills met the dropping ball with a powerful volley that was palmed around the post by Robinson, ensuring that the 102 away supporters saw their side gain a point.
The most part of the crowd of 2,657 will no doubt feel that Hereford should have taken all three points from the game, considering the amount of possesion they had. However, once again, it was the final pass that was lacking from United and this proved to be their downfall today. The one point may not seem so bad though, should they take all three at The Lamb on Tuesday evening, when they visit Tamworth.
HUFC Team: Mawson, Travis, James, Mkandawire, Robinson, Williams, Stanley, Hyde, Smikle, Carey-Bertram, Purdie. Subs: Tretton, Green, Scott, Brown, Mills.
MFC: Robinson, Howard, Kelly, Bentley, Kempson, Swan, Walmsley, Hunter, Blackburn, Heard, Twiss. Subs: Sollit, Curtis, Thompson, Carlton, Elam.
Sloppy defending costs two points
Hereford United could only draw against Morecambe this afternoon at Edgar Street despite having most of the possession after a sloppy start.
Morecambe took the lead from a corner after two minutes but after that the Bulls took control of the game.
Tamika Mkandawire levelled the scores with a header from a Robinson corner in the 42 minute. Full report shortly.
Hereford United have dropped to eigth position as a result of the draw.
1 Barnet 33 36 69
2 Aldershot 33 7 55
3 Halifax 31 15 53
4 Woking 31 15 53
5 Stevenage 33 9 53
6 Accrington Stanley 32 13 52
7 Crawley Town 33 6 52
8 Hereford 30 12 51
9 Exeter 31 12 49
10 Carlisle 30 22 47
April fixture dates
With the announcement of the date of the Forest Green game, here is a list of matches to be played in April so far as is known this morning.
April 2nd Stevenage Conf Away 3pm
April 9th York Conf Home 3pm
April 12th Forest Green Conf Away 7.45pm
April 16th Halifax Conf Away 3pm
April 19th Woking Conf Away 7.45pm
April 23rd Accrington Stanley Conf Home 3pm
This list will be updated if Hereford United defeat Hucknall Town in the Trophy game next Saturday. The semi-finals of the Trophy, which is over two legs, takes place on April 2nd and April 9th.
At present April 5th is a free Tuesday for Hereford. However Stevenage are due to play Woking that evening and York are due to play Carlisle. So that date can not be used, should it be required, as far as is known at present.
Part of the problems stems from the Conference management whom, in their wisdom, decided to bring forward the end of the season by a week. Confguide reported the change at the time:
All fixtures for 30th April will be rescheduled, with that date being used for the play-off semi-finals 1st leg.
When the fixtures were first announced, many people expressed concern that there were only two days between the last day of the Conference league season (30th April) and the play-off semi-final 1st legs (2nd May). This would leave no time for advance ticketing, and would leave little time for player recovery.
The sensible decision has been made to alter the dates. The games currently scheduled for 30th April will be moved (presumably to a midweek date). The final games will therefore be 23rd April, with play-offs starting a week later (30th).
The promotion play-off 2nd legs will be on Thursday 5th May.
Parry might go on a free
This morning's Western Mail has several articles on the situation at Cardiff City. Respected journalist Mario Risoli has produced a list of players including Paul Parry that are expected casualties of the crisis at Ninian Park.
PAUL PARRY
Stoke City will also try to land the Wales winger and former Hereford player on a free transfer. Risoli commented.
However it is beleived that Mark Hughes, manager of Blackburn, could be interested in the former Hereford United player and may be prepared to pay a fee for him.
Parry could be reluctant to leave Cardiff as he appears to be earning good money. The transfer deadline is March 24th.
Friday, March 04, 2005
Have Cardiff paid in full for Parry
The financial plight of Cardiff City is well documented in an article in this mornings Independent by David Conn. The author takes a close look at chairman, Sam Hammam, and his business dealings including his time at Wimbledon. Although not mentioned by name, there could now be some doubt as to whether Hereford United have been paid in full for Paul Parry.
When Hammam arrived four-and-a-half years ago, the club was on its knees, relegated to the Third Division, with debts of £1.5m, ongoing losses close to £1m and a crumbling Ninian Park. "Sam the Man" brought with him the aura of Wimbledon.
Cardiff fans, feasting on long-yearned-for success and improvements to Ninian Park pending the construction of their new super-stadium, would hear nothing of that history, until doubts seeped in at the beginning of this season. After finishing 13th last term, Cardiff sold Earnshaw to West Bromwich Albion for £3.5m, while McAnuff, a former Wimbledon midfielder, was signed from West Ham for £250,000.
It then emerged that staff and players had not been paid, McAnuff has not been paid for in full, and Ernst and Young were picking over the financial morass. The club is due to file accounts at the end of this month, but Hammam's company, Rudgwick, which now owns Cardiff, published group accounts last November. They were horrible, showing a loss of £8.6m, although Hammam was still paid £235,000 in dividends.
The cost of financing a team to win promotion to the Premier League is more expensive now than it was when he had Wimbledon. The wage bill in the year to May 2003 was £160,000 a week, £8.4m altogether, almost £1m greater than the company's whole turnover. A short-term loan from Citibank was up to £18m; there was a further £6m of debt, and last September, Rudgwick borrowed £24m in a new seven-year facility, to repay the bank and other loans. That is before a penny is borrowed to finance the stadium.
It is thought that the original payment for Paul Parry was settled close to the transfer date, but it is not yet known whether all the "add-on" money has been settled. The revelation that some of the money for McAnuff is still owing, will raise questions.
Forest Green date announced
The Hereford United away fixture against Forest Green Rovers which was due to be played on March 12th, FA Trophy day, will now be played on April 12th, a Tuesday evening, with a 7.45pm start.
Parry could be sold
Paul Parry could be sold by Cardiff City to help lower their debt situation. Reports in the Welsh media suggest that Stoke City could be interested in the former Hereford United player.
Oatcake, the Stoke City site, has reported the following:
With Cardiff City cashing in on as many players as possible all of a sudden, Stoke have been linked down in Wales with moves for defender Chris Barker and winger Paul Parry, according to Welsh radio reports. Ex Stokie Graham Kavanagh has already made a £400,000 move to Wigan Athletic this morning.
Stoke are short of cover at left-back following the release of Marcus Hall and it's a position Barker did well in covering during his loan spell at the start of the season. Parry meanwhile, described as an aggressive left winger with pace to burn, has also been linked with a move to The Potteries.
Cardiff City are said to be £30m in debt and according to Chris O'Brien of Bluebird to the Bone failed to pay their players and staff last Monday.
The revelations started on Tuesday. Concerned employees of Cardiff City contacted the local press after they had not been paid. Sam Hammam and the club were quick to squash any rumours of a financial catastrophe. The blame was placed on a administrative error, everything was fine, and the players would wake up the next day to a nice boosted bank balance. There was a bad smell - with debts of over £30million, was this just an honest mistake?
24 hours later and fans can now see things are worse. We still don't know the truth, but reading between the lines of hurried press reports, the money troubles at Ninian Park are getting progressively worse. Hammam has drafted in auditors to study the financial problem at the club, jobs are set to be axed and, to boot, we have had another delay in the tedious "building" of our shiny new Leckwith stadium.
With a monthly wage bill of over £750,000, it is hardly surprising that the debt is mounting. Our highest paid player earns £12,000 a week, and though he remains a mystery figure, there is not one single player in the entire squad who deserves that kind of pay cheque. Staff have still not been paid, and the talk of a computer error would appear to be more lies. The club hope to have paid all staff by next week.
Paul Parry was rumoured to be on £8k per week but there is no confirmation of this. Whatever the figure it seems unlikely that he, and all the other players at Ninian Park, will continue to be so well rewarded.
The situation is not unlike that at Hereford in the middle nineties when the club overspent to try and keep their position in the league. In the end, Hereford went into a CVA and it took seven years to get out of it. Cardiff will be very wary of a CVA as they would be deducted ten points and so drop to bottom but one in the Championship.
Cardiff are at home to Sheffield United tomorrow. A good crowd would bring in much wanted cash but with the mood of supporters at boiling point with chairman, Sam Hammam, some may boycott the match causing more cash-flow problems.
All fit except Pitman
With the exception of Jamie Pitman, Graham Turner, the Hereford United manager, has a full squad to choose from for tomorrows' home game with Morecambe.
Adam Stansfield is said to be in contention for a place, but could miss out as Danny Carey-Bertram is having a useful run of form.
"We just got Jamie Pitman and Adam Stansfield with knocks. For this weekend I don't think Jamie is going to make it, although he's not far off and there is a possibility he will be fit for the Tamworth game next Tuesday," Turner told BBC Hereford and Worcester.
"Adam is back in training and should be fit for selection.
"So in that respect it is looking very good."
A Big Game for both teams
Tony James has told the Worcester News that tomorrow's game with Morecambe is very important.
"Obviously, we've got a few games to catch up on Barnet. Morecambe are in a similar sort of situation with games in hand. It's a pretty big game for both of us and to pick up the three points is so important," said James.
"It's always difficult trying to win your games in hand. Barnet are in a good position because they have the points and, sometimes, you never quite see yourself catching up with them.
"It's going to be very hard to make up the points but I suppose it is the old cliché. You take each game as it comes and try and put out your strongest side for each game.
"The FA Trophy games have been good for us and given us a lot of confidence. Eastwood gave us a bit of a fright but we came back well, especially in the second-half.
Harvey grumbling about backlog
The Daily Telegraph has a report about Morecambe and its fixture backlog. It should be remembered that Hereford also have a backlog and are still in the FA Trophy.
Morecambe, who have spent the past week complaining at their fixture backlog in the Nationwide Conference, may yet come to be grateful for last week's FA Trophy exit.
The 12th placed Morecambe, who are aiming to improve on their run to the play-off semi-finals two years ago, have played three games less than some of the teams above them. However, it could have been worse. But for the Trophy defeat at Burton, Morecambe would have had to postpone two further fixtures and could have been five games behind the likes of Crawley and Aldershot, who are in joint second-place.
That is the prospect facing Hereford, Morecambe's hosts tomorrow, who still remember their own play-off agony last year and could yet regret their continued involvement in the Trophy. Graham Turner's team beat Eastwood in their midweek replay to earn a home quarter-final with Hucknall, but Jim Harvey, Morecambe's manager, was probably not among those casting envious eyes in Hereford's direction.
"It's not right to be four league games behind at this stage of the season," he said before Morecambe's game at Stevenage on Tuesday. "They knew if they won that they'd go up to second, whereas we were going for 12th place."
Although Harvey was slightly happier after his team's 1-0 win, he was still grumbling. "If we had played the same number of games we would be in the top five," he said. "We are going to have to do it the hard way."
Thursday, March 03, 2005
James rates Smikle
The Hereford United captain, Tony James, seems pleased with the signing of Brian Smikle from West Bromwich Albion.
18 year old Smikle has joined the Bulls on "work experience" until the end of the season.
He made his debut at Eastwood in the Trophy game and his first start at Edgar Street last Tuesday in the replay.
"It was a bit of a shock to his system last Saturday. I think he wondered what he had come to, but on a decent pitch like ours he managed to show what he's got and hopefully with a couple more games he will get the confidence to express himself a little bit more," James told BBC Hereford and Worcester.
"He could be a good asset for us."
Bulls back to full strength
Morecambe are Hereford's first Conference opponents in a very busy March schedule tommorow afternoon, which sees United play nine times, seven in the League. Morecambe are the opponents this month, both in the league as the previous fixture at Morecambe was re-arranged.
Hereford are not the only one's with a packed fixture list, the Shrimps boss Jimmy Harvey, a former Hereford player, has also complained of the back-log. "It's not right to be four games behind at this stage of the season." He told BBC Sport. "If we had played the same games we would be in the top-five. We are going to have to do it the hard way."
"A couple of years ago we nearly went out of the league when we had to play a lot of games at the end of the season. I hope it does not cost us this time," Harvey added.
The Shrimps also have some problems with injuries; left back David Perkins has an ankle injury and is ruled out of the game as he is still in plaster. Michael Stringfellow is also a long term absentee with a torn groin muscle. He isn't expected to feature again this season.
The Bulls though, are thought to have a full squad to select from including Brian Smikle, who is on work experience from West Brom, who should make his Conference debut in the midfield. Adam Stansfield is fit again having recovered from strained ankle ligaments and Jamie Pitman is also back in contention after a calf strain. Lee Mills, who impressed as a substitute in the Trophy replay on Tuesday may also be pressing for a start.
Craig Mawson will be wanting to put Tuesday night behind him after having "a dozy night" in the words of his manager. Mawson will be keen to impress some old fans of his from his time at Morecambe. 'Killa' made more than 120 appearances for the Lancashire side in a three year spell at Christie Park.
Morecambe will have no shortage of confidence having beaten play off challengers Stevenage in the league on Tuesday night and could, with a victory, close the gap to Hereford to just two points. United will be hoping to extend their mini-run by making it four straight Conference wins and possibly move into second position, on goal difference.
Westley does a Delia
Stevenage Borough manager Graham Westley launched a scathing attack on some of the club's fans after Tuesday night's home defeat against Morecambe left their play-off hopes hanging in the balance according to local press reports.
Westley is angry at the way sections of the Broadhall Way crowd have barracked his players this season and feels this is starting to affect their form as the team enters a crucial stage of the season.
Matters came to a head following Tuesday's drab 1-0 home loss, which has left Stevenage in eighth place and just outside the play-off places.
At one stage Westley left the bench to try and encourage more support from dissenting spectators in the main stand. (tried to copy Delia?)
He was also disappointed by the meagre attendance of 1,250, easily Stevenage?s lowest league crowd of the season so far.
"Some of the abuse levelled at myself and the players on Tuesday night was unacceptable. I won't tolerate that at this club and I'm even thinking of having a word with the chief steward about it," he said.
"We are sick to death of these people knocking us and I honestly think that there is often a better atmosphere away from home.
"I don't want to point to that as an excuse but I have to ask myself, does this town want to be in the Football League? I honestly think that some of that transferred to the players," he added.
"We still have a great chance of going up but on Tuesday it did not feel like a club which is about to go up to the Football League.
"I'm calling for people to have a think about their football club because we have 10 league games to go to get into the play-offs.
"It's only when we face these issues that we have the chance to become stronger."
Hereford United are due to visit Stevenage on April 2nd, but this date will have to be changed if the Bulls defeat Hucknall in the Trophy as the first semi-final leg is due to be played on that Saturday.
Full Conference Programme on Saturday
There is a full Conference programme of eleven games on Saturday. Hereford United are at home to Morecambe for which there will be a full review tomorrow morning.
Most of the fixtures contain at least one of the clubs looking for a play-off place or even aimimg to challenge Barnet at the top.
The Bees travel to Leigh, who prop up the league, and after being defeated at York last Tuesday should take all three points. However the railwaymen are fighting for their lives and did win at Farnborough last Saturday.
Second place Crawley entertain fifth place Halifax who could only draw with Northwich last weekend. Crawley have lost just once at home so far this season and would be expected to win this contest.
Third place Aldershot have a local derby against Farnborough and should take all three points. The Shots defeated Exeter in midweek.
Fourth place Accrington Stanley also look to have a winnable game at home to Forest Green. However the Stanley manager, John Coleman, was the manager of the month for February and that isn't always a good omen for the next game or two.
Woking, who are lying sixth, travel to Northwich. The Cheshire side are just above the drop places but did snatch a point at Halifax last Saturday whereas Woking defeated Carlisle in a Trophy game. Both sides have drawn a far proportion of their games, so Woking may come away with just one point.
Pick of the matches, other than at Edgar Street, could be at Stevenage where Carlisle are the visitors. Neither team are on top form recently. Stevenage lost at home last Tuesday to Morecambe by the only goal of the game, and Carlisle hasn't found much form since New Year. Another possible draw.
Exeter have to make the long trip to York. The Grecians won their Trophy game last Saturday but lost to the Shots on Tuesday whereas York, perhaps surprisingly defeated, Barnet. It would help the Bulls if the Yorkshire men could take all three points but that could be a tall order.
List of results from recent years
The profit of £298,585 is the highest acheived at Hereford United for many years.
Below is a record of results from recent years. All refer to the year ending May 31st.
2004 profit £298,585
2003 loss £14,840
2002 loss £21,670
2001 loss £108,913
2000 profit £70,524
1999 loss £162,074
1998 loss £194,450
1997 loss £262,844
The current which ends next May also looks as though it will show a profit. Although gate receipts will be reduced, transfer money from both the remaining part of the Paul Parry transfer and Gavin Williams sell-on will be included.
At present perhaps a profit of around £100,000 might be made but if Hereford United get to the FA Trophy final and into the play-offs then the figure could be somewhat higher.
Highest profit for years
After years of depressing accounts, Hereford United have turned one of the best profits for many years. The results detailed in todays Hereford Times show that the club made £298,585 in the year to May 31 2004.
The improvement mainly came from two areas, gate revenue and transfer fees.
Gate revenue rose from £239,457 to £586,882 and transfer fees from £8,236 to £138,750.
On the down side, income from broadcasting was down because there had been a Sky fee for a Cup game in 2003. The figure dropped from £139,388 to £53,370.
Wages and salaries rose from £474,719 to £543,780. It is beleived part of the increase was because of bonuses paid to players after coming second in the Conference last season.
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
Excellent discipline record helps Hereford
So far this season Hereford United have an excellent discipline record with just two red and twenty one yellow cards in Conference games. Three of the cards went to on-loan goalkeeper Jonathan Gould. These stats come from Confguide.
No player has reached five yellow cards and so there have been only two players suspended so far.
The rules changed on March 1st so there are unlikely to be any players out for suspensions for the rest of the season unless given a red card.
The FA rules state that until the end of February if a player accumulates five yellows he misses one first team match.
But from March 1st the rule is that if a player accumulates five recorded cautions between the opening day of the Playing Season and the last day of the same Season he will be "warned as to his future conduct".
With no Hereford player on more than three cautions it is unlikely that anyone will reach ten cautions before the second Sunday of April when he would be suspended automatically for a period covering two first tem matches.
This means that at least Graham Turner goes into the busiest period of the season with no pending or expected suspensions other than for red cards.
Round Two to the Bulls
Glynis Wright watched the Trophy replay last night. Below, in her inimitable style, are her thoughts on the game.
Tuesday night, and Tarzan vs Godzilla Round Two beckoned. Well, I suppose I may exaggerate a tadge, here - what we actually witnessed wasn't exactly Johnny Weismuller yodelling fit to bust and hauling himself around the jungle on vine strands, with the aforementioned anthropoid in hot pursuit, but the eagerly awaited second instalment of that fascinating (if decidedly muddy) Badger-Bull FA Trophy encounter I told you about the other day - and once more both clubs did everyone (and the game in general, when you think about it) proud. No kid, here, everyone concerned witnessed a cracking game of football, with, as I expected, our bovine chums eventually grabbing the spoils (and a quarter-final crack at Hucknall FC into the bargain) by four goals to two. And, a rarity for Hereford in knock-out action thus far this season, without the entire blasted shebang going to extra time and penalties.
Prices were reduced considerably for this one, and I have to say, this footballing equivalent of a Tesco loss-leader certainly proved quite a bargain buy. On a chilly night, close to freezing-point, and in front of a crowd of 1070 hardy Herefordian souls (they do breed 'em tough in zoider country, oo arr!) it was the visitors that first took the lead, and with less than 20 minutes gone. The lad responsible, a chappie called Knox, must have been most surprised to see his effort being assisted considerably by the inability of the Bulls' keeper to concentrate on what he was doing properly; positioning himself where he certainly "shouldner oughter" for an experienced Conference custodian, the Eastwood striker, a prison officer by day, well and truly banged in (or should that be "up"?) the effort, leaving Chummy looking very silly indeed. Much anger and angst in the main stand, where we were; one chap a few rows behind me, whose ruddy cheeks were a pretty glowing testament to Bulmer's most famous fermented apple product, really worried me. Was he, or was he not, going to succumb to an apoplectic fit, I wondered? And should he do so, was I prepared to risk rapid intoxication myself by giving the old coot the kiss of life?
Once the ref pointed to the centre circle, much mumbling and muttering ensued in the West Stand, most of it from people who hadn't travelled to the first game, and therefore didn't fully appreciate just how good the visitors were. But there was one enormous advantage Hereford had that they most certainly didn't last Saturday - a playing surface you could plonk a spirit-level on, and certain knowledge the little bubble would unerringly land plumb-spang right in the middle of the apparatus. As our chum Nick Brade somewhat caustically remarked apropos the first tie, Eastwood's got to be the only ground where the linos have to use Stannah stair-lifts to get them from one end to the other! and furthermore, one that boasted a full complement of greenery on every part of the pitch. Luxury! Gradually, patiently, the home side constructed their killer strike - and following several "near-miss" episodes, their just reward came with but nine minutes remaining to the break. The lad that put the smiles back on the faces of all those serial cider-sluggers in the stand? Young Carey-Bertram, that's who.
That equaliser certainly bunged new life, renewed heart, into those team-mates of his. There wasn't time to do much more before the interval, but afterwards was a completely different kettle of fish. No sooner had the ref's whistle signalled the restart, the home side rammed the gear-stick straight into "overdrive" and the visitors quickly began to rock, then roll; first the post, then the crossbar rattled mightily. It could only be a matter of time before another almighty Bull charge brought its reward, so no surprise, then, in the 62nd minute, when another ex-Baggie James struck to give them the lead for the first time.
The opposition being part-timers, and Hereford the genuine article, once the Conference outfit levelled, it then became quite evident the game could only go one way. With about 15 minutes remaining, yet another young ex-Albionite did Tucka Trewick proud; this time, it was the turn of their newest loan recruit, Smikle, to inflict the damage, and by doing so, thoroughly sew up the evening's proceedings. But there was still a curious twist to the tail of this remarkable plot to come; well a couple, actually. Within a minute or so of Smikle's exquisite strike, it was Williams's turn to get on the score-sheet, which made things 4-1, and game over, seemingly - but I was dead wrong. Just four minutes later, the Bulls keeper Craig Mawson made one of the biggest mullocks I've ever witnessed in forty years of watching the round-ball game. What happened? Well, one second there was a custodian belting the ball away up the field of play, the next it was rebounding off Knox into the net. Nuff said. Or maybe not. So bad, it was good; had he ever received lessons from Albion's serial custodial cocker-up Paul Crichton, I wondered? (Curiously the internet tells me that he genuinely had lessons from Stuart "Bruiser" Naylor which is alarming)
Mind you, by then, the visitors were totally knackered, and quite clearly somewhat incapable of making further hay while the moon shone. Four-two was the score come the end of the full ration, and the near 1100 spectators (around 45 travelled from Nottinghamshire, by the way) went home reasonably happy. As for the Bulls, a ticket to the quarter-final and a home tie versus Hucknall Town now beckoned. Fair play to Eastwood, though; despite being two Leagues lower in the pecking-order than the Edgar Street mob, they'd really made it difficult for the home side, especially at their place. Some of their players - I'm thinking both strikers and their keeper, here - seemed easily capable of turning in consistently good performances at a higher level than the one they were currently at. The aforementioned Peter Knox has netted in the mid-twenties already. And not once did they try to kick lumps out of the opposition, either, even after they'd conceded two in a minute.
Chambers thinks Hucknall will beat Bulls
Eastwood manager, Bryan Chambers, thinks Hucknall will beat Hereford United in the next round of the Trophy says a report from the Eastwood Website.
Chambers was proud of his teams performance last night.
"The lads gave a magnificent account of themselves.We could have been 3-0 up before they equalised," said Chambers.
"We hit the post and Lindon had a one on one with the keeper that was well saved.
"In the last quarter of an hour they showed their extra class and kept the ball.
"Their fans gave us a standing ovation after the whistle. I am so proud of the lads. We're disappointed but can't be anything but happy with our performance over both games.
"I reckon Hucknall will beat them though."
Meanwhile Hereford United captain Tony James told BBC Hereford and Worcester that the performance last night was not as good as it should have been.
"Their goal probably woke us up a bit. I think it was a kick up the backside that we needed.
"We managed to come on top in the last twenty of the first half and then in the second half we gathered a bit of momentum, put some pressure on and then got the goals we deserved."
Turner praises Eastwood
The Hereford United manager, Graham Turner, has told the Evening News, now rebranded the Worcester News, that he was surprised just how good Eastwood played last night in the Trophy match.
"It was a hell of a difficult match for us," said Turner. "I think it was as hard a game as we have had this season.
"They didn't half cause us some problems early on in the game. We were fortunate perhaps in the first 15 to 20 minutes that we were only one down.
"I think we got caught a little bit ragged. We were a little bit gung-ho with people wanting to charge forward and we got caught and nearly paid a severe penalty.
"In the end, it was fairly comfortable. We scored four, hit the woodwork four times, and their 'keeper made one or two good saves. We always looked capable of scoring, we created a lot of chances and overall we deserved to win it.
"There was some pleasing aspects and, obviously, some alarming ones. Craig Mawson kept us in the tie on Saturday but he's had a dozy night and he knows it."
As regards Eastwood Turner noted:"I've been somewhat surprised by their standard I thought they were a good side and very lively up front."
The Evening News confirmed that it was Hereford United captain Tony James' first goal from open play since March 2002 at Scarborough and his first at Edgar Street since the FA Cup defeat by Newport Isle of Wight in October 1998.
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
Revised fixture list for March
Below we print a revised fixture list for the remainder of March as far as is known this morning:
March 5th Morecambe Conf League Home 3pm
March 8th Tamworth Conf League Away 7.45pm
March 12th Hucknall FA Trophy Home 3pm
March 15th Carlisle Home Conf League Home 7.45pm(assuming no Trophy replay)
March 19th Crawley Town Conf League Home 3pm
March 22nd Morecambe Conf League Away 7.45pm
March 25th (Good Friday) Farnborough Conf League Away 3pm
March 28th (Easter Monday) Northwich Conf League Home 3pm
The Herefordshire Cup game against Kington Town was postponed last night and so will need to be played shortly. It is thought that it could take place place as soon as Thursday March 10th BUT this is not yet confirmed.
The game against Forest Green Rovers due to be played on March 12th will also have to be played at a later date. There has been a suggestion that this could be played on Wednesday March 30th BUT again this is not confirmed.
Trouble at Hucknall Trophy game.
Hucknall Town supporters were involved in trouble at their FA Trophy match last weekend at Cambridge City reports the Cambridge News. Hucknall travel to Hereford in the next round on March 12th.
Seven supporters were ejected as fans clashed at Cambridge City's home game against Hucknall Town.
The trouble began midway through the first half of Saturday's FA Trophy clash, when a visiting fan attempted to tear down a flag put up by City fans known as the Shed Choir.
One Hucknall fan later claimed the incident involved just one supporter who took offence to City supporters chanting 'You're a Muppet town near Mansfield'.
Stewards moved in to separate supporters, with police called in on the advice of City manager Gary Roberts, himself a police constable. Officers arrived at half time and seven youths were thrown out of the ground.
There were reports a woman police officer was punched while fans were being evicted. The youths are believed to have then tried to get served at the nearby Portland Arms pub but were refused.
It was claimed a dozen football fans who have been banned from Football League grounds were on a coach from a pub in Hucknall and some had been drinking since 8.30am.
Arthur Eastham, City chairman, said Hucknall's true supporters were "absolutely brilliant", but a "bunch of idiots" had caused problems and spoiled the game.
He said: "Gary Roberts actually got hold of a spectators' mobile, rang me and said these lads need evicting.
"I thought people's safety was paramount . If it was heavy-handed, I don't care. I think we did the right thing."
Mr Roberts said: "I am not blaming Hucknall. A lot of them were people banned from Football League grounds who came to cause trouble."
The road to Villa Park
After last night's victory over Eastwood, Hereford United are on the road to Villa Park. And with what should be a relatively easy match in the next round against Hucknall, the Bulls will be hoping to reach the semi-final.
However the semi's are a two-legged affair and those two games will mean another two postponments of Conference fixtures. The games against Stevenage on April 2nd and York the following Saturday would be affected.
The Trophy dates are as follows:
Sixth Round
Saturday 12 March 2005
Semi Final 1
Saturday 2 April 2005
Semi Final 2
Saturday 9 April 2005
Final
Sunday 22 May 2005
United prove too good for Badgers
Hereford United overcame an early scare to book their place in the quarter finals of the F.A. Trophy at Edgar Street this evening. United, unchanged from the original tie last Saturday, fell behind but recovered with a good second half performance to progress to the next round, when they will face Hucknall Town at Edgar Street.
Eastwood troubled their hosts from the start and were unlucky not to be three or four goals to the good at half time. Craig Mawson, who will want to forget his performance as quickly as possible, had failed to claim a high ball from Paul Mitchell to Peter Knox, as the latter stuck onto the cross bar. Moments earlier Brian Smikle had headed directly at Danny Bryant at the other end, after Mark Robinson's left wing cross.
Mawson then presented the ball straight to the feet of Mitchell after a pass back to the goalkeeper. Mawson did though, save himself from total embarrassment by smothering at the feet of the attacker, who couldn't have expected the pass from the goalie. You would have thought that Mawson would have woken up by now, but he was again at fault when Eastwood finally took the lead. Knox raced onto a hopeful ball into the corner and spotted Mawson off his line, as he had began to race out to challenge him but then stopped in his tracks, and then lifted the ball over him and into an unguarded net.
Eastwood continued to create opportunities, and should have doubled the lead when Knox met a cross at the near post but somehow directed his header wide. Hereford then, finally, threatened at the other end. Smikle's run won the Bulls a corner which fell to Danny Williams on the edge of the box. His shot was parried and Rob Purdie's follow up was blocked on the line. Williams then struck a thirty-yard free kick which was parried away to Danny Carey-Bertram, who hit the post from a tight angle.
Hereford were on top at this stage and looked set to equalise when Purdie found space in the box, but hammered his shot inches wide. Hereford's patient play eventually paid off with nine minutes of the half remaining. Tony James bought the ball out of the defence and knocked a pass to the right, where Smikle crossed to the far post for Carey-Bertram to fire in low into the near bottom corner. Colin Daniel was replaced at left back, an area where the Bulls were having a lot of success, by Chris Shaw. United had one more chance before the break, following a good throw in move the ball was layed onto Craig Stanley who hammered his shot from the edge of the box against the angle of the post and cross bar.
The second half started slowly, with United enjoying large amounts of possession. Graham Hyde shot at the 'keeper after an opening had been worked for him before, somehow, Stanley hit the bar from no more than two yards out when Simon Travis crossed to the far post. The ball was cleared for a corner, from which James had a header cleared off the line. Hereford were pressuring heavily, and the second goal was becoming inevitable. Carey-Bertram's shot was deflected for a corner in the sixty first minute. Williams crossed for the skipper, and man of the match, James who headed in to give United the lead.
Purdie broke in from the left but his shot was blocked and put out for a corner. Carey-Bertram, chipped for Stanley on the edge of the box, whose volley was caught by Bryant as the Bulls started to cruise. Lee Mills was introduced for Carey-Bertram then, and almost scored with his first touch, a header. He was then involved in the third goal moments after. He held up play, and then flicked the ball off for Travis, who then found Purdie on the left. Purdie found the run of Smikle with a neat pass, and Smikle scored with a shot that went in off the far post.
A minute later, the result was put in no doubt. Smikle played a long, hopeful pass, which Purdie raced onto. His first time effort was pushed away by the 'keeper but Williams was first to the rebound and hammered into the far bottom corner, beyond the reach of a recovering defender for 4-1.
The Bulls were now cruising and passing the ball around at ease, but Mawson was still not done for the evening. The ball was played back to him and he was close down quickly by Knox. He attempted to clear, but it hit Knox and bounced into the goal, to the delight of the 47 travelling supporters. Andy Tretton and Ryan Green were bought on late on for United in place of James and Travis.
In injury time, the Bulls almost increased their lead further. Purdie won a free kick on the edge of the box, which Williams fired against the cross bar and then Mills held the ball up well in the area, and layed on for Williams, who somehow failed to beat Bryant from close range.
Eastwood should be happy with the performance, as they battled hard throughout the whole game and caused United all sorts of problems in the opening half an hour. They may look back on the first half and wonder how they didn't have the game settled by half time. United, in front of 1,090, will be pleased that they have progressed to the quarter final and picked up the prize money of £6,000 in the process.
HUFC Team: Mawson, Travis, Mkandawire, James, Robinson, Williams, Hyde, Stanley, Smikle, Carey-Bertram, Purdie. Subs: Tretton, Green, Scott, Brown, Mills.
Bulls go through after initial shock
Hereford United defeated Eastwood Town 4-2 this evening at Edgar Street, but the Bulls didn't have it all their own way as Eastwood could have gone three up in the first fifteen minutes and overall gave a very creditable performance. Full report shortly.
The next round of the Trophy will be on March 12th when Hereford entertain Hucknall at Edgar Street.
Meanwhile results in the Conference have gone in Hereford's favour again. Barnet, the leaders, lost at York 2-1.Aldershot beat Exeter 2-1 and Stevenage lost at home to Morecambe by the only goal of the match.
Hereford United now lie in seventh position with games in hand over all but Carlisle.
1 Barnet 32 33 66
2 Crawley Town 32 7 52
3 Aldershot 32 5 52
4 Accrington Stanley 31 13 51
5 Halifax 30 14 50
6 Woking 30 13 50
7 Hereford 29 12 50
8 Stevenage 32 8 50
9 Carlisle 29 23 47
10 Exeter 30 11 46
11 Dag & Red 31 2 46
12 Morecambe 29 9 45
It's a good draw says Trewick
John Trewick, the Hereford United coach, has been telling the Evening News about the Trophy draw and his hopes for a victory against Eastwood this evening.
"We think that's a good draw," said Trewick. "Again it's a good incentive to get through to the next round. There is a good opportunity to get through to the semi-finals.
"Hucknall are mid-table in Nationwide North and I've actually seen them play at Redditch earlier this season. They are not a bad side. They have one or two players who are above that level.
"It should whet the appetite for our supporters but, of course, that's on the back burner for the moment. We have got to make sure we beat Eastwood to give ourselves that opportunity. Eastwood will be just as pleased with the draw and they will want to get through."
Trewick then spoke about the replay this evening.
"We've got to make sure we finish the job off. Obviously, we are the favourites to win but they are not going to lie down.
"It was tough on Saturday but give every credit to Eastwood, they pushed us hard. They closed us down and gave us a battle from the start.
"They are no mugs and have a number of players that could probably play at a higher level.
"It was a massive game for them. They had everything to gain and nothing to lose. It was close but the pitch was probably the worst I've seen for a good number of years.
"We deserved at least a draw and there were enough chances for us to get through at the first time of asking."
Tonight's game kicks-off at 7.45pm and admission is £9 for adults and £5 for concessions.
For those unable to get to Edgar Street, there will be reports into the evening programme on BBC Hereford and Worcester.
There should be a full report on this site around 11pm.
Eastwood confirm no illegal players
Suggestions, backed up by the match report on the Official Hereford United website, that the Bulls played an illegal player, Brian Smikle, have been dismissed according to the Official Eastwood Website.
Following rumours on various forums that Hereford United fielded an ineligible player on Saturday, Eastwood Town Football Club has issued the following statement:-
"F.A. Officials have confirmed that all players who took part in the F.A.Trophy game between Eastwood Town FC and Hereford United FC on Saturday 26th February were registered in time to play."
Meanwhile the Derbyshire Telegraph is reporting that Eastwood striker, Deon Meikle, and manager, Bryan Chambers, both face a busy day as they work as car salesmen and it is new car registration day.
Chambers is confident he will be able to arrange delivery of a new batch of Mercedes in time to make the trip - and is hoping 19-year-old Meikle can get away.
"I've had a word with Deon's boss to try and persuade him to let him leave early," said Chambers.
"But I could really do without this."