Famous for its cider, prime British beef and stunning cathedral, Hereford is a place you can’t help but fall in love with. With such green and pleasant land, not to mention the vibrant shopping arcade in the city centre, what’s not to love about Hereford? Even the best chicken kievs are made there , at the local Sun Valley factory !
Hereford United fans are certainly proud of the place, and their football team, who continue to put the city on the map with competitive league football.
The Johnstone’s Paint Trophy made the trip to Edgar Street to speak to supporters ahead of their game with Aldershot Town in the second round of the competition, before soaking up the action inside the ground.
The Bulls, like Hereford itself, are thoroughly likeable for so many reasons. Who can forget Ronnie Radford’s screamer in the FA Cup against Newcastle in 1972? John Motson going bananas on the microphone, and the Meadow End bouncing as fans flocked onto the pitch to celebrate.
The club appear to have a love for cup competitions, and after that watershed moment against Malcolm Macdonald and co, other highlights include a draw with Arsenal in the League Cup in 1985.
And isn’t the Edgar Street pitch the widest in the league? Always a nice little stat that can never be ignored in a Hereford United feature!
Realism is a word not always associated with the average football fan. Many demand success yesterday, or clamour for a sacking tomorrow. But Hereford United supporters are a different breed. And what a few Premier League managers wouldn’t give for some more supporters of their ilk.
You get the impression that since Hereford got relegated back in 1997, the bigger picture has never been far away.
League football was sorely missed in the Shire for many years, and since returning to the fold, supporters are not only glad to be back, but only too aware of how much worse things could be.
So despite relegation from League One last season, the atmosphere around the place was great, as the club prepared for a tilt in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy.
Aldershot on a chilly autumn Tuesday night might not immediately capture the imagination, but the atmosphere was good, particularly on the terraces behind the goal, and the hospitality even better inside the ground.
John Trewick has certainly got his team playing some great football, and it looks like the future is as bright inside Edgar Street as it is around the city.
The game itself ended up 2-2 in an intriguing encounter, with the Shots scoring with the last kick of the game to take the tie to penalties.
But Hereford kept their nerve, and their fans can look forward to anoother date with the Johnstone's Paint Trophy soon, as well as a celebratory pint of the local cider and one of those steak pies . It's no wonder chairman Graham Turner has stayed here for so long!
©2009 Johnstone's Paint Site by Cogent Elliott
