1973–74 Hereford United F.C. season

Hereford United
1973–74 season
Chairman	Frank Miles
Manager	Colin Addison
Stadium	Edgar Street
Division Three	18th
League Cup	First round
FA Cup	Fourth round
Welsh Cup	Fourth round
Top goalscorer	League: Brian Evans (8); All: Brian Evans and Jim Hinch (9)
Highest home attendance	17,431 v Bristol City, FA Cup, 26 January 1974
Lowest home attendance	3810 v Plymouth Argyle, Division Three, 20 February 1974
Average home league attendance	8040
Biggest win	3–0 v Brighton & Hove Albion (H), Division Three, 27 October 1973; 3–0 v Walton & Hersham (H), FA Cup, 15 December 1973; 3–0 v Southport (H), Division Three, 30 March 1974
Biggest defeat	0–5 v Wrexham (A), Division Three, 22 December 1973
	← 1972–73 1974–75 →

The 1973–74 season was the 44th season of competitive football played by Hereford United Football Club and their second in the Football League. Following promotion in their debut league season, the club competed in Division Three, as well as the League Cup, FA Cup and Welsh Cup.

Summary

Hereford enjoyed a steady start to the season and were as high as fifth in the table by the end of October. A sequence of only four wins in 17 matches between December and March checked their progress, but a nine-match unbeaten run pulled them clear of danger to an eventual 18th-place finish, eight points above the relegation zone.

In the FA Cup, Hereford evoked memories of their giant-killing exploits two years earlier with a 2–1 replay win over West Ham United in the third round. Alan Jones struck the winning goal after a late Pat Holland equaliser had denied Hereford victory in the first match at Upton Park. The Cup run ended in the next round at the hands of Bristol City.

On 26 September 1973, Brian Evans, a pre-season signing from Swansea City, became the first Hereford player to win an international cap when he featured in Wales' 3–0 defeat against Poland in a World Cup qualifier.^[1]

Squad

Players who made one appearance or more for Hereford United F.C. during the 1973-74 season

Pos.	Nat.	Name	League		League Cup		FA Cup		Welsh Cup		Total
Pos.	Nat.	Name	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
GK	ENG	Peta Bala'c (on loan from Plymouth Argyle)	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	3	0
GK	SCO	Tommy Hughes	43	0	1	0	5	0	0	0	49	0
GK	ENG	Fred Potter	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
DF	ENG	David Carver	14	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	16	0
DF	ENG	Steve Emery	7	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	7	0
DF	WAL	Alan Jones	24(1)	1	0	0	4	2	1	0	29(1)	3
DF	WAL	Mick McLaughlin	43	0	1	0	5	0	0	0	49	0
DF	ENG	Ken Mallender	26(1)	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	27(1)	1
DF	ENG	Tommy Naylor	36	4	1	0	5	1	1	0	43	5
DF	ENG	Billy Tucker	36	1	1	0	1	0	0	0	38	1
MF	ENG	Colin Addison	7	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	9	0
MF	WAL	Brian Evans	30(1)	8	1	0	5	1	0	0	36(1)	9
MF	ENG	Alan Gane	6(3)	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	6(3)	1
MF	ENG	Harry Gregory	21	2	0	0	2	0	0	0	23	2
MF	ENG	Ron Radford	33	3	1	0	5	0	0	0	39	3
MF	ENG	David Rudge	27(4)	3	1	0	4	0	1	0	33(4)	3
MF	ENG	Colin Tavener	22	2	1	0	3	0	1	0	27	2
MF	ENG	Paul Taylor (on loan from York City)	0(1)	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1(1)	0
MF	ENG	Dudley Tyler	21	2	0	0	4	1	1	0	26	3
FW	SCO	Gary Bell (on loan from Cardiff City)	8	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	8	0
FW	SCO	Willie Brown (on loan from Newport County)	9	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	9	5
FW	ENG	Jim Hinch	22(5)	7	0	0	5	2	1	0	28(5)	9
FW	ENG	David Jenkins	10(2)	0	1	0	0(1)	0	1	1	12(3)	1
FW	ENG	Paul Lee	12(4)	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	12(4)	2
FW	ENG	Brian Owen	15(6)	2	0(1)	0	2(2)	1	0	0	17(9)	3
FW	ENG	Eric Redrobe	21(4)	5	1	0	3(1)	1	0	0	25(5)	6
FW	ENG	John Ritchie	10(1)	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	10(1)	3

^[2]^[3]

League table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv	Pts
16	Tranmere Rovers	46	15	15	16	50	44	1.136	45
17	Plymouth Argyle	46	17	10	19	59	54	1.093	44
18	Hereford United	46	14	15	17	53	57	0.930	43
19	Brighton & Hove Albion	46	16	11	19	52	58	0.897	43
20	Port Vale	46	14	14	18	52	58	0.897	42

Source: rsssf.com

Results

Third Division

25 August 1973 1	Grimsby Town	1–3	Hereford United	Cleethorpes
	Chatterley 88'		Tavener 73' Tucker 77' Evans 90'	Stadium: Blundell Park Attendance: 10,709

1 September 1973 2	Hereford United	1–0	Blackburn Rovers	Hereford
	Gregory 68'			Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 9483

8 September 1973 3	Charlton Athletic	2–0	Hereford United	London
	Horsfield 60', 73'			Stadium: The Valley Attendance: 5640

11 September 1973 4	Bristol Rovers	1–1	Hereford United	Bristol
	Taylor 90'		Redrobe 7'	Stadium: Eastville Attendance: 12,620

15 September 1973 5	Hereford United	1–1	Watford	Hereford
	Evans 26'		Lees 50'	Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 8634

19 September 1973 6	Hereford United	0–2	Tranmere Rovers	Hereford
			Young 52' Loyden 90'	Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 9004

22 September 1973 7	Halifax Town	1–1	Hereford United	Halifax
	Gwyther 84'		Mallender 7'	Stadium: The Shay Attendance: 12,620

29 September 1973 8	Hereford United	2–0	Wrexham	Hereford
	Radford 39' Redrobe 89'			Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 8245

6 October 1973 9	Port Vale	1–3	Hereford United	Stoke-on-Trent
	Woodward 58'		Owen 56' Evans 71' Redrobe 85'	Stadium: Vale Park Attendance: 5802

8 October 1973 10	Tranmere Rovers	0–0	Hereford United	Birkenhead
				Stadium: Prenton Park Attendance: 5943

13 October 1973 11	Hereford United	0–0	Cambridge United	Hereford
				Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 8522

19 October 1973 12	Southend United	2–1	Hereford United	Southend-on-Sea
	Albeson 45' (pen.) Brace 83'		Gregory 68'	Stadium: Roots Hall Attendance: 6083

24 October 1973 13	Hereford United	0–0	Bristol Rovers	Hereford
				Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 12,501

27 October 1973 14	Hereford United	3–0	Brighton & Hove Albion	Hereford
	Lee 27' Evans 44' Gane 90'			Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 8139

2 November 1973 15	Southport	1–1	Hereford United	Southport
	Moore 83'		Hinch 65'	Stadium: Haig Avenue Attendance: 2549

10 November 1973 16	Hereford United	3–4	Oldham Athletic	Hereford
	Hinch 20', 65' Lee 35'		Jones 11', 14' Blair 19' Lochhead 21'	Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 8843

12 November 1973 17	York City	0–0	Hereford United	York
				Stadium: Bootham Crescent Attendance: 7433

17 November 1973 18	Hereford United	0–1	Huddersfield Town	Hereford
			Gowling 30'	Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 7925

1 December 1973 19	Hereford United	3–1	Walsall	Hereford
	Tyler 36' Hinch 43' Evans 71'		Andrews 81'	Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 7747

8 December 1973 20	Chesterfield	1–1	Hereford United	Chesterfield
	Phelan 67'		Tiler 77' (o.g.)	Stadium: Saltergate Attendance: 4343

22 December 1973 21	Wrexham	5–0	Hereford United	Wrexham
	Griffiths 4', 64' (pen.), 82' Whittle 85', 90'			Stadium: Racecourse Ground Attendance: 5156

26 December 1973 22	Hereford United	0–2	Bournemouth	Hereford
			Sainty 11' Boyer 90'	Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 10,909

29 December 1973 23	Hereford United	2–3	Charlton Athletic	Hereford
	Naylor 50' (pen.) Jones 85'		Jones 3' (o.g.) Flanagan 28' Horsfield 56'	Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 7752

1 January 1974 24	Blackburn Rovers	1–2	Hereford United	Blackburn
	Hutchins 67'		Tavener 3' Rudge 87'	Stadium: Ewood Park Attendance: 9720

12 January 1974 25	Watford	2–1	Hereford United	Watford
	Jennings 61', 65'		Evans 7'	Stadium: Vicarage Road Attendance: 7548

19 January 1974 26	Hereford United	2–1	Grimsby Town	Hereford
	Naylor 22' (pen.) Evans 25'		Booth 24'	Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 10,287

3 February 1974 27	Aldershot	1–0	Hereford United	Aldershot
	Howarth 22'			Stadium: Recreation Ground Attendance: 9109

17 February 1974 28	Cambridge United	2–0	Hereford United	Cambridge
	Lennard 25' Ferguson 80'			Stadium: Abbey Stadium Attendance: 5728

20 February 1974 29	Hereford United	0–1	Plymouth Argyle	Hereford
			Reed 46'	Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 3810

23 February 1974 30	Hereford United	2–1	Port Vale	Hereford
	Owen 37' Radford 47'		Woodward 4'	Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 6566

26 February 1974 31	Rochdale	1–1	Hereford United	Rochdale
	Brennan 79'		Rudge 39'	Stadium: Spotland Attendance: 1195

2 March 1974 32	Bournemouth	3–2	Hereford United	Bournemouth
	Sainty 29' (pen.) Chadwick 67' Greenhalgh 72'		Radford 65' Naylor 80' (pen.)	Stadium: Dean Court Attendance: 8370

10 March 1974 33	Brighton & Hove Albion	2–1	Hereford United	Hove
	Beamish 64' Piper 88'		Tyler 6'	Stadium: Goldstone Ground Attendance: 17,061

13 March 1974 34	Hereford United	3–1	Halifax Town	Hereford
	Brown 17', 73' Redrobe 79'		Wilkie 87'	Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 6170

16 March 1974 35	Hereford United	1–2	Southend United	Hereford
	Rudge 6'		Moody 7' Silvester 90'	Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 7138

20 March 1974 36	Hereford United	0–2	Aldershot	Hereford
			Howarth 57', 59'	Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 6424

23 March 1974 37	Oldham Athletic	1–1	Hereford United	Oldham
	Lochhead 43'		Ritchie 17'	Stadium: Boundary Park Attendance: 11,379

26 March 1974 38	Plymouth Argyle	0–1	Hereford United	Plymouth
			Brown 58'	Stadium: Home Park Attendance: 7516

30 March 1974 39	Hereford United	3–0	Southport	Hereford
	Hinch 31' Brown 40', 62'			Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 6186

3 April 1974 40	Hereford United	2–1	Rochdale	Hereford
	Ritchie 48' Hinch 51'		Hanvey 65'	Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 6659

6 April 1974 41	Hereford United	0–0	York City	Hereford
				Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 7866

13 April 1974 42	Huddersfield Town	0–0	Hereford United	Huddersfield
				Stadium: Leeds Road Attendance: 4148

15 April 1974 43	Hereford United	1–1	Shrewsbury Town	Hereford
	Ritchie 33'		Moir 74'	Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 9005

16 April 1974 44	Shrewsbury Town	1–1	Hereford United	Shrewsbury
	Marlowe 48'		Evans 90'	Stadium: Gay Meadow Attendance: 5580

20 April 1974 45	Hereford United	2–1	Chesterfield	Hereford
	Naylor 65' (pen.) Redrobe 76'		Kabia 10'	Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 7109

27 April 1974 46	Walsall	3–1	Hereford United	Walsall
	Buckley 27' Taylor 28', 37'		Hinch 58'	Stadium: Fellows Park Attendance: 4167

^[4]^[5]

League Cup

29 August 1973 First round	Cardiff City	2–0	Hereford United	Cardiff
	McCulloch 41', 60'			Stadium: Ninian Park Attendance: 9821

^[2]^[6]

FA Cup

24 November 1973 First round	Hereford United	3–1	Torquay United	Hereford
	Evans 42' Hinch 66' Owen 74'		Morrall 34'	Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 8331

15 December 1973 Second round	Hereford United	3–0	Walton & Hersham	Hereford
	Hinch 21' Tyler 57' Jones 61'			Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 10,431

5 January 1974 Third round	West Ham United	1–1	Hereford United	London
	Holland 88'		Redrobe 21'	Stadium: Upton Park Attendance: 23,087

9 January 1974 Third round replay	Hereford United	2–1	West Ham United	Hereford
	Naylor 35' (pen.) Jones 74'		Best 33'	Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 17,423

26 January 1974 Fourth round	Hereford United	0–1	Bristol City	Hereford
			Merrick 17'	Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 17,431

^[2]^[7]

Welsh Cup

16 January 1974 Fourth round	Worcester City	2–1	Hereford United	Worcester
	Aggio 23' Ross 24'		Jenkins 21'	Stadium: St George's Lane Attendance: 715

^[2]

References

^ Parrott 1998, pp. 21–25
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Parrott 1998, pp. 178–179
^ Rothmans 1974-75, pp. 271–272
^ Parrott 1998, pp. 174–177
^ Rothmans 1974-75, p. 270
^ Rothmans 1974-75, p. 548
^ Rothmans 1974-75, pp. 528–534

Bibliography

Parrott, Ron (1998). Hereford United: The League Era - A Complete Record. Desert Island Books. ISBN 1-874287-18-X.
Rothmans Football Yearbook 1974-75 (Editor: Peter Dunk). Queen Anne Press. ISBN 0-362-00171-5.