1970's and 1980's

The 1969/70 campaign is predominantly remembered for the signing of United favourite Dudley Tyler. Southern League defences were terrorised by Tyler over the next three seasons, supported by Billy Meadows, Brian Owen, Fred Potter, Alan Jones and Bruce Walker.

At long last, Hereford had a side to be feared. Colin Addison took over the reigns from John Charles and quickly added to the already fearsome squad. After years of being regarded as one of the country’s best supported and most successful non-league sides, the 1971/72 season would go down in the club’s history as one of the best.

After gaining a highly creditable 2-2 draw with First Division Newcastle United at St James Park in the FA Cup Third Round, the teams met again at Edgar Street in a much postponed replay. After taking a late lead through Malcolm MacDonald, Newcastle looked certain to progress into the Fourth Round. However, Ronnie Radford hadn’t read the script, and sent the home fans into frenzy with a thirty-five yard screamer (see below and gallery section) to send the tie into extra time. Substitute, Ricky George’s winner gave Hereford a famous 2-1 win, the first time a non-league side had beaten a First Division club since 1949.

Another top flight club, West Ham United, were Hereford’s FA Cup Fourth Round opponents. Hereford hit the post late on in a game that ended goalless in front of a capacity Edgar Street crowd, and the Hammers eventually ended the Bulls’ historic cup run with a 3-1 win in the replay. World Cup hero, Geoff Hurst, scored a hat-trick.

A glut of fixtures cost United the league championship, as they eventually finished runners-up to Chelmsford City. However, Hereford’s amazing season would end on a high, as on June 2nd 1972, they fulfilled their dream of being elected to the Football League.

Barrow, who had been relegated from the Third Division, tied with United in the election ballot, with both clubs recording 26 votes a piece. The second ballot saw Barrow receive 20 votes, but Hereford’s 29 meant that they would deservedly gain entry into the Football League.

In Hereford’s first ever season in the Football League; they finished as runners-up to Southport, gaining promotion to the Third Division with record crowds swarming to Edgar Street.

Both the 1973/4 and 1974/5 campaigns saw a period of consolidation, but with the added impetus and thrust under new manager John Sillett, United took the Third Division by storm and romped away with the championship, finishing six points clear of rivals Cardiff City.

Much of The Bulls’ success was put down to Sillett’s inspirational signing, Dixie McNeil, who finished as the Football League’s leading marksman in two successive seasons. Unfortunately, the squad was apparently not strong enough and the following year in 1976/77, Hereford were relegated from the Second Division. However, it still remains as United’s highest ever League position to date.

With the club in a state of decline, a second successive relegation followed and in 1978, United found themselves back where they had started, in the old Fourth Division. To add insult to injury, the club then had to re-apply for election to the Football League on three occasions, in 1979/80, 1980/81 and 1982/83 when they suffered the ignominy of finishing bottom.

Hereford’s struggles continued both off the field as well as on it. A flurry of managers came and went through The Bull’s troubled financial times, and the efforts of Tony Ford, Mike Bailey, Frank Lord and Tommy Hughes were all to no avail.

A little respite came with the appointment of John Newman, where the popular ex-Herefordian saw his team narrowly miss out on promotion in 1984/85 where they finished fifth in the Fourth Division. This, along with some creditable runs in the FA Cup, Littlewoods Cup and Freight Rover Trophy, were the only consolation for supporters who were desperate for success.