1975–76 Hereford United F.C. season
1975–76 season | |
---|---|
Chairman | Frank Miles |
Manager | John Sillett |
Stadium | Edgar Street |
Division Three | 1st |
League Cup | Second round |
FA Cup | Third round |
Welsh Cup | Runners-up |
Top goalscorer | League: Dixie McNeil (35) All: Dixie McNeil (38) |
Highest home attendance | 12,970 v Crystal Palace, Division Three, 31 January 1976 |
Lowest home attendance | 1994 v Porthmadog, Welsh Cup, 18 February 1976 |
Average home league attendance | 8273 |
Biggest win | 5–0 v Chester (H), Division Three, 10 March 1976 |
Biggest defeat | 1–4 v Burnley (H), League Cup, 10 September 1975 |
The 1975–76 season was the 46th season of competitive football played by Hereford United Football Club and their fourth in the Football League. The club competed in Division Three, as well as the League Cup, FA Cup and Welsh Cup.
Summary[edit]
Hereford clinched a second promotion in four years following election to the Football League by finishing as champions of Division Three, six points clear of second-placed Cardiff City. They won only one of their opening five league matches, failing to score in three of them, but gathered momentum as results improved through the autumn and winter, and went top for the first time with a 4–1 over Cardiff at the start of February. A crowd of 35,549 saw the Welsh club claim a 2–0 win in the return fixture at Ninian Park on 14 April, but Hereford's promotion was confirmed the following Saturday by a goalless draw at Walsall, with the championship following two days later courtesy of a 3–1 win over Shrewsbury Town.
The squad was bolstered by the arrival of goalkeeper Kevin Charlton, full-back Steve Ritchie, midfielder Jimmy Lindsay and forward Steve Davey. Charlton displaced Tommy Hughes as first-choice keeper, while Ritchie and Lindsay were both ever-present, and Davey's 18 league goals took some of the scoring burden off Dixie McNeil. Nevertheless, McNeil finished as leading scorer in the Football League for the second successive year with a haul of 35 goals, thanks to a hat-trick against Preston North End in the final match of the season which enabled him to overtake Walsall's Alan Buckley by one goal. He also became the first Hereford player to score four goals in a league match, doing so in a 5–0 win over Chester.
Veteran midfielder Terry Paine achieved a notable feat when he made his 765th league appearance in Hereford's home match against Peterborough United on 25 October. This established a new Football league record, overtaking the previous record of 764 held by Portsmouth's Jimmy Dickinson.[1]
Squad[edit]
Players who made one appearance or more for Hereford United F.C. during the 1975-76 season
Pos. | Nat. | Name | League | League Cup | FA Cup | Welsh Cup | Total | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
GK | Kevin Charlton | 35 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 44 | 0 | |
GK | Tommy Hughes | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 17 | 0 | |
DF | Tony Byrne | 1(1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4(1) | 2 | 6(2) | 2 | |
DF | Steve Emery | 45 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 58 | 2 | |
DF | Mark Evans | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
DF | John Galley | 35 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 41 | 2 | |
DF | John Layton | 38 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 49 | 9 | |
DF | Julian Marshall | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
DF | Steve Ritchie | 46 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 57 | 2 | |
DF | David Rylands | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
DF | Billy Tucker | 17(2) | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 27(2) | 2 | |
MF | Les Briley | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
MF | Roy Carter | 33 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1(1) | 1 | 4 | 0 | 42(1) | 8 | |
MF | Paul Courtney | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
MF | Jimmy Lindsay | 46 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 59 | 6 | |
MF | Jim McCafferty | 0(3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3(3) | 0 | |
MF | Terry Paine | 40(4) | 1 | 2(2) | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 48(6) | 3 | |
MF | Brian Preece | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3(1) | 1 | 3(1) | 1 | |
MF | David Rudge | 1(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2(1) | 0 | |
MF | Kevin Sheedy | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
MF | Barry Silkman | 12(10) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0(2) | 0 | 3(1) | 1 | 16(13) | 2 | |
MF | Peter Spiring | 5(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5(1) | 0 | |
MF | Dudley Tyler | 34 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 3(1) | 0 | 41(1) | 6 | |
MF | Shane Walker | 7(2) | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4(1) | 1 | 16(3) | 3 | |
FW | Steve Davey | 42(3) | 18 | 3(1) | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5(1) | 3 | 54(5) | 21 | |
FW | Dixie McNeil | 40(1) | 35 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 51 | 38 | |
FW | Eric Redrobe | 15(5) | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 22(5) | 2 |
Third Division[edit]
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Hereford United (C, P) | 46 | 26 | 11 | 9 | 86 | 55 | 1.564 | 63 | Promotion to the Second Division |
2 | Cardiff City (P) | 46 | 22 | 13 | 11 | 69 | 48 | 1.438 | 57 | Cup Winners' Cup preliminary round and promotion to the Second Division |
3 | Millwall (P) | 46 | 20 | 16 | 10 | 54 | 43 | 1.256 | 56 | Promotion to the Second Division |
4 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 46 | 22 | 9 | 15 | 78 | 53 | 1.472 | 53 | |
5 | Crystal Palace | 46 | 18 | 17 | 11 | 61 | 46 | 1.326 | 53 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted
Results[edit]
Third Division[edit]
16 August 1975 1 | Hereford United | 0–0 | Port Vale | Hereford |
Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 6219 |
24 August 1975 2 | Rotherham United | 1–1 | Hereford United | Rotherham |
Breckin |
Carter |
Stadium: Millmoor Attendance: 3825 |
30 August 1975 3 | Hereford United | 3–1 | Sheffield Wednesday | Hereford |
Tucker McNeil |
Henson |
Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 7017 |
6 September 1975 4 | Millwall | 1–0 | Hereford United | London |
Hill |
Stadium: The Den Attendance: 6066 |
13 September 1975 5 | Hereford United | 0–0 | Colchester United | Hereford |
Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 5577 |
20 September 1975 6 | Chesterfield | 2–3 | Hereford United | Chesterfield |
Darling Burton |
McNeil Silkman Redrobe |
Stadium: Saltergate Attendance: 3000 |
24 September 1975 7 | Hereford United | 1–0 | Swindon Town | Hereford |
Emery |
Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 6423 |
27 September 1975 8 | Hereford United | 1–1 | Gillingham | Hereford |
Davey |
Shipperley |
Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 5512 |
4 October 1975 9 | Chester | 0–1 | Hereford United | Chester |
Davey |
Stadium: Sealand Road Attendance: 4144 |
11 October 1975 10 | Hereford United | 2–0 | Wrexham | Hereford |
Layton Davey |
Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 6228 |
18 October 1975 11 | Halifax Town | 0–1 | Hereford United | Halifax |
Tyler |
Stadium: The Shay Attendance: 2667 |
21 October 1975 12 | Crystal Palace | 2–2 | Hereford United | London |
Swindlehurst Taylor |
Layton Tyler |
Stadium: Selhurst Park Attendance: 20,232 |
25 October 1975 13 | Hereford United | 2–4 | Peterborough United | Hereford |
Lindsay Davey |
Gregory Turner Nixon |
Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 8471 |
1 November 1975 14 | Preston North End | 3–4 | Hereford United | Preston |
Baxter Morley Treacy |
Davey Tucker McNeil Lindsay |
Stadium: Deepdale Attendance: 9682 |
8 November 1975 15 | Hereford United | 3–2 | Grimsby Town | Hereford |
McNeil Davey |
Wigg Barton |
Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 6391 |
29 November 1975 16 | Hereford United | 2–0 | Bury | Hereford |
McNeil Davey |
Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 6867 |
6 December 1975 17 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 4–2 | Hereford United | Hove |
Binney Mellor Martin |
Tyler Carter |
Stadium: Goldstone Ground Attendance: 17,811 |
20 December 1975 18 | Aldershot | 0–2 | Hereford United | Aldershot |
McNeil Walker |
Stadium: Recreation Ground Attendance: 4113 |
26 December 1975 19 | Hereford United | 1–3 | Walsall | Hereford |
Davey |
Evans Buckley |
Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 10,891 |
27 December 1975 20 | Shrewsbury Town | 2–1 | Hereford United | Shrewsbury |
Durban |
Walker |
Stadium: Gay Meadow Attendance: 9488 |
10 January 1976 21 | Sheffield Wednesday | 1–2 | Hereford United | Sheffield |
Shaw |
Davey McNeil |
Stadium: Hillsborough Attendance: 8155 |
17 January 1976 22 | Hereford United | 4–2 | Chesterfield | Hereford |
Hunter Layton McNeil |
Bailey Shanahan |
Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 5999 |
24 January 1976 23 | Colchester United | 1–4 | Hereford United | Colchester |
Telford |
McNeil Dominey Davey |
Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 8155 |
26 January 1976 24 | Southend United | 1–3 | Hereford United | Southend-on-Sea |
Silvester |
McNeil Layton |
Stadium: Roots Hall Attendance: 3722 |
31 January 1976 25 | Hereford United | 1–1 | Crystal Palace | Hereford |
McNeil |
Swindlehurst |
Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 12,970 |
4 February 1976 26 | Hereford United | 4–1 | Cardiff City | Hereford |
McNeil Emery Layton |
Buchanan |
Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 12,962 |
7 February 1976 27 | Mansfield Town | 2–2 | Hereford United | Mansfield |
Bird Clarke |
McNeil |
Stadium: Field Mill Attendance: 5997 |
11 February 1976 28 | Hereford United | 1–0 | Mansfield Town | Hereford |
Ritchie |
Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 8302 |
14 February 1976 29 | Grimsby Town | 1–0 | Hereford United | Cleethorpes |
Lewis |
Stadium: Blundell Park Attendance: 5944 |
21 February 1976 30 | Hereford United | 2–1 | Southend United | Hereford |
McNeil Galley |
Silvester |
Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 7264 |
24 February 1976 31 | Swindon Town | 0–1 | Hereford United | Swindon |
Davey |
Stadium: County Ground Attendance: 10,691 |
27 February 1976 32 | Peterborough United | 0–3 | Hereford United | Peterborough |
McNeil Carter Davey |
Stadium: London Road Attendance: 14,106 |
10 March 1976 33 | Hereford United | 5–0 | Chester City | Hereford |
McNeil Davey |
Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 7103 |
13 March 1976 34 | Wrexham | 2–1 | Hereford United | Wrexham |
Sutton Griffiths |
McNeil |
Stadium: Racecourse Ground Attendance: 7621 |
17 March 1976 35 | Hereford United | 1–2 | Halifax Town | Hereford |
Galley |
G. Jones Overton |
Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 7395 |
20 March 1976 36 | Bury | 2–3 | Hereford United | Bury |
Williams Buchan |
Davey Carter McNeil |
Stadium: Gigg Lane Attendance: 6384 |
27 March 1976 37 | Hereford United | 1–1 | Brighton & Hove Albion | Hereford |
McNeil |
Ward |
Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 12,160 |
31 March 1976 38 | Hereford United | 2–1 | Aldershot | Hereford |
Richardson Paine |
Warnock |
Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 7497 |
3 April 1976 39 | Port Vale | 1–1 | Hereford United | Stoke-on-Trent |
Griffiths |
Davey |
Stadium: Vale Park Attendance: 4424 |
6 April 1976 40 | Gillingham | 3–4 | Hereford United | Gillingham |
Durrell Ritchie |
Davey McNeil Layton |
Stadium: Priestfield Attendance: 7914 |
10 April 1976 41 | Hereford United | 0–0 | Millwall | Hereford |
Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 10,176 |
14 April 1976 42 | Cardiff City | 2–0 | Hereford United | Cardiff |
Livermore Campbell |
Stadium: Ninian Park Attendance: 35,549 |
17 April 1976 43 | Walsall | 0–0 | Hereford United | Walsall |
Stadium: Fellows Park Attendance: 9225 |
19 April 1976 44 | Hereford United | 3–1 | Shrewsbury Town | Hereford |
Carter Davey McNeil |
Kearney |
Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 12,314 |
24 April 1976 45 | Hereford United | 3–2 | Rotherham United | Hereford |
McNeil Tyler |
Finney Crawford |
Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 8950 |
28 April 1976 46 | Hereford United | 3–1 | Preston North End | Hereford |
McNeil |
Elwiss |
Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 7592 |
League Cup[edit]
18 August 1975 First round first leg | Port Vale | 4–2 | Hereford United | Stoke-on-Trent |
Cullerton Bailey |
Lindsay |
Stadium: Vale Park Attendance: 3787 |
27 August 1975 First round second leg | Hereford United | 2–0 | Port Vale | Hereford |
Ritchie Carter |
Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 4107 |
1 September 1975 First round replay | Hereford United | 1–0 | Port Vale | Shrewsbury |
Paine |
Stadium: Gay Meadow Attendance: 3637 |
10 September 1975 Second round | Hereford United | 1–4 | Burnley | Hereford |
Carter |
Flynn Noble |
Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 11,360 |
FA Cup[edit]
22 November 1975 First round | Hereford United | 2–0 | Torquay United | Hereford |
Carter Tucker |
Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 6542 |
13 December 1975 Second round | Bournemouth | 2–2 | Hereford United | Bournemouth |
Ashworth Goddard |
Tyler McNeil |
Stadium: Dean Court Attendance: 6181 |
17 December 1975 Second round replay | Hereford United | 2–0 | Bournemouth | Hereford |
Layton McNeil |
Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 6351 |
3 January 1976 Third round | York City | 2–1 | Hereford United | York |
Seal Hosker |
Layton |
Stadium: Bootham Crescent Attendance: 5154 |
Welsh Cup[edit]
12 November 1975 Third round | Stourbridge | 1–2 | Hereford United | Stourbridge |
Smith |
Walker Redrobe |
Stadium: War Memorial Ground Attendance: 669 |
19 January 1976 Fourth round | Newport County | 1–2 | Hereford United | Newport |
Aizlewood |
Aizlewood Layton |
Stadium: Somerton Park Attendance: 2400 |
18 February 1976 Fifth round | Hereford United | 4–0 | Porthmadog | Hereford |
Preece Silkman Davey |
Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 1994 |
23 March 1976 Semi-final | Hereford United | 1–1 | Shrewsbury Town | Hereford |
Lindsay |
Bates |
Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 4748 |
8 April 1976 Semi-final replay | Shrewsbury Town | 1–1* | Hereford United | Shrewsbury |
Irvine |
Byrne |
Stadium: Gay Meadow Attendance: 2714 |
18 May 1976 Final first leg** | Hereford United | 3–3 | Cardiff City | Hereford |
Davey Paine McNeil |
Evans Dwyer |
Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 3709 |
19 May 1976 Final second leg | Cardiff City | 3–2 | Hereford United | Cardiff |
Pethard Clark Evans |
Lindsay Byrne |
Stadium: Ninian Park Attendance: 2648 |
* Hereford won 5–4 on penalties.
** The first leg was originally played at Ninian Park on 29 April and ended in a 2–2 draw. This was declared null and void by the Welsh FA after Peter Spiring, scorer of both Hereford goals, was deemed to have been ineligible to play.
References[edit]
- ^ Parrott 1998, pp. 32–36
- ^ a b c d Parrott 1998, pp. 190–191
- ^ Rothmans 1976-77, pp. 205–206
- ^ Parrott 1998, pp. 186–189
- ^ Rothmans 1976-77, p. 204
- ^ Rothmans 1976-77, pp. 505–509
- ^ Rothmans 1976-77, pp. 489–495
- Bibliography
- Parrott, Ron (1998). Hereford United: The League Era - A Complete Record. Desert Island Books. ISBN 1-874287-18-X.
- Rothmans Football Yearbook 1976-77 (Editor: Peter Dunk). Queen Anne Press. 4 June 1976. ISBN 0362-00259-2.