1976–77 Hereford United F.C. season

June 2024 June 2024 Hereford United 1976–77 John Sillett Frank Miles Edgar Street Division Two 22nd League Cup First round FA Cup Fourth round Dixie McNeil (16) Dixie McNeil (18) 13,891 v Wolverhampton Wanderers, Division Two, 2 October 1976 4,448 v Carlisle United, Division Two, 4 May 1977 7,239 3–0 v Burnley (H), Division Two, 4 September 1976 1–6 v Wolverhampton Wanderers (H), Division Two, 2 October 1976 1975–76 1977–78 The 1976–77 season was the 48th season of competitive football played by Hereford United Football Club and their fifth in the Football League. Following promotion as champions of Division Three the previous season, the club competed in Division Two, as well as the League Cup and FA Cup. Summary Hereford's rapid progress up the Football League was halted as they became the first team to finish bottom of the Second Division having been promoted as Third Division champions the previous season. After a promising start which saw only one point dropped in the first three matches, Hereford's form nosedived as it became clear that most other clubs possessed greater strength in depth and players more suited to the demands of Second Division football. This was amply demonstrated by successive matches in the autumn when Hereford were beaten 4–1 at Fulham by a team containing Bobby Moore, Rodney Marsh and George Best, then thrashed 6–1 at home a week later by a Wolverhampton Wanderers side containing Steve Kindon, Kenny Hibbitt, Alan Sunderland and Bobby Gould. Despite a late rally (four wins and only one defeat from the final nine matches), relegation was confirmed following a goalless draw against Carlisle United with three matches still to play.Parrott 1998 38–42 Squad Players who made one appearance or more for Hereford United F.C. during the 1976-77 season Pos.Nat.NameLeagueLeague CupFA CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGKENGKevin Charlton1602010190GKSCOTommy Hughes2600010270DFENGPhil Burrows80100090DFIRETony Byrne80000080DFENGSteve Emery1900020210DFENGJohn Galley20(3)2200(1)022(4)2DFENGDerek Jefferson2600020280DFENGJohn Layton2842020324DFWALJulian Marshall1400000140DFENGChris Price20000020DFSCOSteve Ritchie3211020351DFENGBilly Tucker50000050MFENGLes Briley33(1)10(1)02135(2)2MFENGRoy Carter18(6)3200020(6)3MFSCOJimmy Lindsay3342020374MFENGBarry Lloyd12(2)0001013(2)0MFENGTerry Paine26(1)3202030(1)3MFWALAlan Peters10000010MFENGBrian Preece3(1)000003(1)0MFIREKevin Sheedy13(3)1000013(3)1MFENGPeter Spiring32(6)9212036(6)10MFENGDudley Tyler4(2)00(1)1004(3)1MFWALShane Walker50200070FWSCOJimmy Coughlin (on loan from Albion Rovers)1(1)100001(1)1FWWALSteve Crompton10000010FWENGSteve Davey3192020359FWENGGary Goodchild1(3)000102(3)0FWENGDixie McNeil371622003918FWSCOColin Sinclair7(2)000007(2)0 Parrott 1998 197Rothmans 1977-78 205–206 League table Second Division y HER Results Second Division 1976–77 Football League 1 21 August 1976 Hereford United 1–0 W Hull City McNeil 54 Edgar Street Hereford 7,323 2 28 August 1976 Sheffield United 1–1 D Hereford United Guthrie 1 Carter 70 Bramall Lane Sheffield 15,087 3 4 September 1976 Hereford United 3–0 W Burnley McNeil 42 72 90 Edgar Street Hereford 9,543 4 11 September 1976 Nottingham Forest 4–3 L Hereford United Butlin 32Bowyer 39 71Robertson 61 McNeil 11 72Spiring 17 City Ground Nottingham 12,081 5 14 September 1976 Carlisle United 2–2 D Hereford United Martin 5 pen.Rafferty 71 Spiring 17Layton 28 Brunton Park Carlisle 7,371 6 18 September 1976 Hereford United 1–2 L Charlton Athletic Lindsay 72 Flanagan 37Hales 56 Edgar Street Hereford 8,723 7 25 September 1976 Fulham 4–1 L Hereford United Slough 20Evanson 26Marsh 69 72 Howe 35 o.g. Craven Cottage London 18,935 8 2 October 1976 Hereford United 1–6 L Wolverhampton Wanderers McNeil 53 pen. Sunderland 6Kindon 28Gould 42 67Carr 61Daley 83 Edgar Street Hereford 13,891 9 9 October 1976 Luton Town 2–0 L Hereford United Husband 54P. Futcher 88 Kenilworth Road Luton 9,395 10 16 October 1976 Southampton 1–0 L Hereford United Holmes 45 The Dell Southampton 24,910 11 23 October 1976 Hereford United 1–4 L Notts County Spiring 37 Sims 28 80Needham 65Busby 77 Edgar Street Hereford 7,462 12 30 October 1976 Millwall 4–2 L Hereford United Brisley 30Seasman 59Lee 75Shanahan 84 pen. Davey 19Spiring 88 The Den London 8,685 13 6 November 1976 Hereford United 2–2 D Chelsea Ritchie 29Layton 70 Finnieston 28 41 pen. Edgar Street Hereford 12,528 14 13 November 1976 Bristol Rovers 2–3 W Hereford United Warboys 8Bannister 15 Spiring 13Davey 20 26 Eastville Bristol 8,485 15 20 November 1976 Hereford United 0–0 D Oldham Athletic Edgar Street Hereford 7,997 16 27 November 1976 Blackburn Rovers 1–0 L Hereford United Wagstaffe 4 Ewood Park Blackburn 9,090 17 15 December 1976 Hereford United 3–3 D Bolton Wanderers Davey 5 18McNeil 80 Whatmore 65Allardyce 82Greaves 87 Edgar Street Hereford 5,052 18 18 December 1976 Hereford United 2–3 L Orient Lindsay 37Galley 83 Whittle 20 72Bennett 85 Edgar Street Hereford 5,640 19 27 December 1976 Cardiff City 3–1 L Hereford United Giles 35Evans 64 80 Paine 83 Ninian Park Cardiff 14,465 20 1 January 1977 Chelsea 5–1 L Hereford United Swain 4Stanley 25R. Wilkins 39 90Finnieston 46 Paine 61 Stamford Bridge London 27,720 21 22 January 1977 Hull City 1–1 D Hereford United Sunley 10 Davey 21 Boothferry Park Hull 7,819 22 9 February 1977 Hereford United 1–1 D Plymouth Argyle Layton 15 Hall 41 Edgar Street Hereford 5,002 23 12 February 1977 Burnley 1–1 D Hereford United Noble 54 Newton 30 o.g. Turf Moor Burnley 8,467 24 14 February 1977 Blackpool 2–1 L Hereford United Walsh 75 88 Galley 89 Bloomfield Road Blackpool 8,535 25 25 February 1977 Charlton Athletic 1–1 D Hereford United McAuley 78 Spiring 56 The Valley London 8,704 26 2 March 1977 Hereford United 0–1 L Nottingham Forest Curran 38 Edgar Street Hereford 7,503 27 5 March 1977 Hereford United 1–0 W Fulham McNeil 55 Edgar Street Hereford 6,590 28 12 March 1977 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–1 L Hereford United Todd 39Hibbitt 49 Briley 77 Molineux Wolverhampton 22,992 29 19 March 1977 Hereford United 0–1 L Luton Town R. Futcher 89 Edgar Street Hereford 6,737 30 23 March 1977 Hereford United 2–2 D Sheffield United Davey 28Carter 34 Edwards 31 81 Edgar Street Hereford 5,504 31 1 April 1977 Notts County 3–2 L Hereford United Bradd 36 69Scanlon 46 Davey 76Coughlin 90 Meadow Lane Nottingham 8,080 32 6 April 1977 Hereford United 2–2 D Cardiff City Layton 34Spiring 67 Sayer 74 85 Edgar Street Hereford 7,672 33 9 April 1977 Plymouth Argyle 2–1 L Hereford United Bannister 2 69 Davey 22 Home Park Plymouth 9,787 34 11 April 1977 Hereford United 1–1 D Bristol Rovers Paine 13 Powell 73 Edgar Street Hereford 7,195 35 16 April 1977 Oldham Athletic 3–5 W Hereford United Whittle 7Shaw 28Robins 66 McNeil 31 90Spiring 34 53Hicks 62 o.g. Boundary Park Oldham 7,733 36 20 April 1977 Hereford United 3–1 W Millwall McNeil 30 52Sheedy 35 Alexander 83 Edgar Street Hereford 4,837 37 23 April 1977 Hereford United 1–0 W Blackburn Rovers McNeil 15 Edgar Street Hereford 5,853 38 30 April 1977 Bolton Wanderers 3–1 L Hereford United Hughes 35 o.g.Allardyce 78Taylor 90 Carter 85 Burnden Park Bolton 18,874 39 4 May 1977 Hereford United 0–0 D Carlisle United Edgar Street Hereford 4,448 40 7 May 1977 Hereford United 1–1 D Blackpool McNeil 75 Finnigan 40 Edgar Street Hereford 5,312 41 11 May 1977 Hereford United 2–0 W Southampton Lindsay 13McNeil 29 Edgar Street Hereford 6,886 42 14 May 1977 Orient 1–1 D Hereford United Roffey 40 Lindsay 90 Brisbane Road London 4,956 Parrott 1998 192–195Rothmans 1977-78 204https://hattersheritage.co.uk/matches/hereford-united-vs-luton-town-fc-19-mar-1977 Hereford United vs Luton Town FC (19th Mar 1977) Hatters Heritage League Cup 1976–77 Football League Cup First round first leg 14 August 1976 Chester 2–0 L Hereford United Crossley 37 pen.Draper 79 Sealand Road Chester 3,866 First round second leg 18 August 1976 Hereford United 4–3 W Chester McNeil 15 77Spiring 39Tyler 89 Draper 6Crossley 22Paine 53 o.g. Edgar Street Hereford 5,028 Parrott 1998 196Rothmans 1977-78 496–498 FA Cup 1976–77 FA Cup Third round 8 January 1977 Hereford United 1–0 W Reading Briley 57 Edgar Street Hereford 7,401 Fourth round 29 January 1977 Middlesbrough 4–0 L Hereford United Souness 31Armstrong 51 72 pen.Willey 89 Ayresome Park Middlesbrough 25,000 Rothmans 1977-78 480-483 References Bibliography Parrott Ron Hereford United: The League Era - A Complete Record Desert Island Books 1998 1-874287-18-X Rothmans 1977-78 Rothmans Football Yearbook 1977-78 (Editor: Peter Dunk) Queen Anne Press 0354-09018-6 Category:Hereford United F.C. seasons Hereford United F.C.