| 1976–77 season | |
|---|---|
| Chairman | Frank Miles |
| Manager | John Sillett |
| Stadium | Edgar Street |
| Division Two | 22nd |
| League Cup | First round |
| FA Cup | Fourth round |
| Top goalscorer | League:Dixie McNeil (16) All:Dixie McNeil (18) |
| Highest home attendance | 13,891 vWolverhampton Wanderers, Division Two, 2 October 1976 |
| Lowest home attendance | 4,448 vCarlisle United, Division Two, 4 May 1977 |
| Average home league attendance | 7,239 |
| Biggest win | 3–0 vBurnley (H), Division Two, 4 September 1976 |
| Biggest defeat | 1–6 vWolverhampton Wanderers (H), Division Two, 2 October 1976 |
The1976–77 season was the 48th season of competitive football played byHereford United Football Club and their fifth in theFootball League. Following promotion as champions ofDivision Three the previous season, the club competed inDivision Two, as well as theLeague Cup andFA Cup.
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 containingBobby Moore,Rodney Marsh andGeorge Best, then thrashed 6–1 at home a week later by aWolverhampton Wanderers side containingSteve Kindon,Kenny Hibbitt,Alan Sunderland andBobby Gould.
Despite a late rally (four wins and only one defeat from the final nine matches), relegation was confirmed following a goalless draw againstCarlisle United with three matches still to play.[1]
Players who made one appearance or more for Hereford United F.C. during the 1976-77 season
| Pos. | Nat. | Name | League | League Cup | FA Cup | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| GK |  ENG | Kevin Charlton | 16 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| GK |  SCO | Tommy Hughes | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 27 | 0 |
| DF | ENG | Phil Burrows | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| DF |  IRE | Tony Byrne | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| DF | ENG | Steve Emery | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| DF | ENG | John Galley | 20(3) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 22(4) | 2 |
| DF | ENG | Derek Jefferson | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 28 | 0 |
| DF | ENG | John Layton | 28 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 32 | 4 |
| DF |  WAL | Julian Marshall | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| DF | ENG | Chris Price | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| DF | SCO | Steve Ritchie | 32 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 35 | 1 |
| DF | ENG | Billy Tucker | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| MF | ENG | Les Briley | 33(1) | 1 | 0(1) | 0 | 2 | 1 | 35(2) | 2 |
| MF | ENG | Roy Carter | 18(6) | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20(6) | 3 |
| MF | SCO | Jimmy Lindsay | 33 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 37 | 4 |
| MF | ENG | Barry Lloyd | 12(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13(2) | 0 |
| MF | ENG | Terry Paine | 26(1) | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 30(1) | 3 |
| MF | WAL | Alan Peters | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| MF | ENG | Brian Preece | 3(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3(1) | 0 |
| MF | IRE | Kevin Sheedy | 13(3) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13(3) | 1 |
| MF | ENG | Peter Spiring | 32(6) | 9 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 36(6) | 10 |
| MF | ENG | Dudley Tyler | 4(2) | 0 | 0(1) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4(3) | 1 |
| MF | WAL | Shane Walker | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| FW | SCO | Jimmy Coughlin(on loan fromAlbion Rovers) | 1(1) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1(1) | 1 |
| FW | WAL | Steve Crompton | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| FW | ENG | Steve Davey | 31 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 35 | 9 |
| FW | ENG | Gary Goodchild | 1(3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2(3) | 0 |
| FW | ENG | Dixie McNeil | 37 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 18 |
| FW | SCO | Colin Sinclair | 7(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7(2) | 0 |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | Cardiff City | 42 | 12 | 10 | 20 | 56 | 67 | −11 | 34 | Qualification for theCup Winners' Cup first round |
| 19 | Orient | 42 | 9 | 16 | 17 | 37 | 55 | −18 | 34 | |
| 20 | Carlisle United(R) | 42 | 11 | 12 | 19 | 49 | 75 | −26 | 34 | Relegation to theThird Division |
| 21 | Plymouth Argyle(R) | 42 | 8 | 16 | 18 | 46 | 65 | −19 | 32 | |
| 22 | Hereford United(R) | 42 | 8 | 15 | 19 | 57 | 78 | −21 | 31 |
| 21 August 19761 | Hereford United | 1–0 | Hull City | Hereford |
McNeil 54' | Stadium:Edgar Street Attendance: 7,323 |
| 28 August 19762 | Sheffield United | 1–1 | Hereford United | Sheffield |
| Guthrie 1' | Carter 70' | Stadium:Bramall Lane Attendance: 15,087 |
| 4 September 19763 | Hereford United | 3–0 | Burnley | Hereford |
| McNeil 42',72',90' | Stadium:Edgar Street Attendance: 9,543 |
| 11 September 19764 | Nottingham Forest | 4–3 | Hereford United | Nottingham |
| Butlin 32' Bowyer 39',71'Robertson 61' | McNeil 11',72' Spiring 17' | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 12,081 |
| 14 September 19765 | Carlisle United | 2–2 | Hereford United | Carlisle |
| Martin 5' (pen.) Rafferty 71' | Spiring 17' Layton 28' | Stadium:Brunton Park Attendance: 7,371 |
| 18 September 19766 | Hereford United | 1–2 | Charlton Athletic | Hereford |
| Lindsay 72' | Flanagan 37' Hales 56' | Stadium:Edgar Street Attendance: 8,723 |
| 25 September 19767 | Fulham | 4–1 | Hereford United | London |
| Slough 20' Evanson 26'Marsh 69',72' | Howe 35' (o.g.) | Stadium:Craven Cottage Attendance: 18,935 |
| 2 October 19768 | Hereford United | 1–6 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Hereford |
| McNeil 53' (pen.) | Sunderland 6' Kindon 28'Gould 42',67'Carr 61'Daley 83' | Stadium:Edgar Street Attendance: 13,891 |
| 9 October 19769 | Luton Town | 2–0 | Hereford United | Luton |
| Husband 54' P. Futcher 88' | Stadium:Kenilworth Road Attendance: 9,395 |
| 16 October 197610 | Southampton | 1–0 | Hereford United | Southampton |
| Holmes 45' | Stadium:The Dell Attendance: 24,910 |
| 23 October 197611 | Hereford United | 1–4 | Notts County | Hereford |
| Spiring 37' | Sims 28',80' Needham 65'Busby 77' | Stadium:Edgar Street Attendance: 7,462 |
| 30 October 197612 | Millwall | 4–2 | Hereford United | London |
| Brisley 30' Seasman 59'Lee 75'Shanahan 84' (pen.) | Davey 19' Spiring 88' | Stadium:The Den Attendance: 8,685 |
| 6 November 197613 | Hereford United | 2–2 | Chelsea | Hereford |
| Ritchie 29' Layton 70' | Finnieston 28',41' (pen.) | Stadium:Edgar Street Attendance: 12,528 |
| 13 November 197614 | Bristol Rovers | 2–3 | Hereford United | Bristol |
| Warboys 8' Bannister 15' | Spiring 13' Davey 20',26' | Stadium:Eastville Attendance: 8,485 |
| 20 November 197615 | Hereford United | 0–0 | Oldham Athletic | Hereford |
| Stadium:Edgar Street Attendance: 7,997 |
| 27 November 197616 | Blackburn Rovers | 1–0 | Hereford United | Blackburn |
| Wagstaffe 4' | Stadium:Ewood Park Attendance: 9,090 |
| 15 December 197617 | Hereford United | 3–3 | Bolton Wanderers | Hereford |
| Davey 5',18' McNeil 80' | Whatmore 65' Allardyce 82'Greaves 87' | Stadium:Edgar Street Attendance: 5,052 |
| 18 December 197618 | Hereford United | 2–3 | Orient | Hereford |
| Lindsay 37' Galley 83' | Whittle 20',72' Bennett 85' | Stadium:Edgar Street Attendance: 5,640 |
| 27 December 197619 | Cardiff City | 3–1 | Hereford United | Cardiff |
| Giles 35' Evans 64',80' | Paine 83' | Stadium:Ninian Park Attendance: 14,465 |
| 1 January 197720 | Chelsea | 5–1 | Hereford United | London |
| Swain 4' Stanley 25'R. Wilkins 39',90'Finnieston 46' | Paine 61' | Stadium:Stamford Bridge Attendance: 27,720 |
| 22 January 197721 | Hull City | 1–1 | Hereford United | Hull |
| Sunley 10' | Davey 21' | Stadium:Boothferry Park Attendance: 7,819 |
| 9 February 197722 | Hereford United | 1–1 | Plymouth Argyle | Hereford |
| Layton 15' | Hall 41' | Stadium:Edgar Street Attendance: 5,002 |
| 12 February 197723 | Burnley | 1–1 | Hereford United | Burnley |
| Noble 54' | Newton 30' (o.g.) | Stadium:Turf Moor Attendance: 8,467 |
| 14 February 197724 | Blackpool | 2–1 | Hereford United | Blackpool |
| Walsh 75',88' | Galley 89' | Stadium:Bloomfield Road Attendance: 8,535 |
| 25 February 197725 | Charlton Athletic | 1–1 | Hereford United | London |
| McAuley 78' | Spiring 56' | Stadium:The Valley Attendance: 8,704 |
| 2 March 197726 | Hereford United | 0–1 | Nottingham Forest | Hereford |
| Curran 38' | Stadium:Edgar Street Attendance: 7,503 |
| 5 March 197727 | Hereford United | 1–0 | Fulham | Hereford |
| McNeil 55' | Stadium:Edgar Street Attendance: 6,590 |
| 12 March 197728 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2–1 | Hereford United | Wolverhampton |
| Todd 39' Hibbitt 49' | Briley 77' | Stadium:Molineux Attendance: 22,992 |
| 19 March 197729 | Hereford United | 0–1 | Luton Town | Hereford |
| R. Futcher 90' | Stadium:Edgar Street Attendance: 6,737 |
| 23 March 197730 | Hereford United | 2–2 | Sheffield United | Hereford |
| Davey 28' Carter 34' | Edwards 31',81' | Stadium:Edgar Street Attendance: 5,504 |
| 1 April 197731 | Notts County | 3–2 | Hereford United | Nottingham |
| Bradd 36',69' Scanlon 46' | Davey 76' Coughlin 90' | Stadium:Meadow Lane Attendance: 8,080 |
| 6 April 197732 | Hereford United | 2–2 | Cardiff City | Hereford |
| Layton 34' Spiring 67' | Sayer 74',85' | Stadium:Edgar Street Attendance: 7,672 |
| 9 April 197733 | Plymouth Argyle | 2–1 | Hereford United | Plymouth |
| Bannister 2',69' | Davey 22' | Stadium:Home Park Attendance: 9,787 |
| 11 April 197734 | Hereford United | 1–1 | Bristol Rovers | Hereford |
| Paine 13' | Powell 73' | Stadium:Edgar Street Attendance: 7,195 |
| 16 April 197735 | Oldham Athletic | 3–5 | Hereford United | Oldham |
| Whittle 7' Shaw 28'Robins 66' | McNeil 31',90' Spiring 34',53'Hicks 62' (o.g.) | Stadium:Boundary Park Attendance: 7,733 |
| 20 April 197736 | Hereford United | 3–1 | Millwall | Hereford |
| McNeil 30',52' Sheedy 35' | Alexander 83' | Stadium:Edgar Street Attendance: 4,837 |
| 23 April 197737 | Hereford United | 1–0 | Blackburn Rovers | Hereford |
| McNeil 15' | Stadium:Edgar Street Attendance: 5,853 |
| 30 April 197738 | Bolton Wanderers | 3–1 | Hereford United | Bolton |
| Hughes 35' (o.g.) Allardyce 78'Taylor 90' | Carter 85' | Stadium:Burnden Park Attendance: 18,874 |
| 4 May 197739 | Hereford United | 0–0 | Carlisle United | Hereford |
| Stadium:Edgar Street Attendance: 4,448 |
| 7 May 197740 | Hereford United | 1–1 | Blackpool | Hereford |
| McNeil 75' | Finnigan 40' | Stadium:Edgar Street Attendance: 5,312 |
| 11 May 197741 | Hereford United | 2–0 | Southampton | Hereford |
| Lindsay 13' McNeil 29' | Stadium:Edgar Street Attendance: 6,886 |
| 14 May 197742 | Orient | 1–1 | Hereford United | London |
| Roffey 40' | Lindsay 90' | Stadium:Brisbane Road Attendance: 4,956 |
| 14 August 1976First round first leg | Chester | 2–0 | Hereford United | Chester |
| Crossley 37' (pen.) Draper 79' | Stadium:Sealand Road Attendance: 3,866 |
| 18 August 1976First round second leg | Hereford United | 4–3 | Chester | Hereford |
| McNeil 15',77' Spiring 39'Tyler 89' | Draper 6' Crossley 22'Paine 53' (o.g.) | Stadium:Edgar Street Attendance: 5,028 |
| 8 January 1977Third round | Hereford United | 1–0 | Reading | Hereford |
| Briley 57' | Stadium:Edgar Street Attendance: 7,401 |
| 29 January 1977Fourth round | Middlesbrough | 4–0 | Hereford United | Middlesbrough |
| Souness 31' Armstrong 51',72' (pen.)Willey 89' | Stadium:Ayresome Park Attendance: 25,000 |