v 
BLUES
Joycey, of course, wants to take his chance, telling the Echo: "I'm looking forward to it. It's a shame that my opportunity has come around because Mr Mildenhall, (Mr. I love it!), went down but that's what we're here for and unfortunately these things happen in football. As a goalkeeper you have to be patient and now that a chance is coming my way again it's up to me to make the most of it."
I can hear the chants of USA, USA, starting up now!
McCormack has, from his injured groin, so expect only the one change from the starting line up on the south coast on Tuesday.
Christophe will be annoyed to start on the bench again but Grant and Macca continued to look solid in the middle, while the defense carried on as it has done, in fact it was a surprise when Owusu scored as they did, those headers from crosses seemed to have been cut out since Dervitte's signing. Nice when its a surprise and not the norm, they still look very good as a unit. The Frenchman even got booked when he pulled back a Brighton striker, he is human!
Up front the Edgar Street faithful will have to face two in-form strikers one of them being last season's Bulls top-scorer Theo Robinson. (Then, next Tuesday, they travel to Scunthorpe where ex-Blue Gary Hooper, whose 12 goals in 19 games added the final push which brought promotion last season, will be waiting, tough luck!)
Theo, also speaking to the Echo, remembered the good days in the Welsh border town: "I had an excellent time with Hereford for the whole season, winning promotion last year and it will be an emotional game for me going back. We will just have to see what happens but I'm with Southend now so I want us to get the three points."
Good to see him credit Dougie with helping him find his feet at Roots Hall as well as acknowledging his hard-working partnership with the good Lord, whose two great goals in midweek brought smiles back to all Shrimpers, looks good as long as Lee can keep standing!
So will we keep the play-off dream going for another few days at least?
Tilly, as ever the cheerful optimist, summed it up: "It's still a really tough ask and we would have to win seven or eight of our last 10 games to do it. While it's still possible we will of course give it a go and we want to win every game we play. That starts with tomorrow but Hereford are fighting for their lives and will make it extremely difficult for us.
TLG suffers no such doubts and confidently forecasts a 2-0 win, but then again I'm in charge of the edit button!
OPPOSITION
Hereford United have completed the one-month loan signing of Cardiff City defender Darren Dennehy.
The 20-year-old who has been training with the Bulls recently will be available to play against Southend. The Republic of Ireland under-21 international also played in a recent practice game for Hereford against Bristol Rovers.
Dennehy joined Cardiff City in 2008, having started as a trainee at Everton.
On-loan Manchester United midfielder Sam Hewson should be back in the starting line-up after completing his suspension for a sending-off at Crewe, while Andy Williams (ankle) may be fit to return.
| 21 | Swindon Town | 35 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 29 | 32 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 21 | 27 | 7 | 14 | 14 | 50 | 59 | 35 | -9 | ||||
| 22 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 34 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 21 | 36 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 16 | 19 | 7 | 11 | 16 | 37 | 55 | 32 | -18 | ||||
| 23 | Hereford United | 33 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 21 | 18 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 11 | 34 | 8 | 6 | 19 | 32 | 52 | 30 | -20 | ||||
| 24 | Cheltenham Town | 34 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 24 | 35 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 15 | 43 | 5 | 7 | 22 | 39 | 78 | 22 | -39 |
Last Home Game: Hereford United 0 Bristol Rovers 3.
A hat-trick from powerful striker Rickie Lambert gave Rovers a comfortable win and made Hereford's position even worse near the foot of the League 1 table.
Hereford boss Graham Turner made two changes, one enforced. With Sam Hewson suspended following his sending off at Crewe, Ben Smith resumed in central midfield. And skipper Karl Broadhurst was reinstated at the heart of the defence with Richard Rose dropping to the bench.
The home side had to endure plenty of pressure in the opening exchanges and conceded three corners in the first seven minutes with Rovers' aggression bringing three early chances for Jeff Hughes.
The midfielder drove a shot straight at keeper Peter Gulacsi and then drove another over. Hughes then forced a diving save from Gulacsi when he might have done better from an unmarked position.
Gulacsi continued to show his class with an excellent block when Craig Disley got clear inside the area. The keeper was beaten, however, on 26 minutes.
Matt Done fouled former Bull Ryan Green on the edge of the area and Rickie Lambert drove his free-kick through the wall and into the net.
Gulacsi saved twice more, from long-range efforts by Lambert and Aaron Lescott, before being beaten again on 34 minutes. The dangerous Lambert cut inside Godwin Antwi before sending a low shot flashing into the net for his 23rd goal of the season.
Hereford, who had pressed back by the waves of Rovers' pressure, finally got in a meaningful shot on 37 minutes when Kris Taylor's 25-yarder was tipped over by Steve Phillips. Lambert drove just wide from David Pipe's cross and Disley headed in, only to see the goal disallowed for pushing.
Hereford replaced two defenders at the interval in a bid to shore up the defence and the Bulls were unlucky not to reduce arrears eight minutes into the half. Febian Brandy got clear on the right and delivered a cross which Matt Done met on the volley from the edge of the area. The ball cannoned off the outside of a post and went behind.
As if to emphasise Hereford's ill fortune, referee Roger East then gave Rovers a penalty for a foul on Green that only he appeared to see. Lambert smashed the spot-kick past Gulacsi to complete his hat-trick.
With the game won, Rovers predictably eased off but Hereford were rarely able to take advantage, although Sam Gwynne saw a deflected shot saved.
Hereford: Gulacsi; Jackson, Broadhurst, Antwi (Beckwith, 46 min), Taylor (Rose, 46 min); Gwynne, Smith, Diagouraga (Johnson, 88 min), Done; Guinan, Brandy. Subs not used: Veiga, D'Agostino.
Referee: Roger East (Wiltshire). Attendance: 3,199 (866 from Bristol).
Yellow cards: Hereford - Brandy, foul, 62 min; Johnson, retaliation, 89 min.
Turner spoke after the game to BBC Hereford & Worcester: "You can't defend like we did in the first half and hope to get away with it. The wall wasn't right for the first goal. Then we allowed Lambert too much room for the second one. We were defensively quite poor and we had to try and rally the troops at half-time. I thought the key to the second half was just keeping the shape, keeping the discipline, working a bit harder and hoping to get back in the game. We were unfortunate with the one when Matt Done hit the post at a key time, had he have scored that one we might have made a game of it."
PREVIOUSLY
DoDtS goes back in time to our promotion winning season of 1989/90 where we did the double over Hereford, as well as being the last time we played there nearly two decades ago, here: www.thelittlegazette.com/news/loadsngl.asp?cid=EDY3&id=437329
At Hereford Utd. (10) At Southend Utd. (10) Results Total % Results Total % Hereford Utd. 5 50.00 Southend Utd. 6 60.00 Southend Utd. 4 40.00 Hereford Utd. 2 20.00 Draws 1 10.00 Draws 2 20.00 Goals Total Av.pg Goals Total Av.pg Hereford Utd. 14 1.40 Southend Utd. 13 1.30 Southend Utd. 12 1.20 Hereford Utd. 6 0.60 On Neutral Ground (0) Overall (20 matches) Results Total % Results Total % Hereford Utd. 0 0.00 Hereford Utd. 7 35.00 Southend Utd. 0 0.00 Southend Utd. 10 50.00 Draws 0 0.00 Draws 3 15.00 Goals Total Av.pg Goals Total Av.pg Hereford Utd. 0 0.00 Hereford Utd. 20 1.00 Southend Utd. 0 0.00 Southend Utd. 25 1.25 Records Highest Aggregate 5 Hereford Utd. 2 - 3 Southend Utd. 1956/1957 Highest Hereford Utd. score: 3 Hereford Utd. 3 - 0 Southend Utd. 1984/1985 Highest Southend Utd. score: 3 Hereford Utd. 0 - 3 Southend Utd. 1989/1990 Season Date Home Score Away Competition 2008/2009 Sat 13 Sep Southend Utd. 1 - 0 Hereford Utd. League One 1989/1990 Tue 20 Mar Southend Utd. 2 - 0 Hereford Utd. Fourth Division Sat 14 Oct Hereford Utd. 0 - 3 Southend Utd. Fourth Division 1986/1987 Sat 07 Feb Hereford Utd. 0 - 1 Southend Utd. Fourth Division Tue 16 Sep Southend Utd. 2 - 0 Hereford Utd. Fourth Division 1985/1986 Fri 18 Apr Southend Utd. 3 - 1 Hereford Utd. Fourth Division Wed 19 Mar Hereford Utd. 2 - 1 Southend Utd. Fourth Division 1984/1985 Mon 08 Apr Southend Utd. 0 - 0 Hereford Utd. Fourth Division Tue 01 Jan Hereford Utd. 3 - 0 Southend Utd. Fourth Division 1981/1982 Sat 21 Nov Hereford Utd. 3 - 1 Southend Utd. F.A. Cup 1980/1981 Fri 06 Feb Southend Utd. 2 - 0 Hereford Utd. Fourth Division Sat 22 Nov Southend Utd. 0 - 1 Hereford Utd. F.A. Cup Sat 13 Sep Hereford Utd. 0 - 0 Southend Utd. Fourth Division 1975/1976 Sat 21 Feb Hereford Utd. 2 - 1 Southend Utd. Third Division Mon 26 Jan Southend Utd. 1 - 3 Hereford Utd. Third Division 1974/1975 Sat 05 Apr Hereford Utd. 1 - 0 Southend Utd. Third Division Fri 25 Oct Southend Utd. 0 - 0 Hereford Utd. Third Division 1973/1974 Sat 16 Mar Hereford Utd. 1 - 2 Southend Utd. Third Division Fri 19 Oct Southend Utd. 2 - 1 Hereford Utd. Third Division 1956/1957 Sat 08 Dec Hereford Utd. 2 - 3 Southend Utd. F.A. Cup
GROUND
The home end, the Merton Meadow Terrace, is a classic looking, partly covered (to the rear) stand. This stand is semi circular in shape, going out around the back of the goal and has a number of supporting pillars. Opposite is the Blackfriars end, which is another partly covered terrace. This end is normally only used for larger games, where it can house both home and away fans. The ground also has some large, unusual looking floodlights.
The pitch is the largest in the top-five divisions and only the former Wembley had a larger playing area.
There are plans to relocate in the future as the club are in negotiations about a move with the local council and developers. Fans will find it hard to leave Edgar Street as it has been the ground which has seen many a cup upset, most famously Newcastle who lost 2-1 here in 1972. It is intended to have Edgar Street redeveloped as part of a regeneration of the area, including the cattle market and Merton Meadow car park area. The football ground will be part of a new leisure, administration and retail centre in the city.
Away fans are housed on one side (towards the Blackfriars End) of the Floors 2 Go (Edgar Street) Stand at one side of the pitch. This stand has an upper tier of seating that overhangs a lower tier of terracing.
WEATHER
Cloudy and 11c's.
So Spring continues, sort of, though the downpours of Tuesday in Brighton, which were not forecast the day before, will still keep me watching the skies!
REF
The man in the middle is Simon Hooper from Wiltshire.
In fact Swindon, not what home supporters wanted I'm sure! Then again they had a Wiltshire ref on Tuesday, odds are you don't see too many from say, Northumberland.
He was involved in reporting 'racist' comments against Kettering players and management last year which you can read about here: www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/football_league/article5123086.ece
FIXTURES
Saturday, 14 March 2009: (all 15.00 kick-off); Brighton v Yeovil, Carlisle v Scunthorpe, Cheltenham v Hartlepool, Colchester v Crewe, Leeds v Swindon, Millwall v Leicester, MK Dons v Oldham, Peterborough v Northampton, Stockport v Leyton Orient, Tranmere v Huddersfield, Walsall v Bristol Rovers.
BET
Hereford (2) Draw (12/5) Southend (16/11)
For all the footy odds go here: www.oddschecker.com/football/english/league-one
TRANSPORT
All the maps and info you need to get to the Withdean Stadium, Last Call to Hereford here:
PUB AND PIES
For a selection of the best pubs and to get a decent bite to eat go to Last Orders in Hereford here:
Hereford United Football Club was founded in 1924 with the merger of two local clubs St Martins and RAOC (Rotherwas), with the intention of sustaining a higher class of football in the city of Hereford. Hereford joined the Birmingham Combination and lost its first match 2-3 to Atherstone United. The club's second ever match was an FA Cup Preliminary Round tie against future rivals Kidderminster Harriers which they lost 2-7.
Hereford progressed to the Birmingham & District League in 1928 where the club was to spend 11 seasons, during which they managed a best position of 4th. By the late 1930s the number of clubs in the league had decreased and Hereford successfully applied to join the Southern League. At the same time the club became a limited company but only played a few games in their new league before the outbreak of the Second World War.
When football resumed United finished 1st in their first full season in the league only to be demoted to 2nd behind Chelmsford City, who were awarded points for unplayed matches. In 27 seasons in the Southern League, Hereford finished as runners-up three times, and also lifted the Southern League Cup three times. When the league was regionalised for one season in 1958-59, Hereford also won their regional division to add to their third League Cup win.
In 1966 Hereford signed John Charles, the former Leeds United, Juventus and Welsh international, boosting the support of the club. He became manager a year later and set about building a team to challenge at the top of the Southern League and gain election to the Football League. With the club becoming one of the best-supported non-league outfits in the country Charles used his standing within the game to canvass votes from member clubs for election to the Football League.
The 1971-72 season was a watershed as it saw the club finish second in the Southern League and gain national prominence due to its exploits in the FA Cup. Charles had departed the club in October 1971 and his successor Colin Addison inherited a side that went on to defeat top-flight Newcastle United in the FA Cup. Ronnie Radford and Ricky George's famous goals earned the club a Fourth Round tie against West Ham United where they were defeated in a replay at Upton Park. The success of this Cup run played a part in the club's successful election to the Fourth Division at the expense of Barrow although Hereford were, at the time, more supported than most of the clubs in that division.
The club embarked on a meteoric rise to the Second Division after finishing runners-up in their debut season in the Fourth Division and winning the Third Division title in 1976. Dixie McNeil was the leading goalscorer in the top four divisions of English football in the same season, but Hereford would only spend one season in the second tier before quickly dropping back into the Fourth Division. The club's highest peak was in October 1976 when they were in 6th position before they played Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest, losing 3-4 at the City Ground.
After this period of success the club spent 19 years in the bottom division, suffering financial problems in the early 1980s which resurfaced in the mid 1990s. The club enjoyed brief glimpses of their past success in the Cup competitions, holding Arsenal to a 1-1 draw in the League Cup of 1985 and narrowly losing 1-0 to Manchester United in the FA Cup of 1990. The first silverware for 14 years was achieved when the club lifted the Welsh Cup in the same season. In the league the club usually finished in the bottom half as it went through a succession of managers, finishing 17th in 5 consecutive seasons.
Graham Turner was appointed manager for the beginning of the 1995-96 season and managed to lead the team to 6th place and the play-offs, despite the club being in 17th position two months previously. This resurgence was in part thanks to the goals of Steve White who emulated Dixie McNeil by being the leading goalscorer in the top four divisions. Hereford lost to Darlington in the play-offs and, with financial problems worsening, the club lost key players for the following 1996-97 season. After a terrible run of form the club were ultimately relegated after a relegation-decider at Edgar Street with Brighton & Hove Albion.
Having initially offered his resignation Graham Turner went on to purchase the majority shareholding in the club in 1998 from the previous regime of Peter Hill and Robin Fry who left the club with debts of £1 million owed to a developing company which also controlled the leases on the stadium. The club's first five seasons in the Conference saw little success on the pitch, with the club being forced to sell many of its key players and the future of Edgar Street in serious doubt. The 2001-02 FA Cup saw the club receive a financial bonus when the BBC televised the First Round match against Wrexham live. Turner stated that the money was critical to the club's survival and therefore Gavin Williams's goal against Dover Athletic in the previous round is seen as the goal that saved the club.
Having reached a 40 year low of 17th in the Conference, the summer of 2002 proved a turning point as almost the entire squad was changed. The majority of new signings having been released from Football League clubs as a result of the ITV Digital collapse. This all-new squad evolved the club into genuine title contenders which, after a record-breaking season in the 2003-04 season, finished as runners up in the Conference only to fail in the play-offs. 2004-05 saw an identical outcome but the 2005-06 season saw Hereford finally secure promotion after defeating Halifax Town in the play-off final.
The club returned to the Football League with a vastly improved financial situation. Under Turner the club was now strictly living within its financial means, having turned a sizeable profit in the latter Conference seasons whilst spending just £20,000 on transfers. In addition the team was playing attractive football which had earned them the mantle of "the best footballing side in the Conference".
In 2006-07 Hereford achieved victories over five of the top eight finishing clubs, but a poor run of form in the last part of the season dropped the club into 16th position.
In the following season the club were never out of the top five from November onwards and consistently placed in the automatic promotion places. Despite being pushed all the way by Stockport County, Hereford secured third place and promotion with a match to spare by defeating Brentford 3-0 at Griffin Park. This was greatly helped due to goals scored by the Blues connection of loanees Gary Hooper and Theo Robinson.
(Many thanks to the usual suspects for all their help with this article.)