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Next Game: Banbury Away On Friday March 29th Kick-Off 3.00pm

Tuesday, February 05, 2002

Feb 5th 2002


IT was thirty years ago to the day that Hereford United recorded their finest hour.

The Bulls, then in the Southern League, defeated Newcastle United 2-1 in the third round of the FA Cup after a replay at St. James Park four days earlier. The game finished 2-2, after being postponed several times.

The story that shocked the football world on February 5th, 1972 came from Edgar Street, Hereford, in the FA Cup third round replay...
Southern League side Hereford United, one of the biggest teams in non-league football, had progressed to the third round of the FA Cup and had held first division Newcastle United several days earlier at St. James' Park to a 2-2 draw. Hereford were pleased to bring the former league champions back to Edgar Street for another crack, but surely had no chance of winning.

Malcolm McDonald, the England international striker and one of Newcastle's best ever players, promised to score ten goals past Hereford but the Bulls, managed by Colin Addison, had other ideas.

Perhaps McDonald was a little optimistic, but with eight minutes left he neeted the first and it looked as if Hereford were going out after a good fight at Edgar Street. Cue a substitution!

Roger Griffiths was replaced by the attacking-minded Ricky George minutes before Ronnie Radford, a midfielder not renowned for scoring goals, unleashed a thirty yard screamer out of the mud to equalise in the most spectacular fashion.

The goal eventually was voted 'goal of the season' by viewers of BBC's Match Of The Day, and Hereford went into extra time.

Surely, the part-timers of Hereford United would tire? True, they were but substitute Ricky George had fresh legs.

It was George who scored to put Hereford into the lead in extra time from close range, and Newcastle searched for a desperate equaliser. It was not to be found, as Fred Potter in the home goal saved everything Newcastle could throw at them. Hereford had secured the biggest FA Cup upset ever, 2-1 over Newcastle United.

The season was one of sweet success for Hereford reaching the fourth round of the FA Cup (eventually losing in a replay to West Ham United), the semi final of the FA Trophy (losing to Hillingdon Borough), and finishing second in the Southern League. The Football League member clubs voted the Bulls into Division Four after a second vote at the expense of Cumbrian side Barrow.







Everyone celebrates after the Ronnie Radford goal (top).

Ricky George's winner goes in (middle).

The Hereford players celebrate in style after the game (bottom).

Thanks to Nigel Hill for the images.

John Motson, the BBC commentator on the day, spoke of the remarkable atmosphere: "In terms of atmosphere at English league grounds I've lost count really, but people say to me that the game that really got me off to a flying start at the BBC was Hereford v Newcastle in that famous Cup tie. Now that was a day that you'll never forget, and the atmosphere was... well, you'll never find anything to compare with it."

A LUNCHTIME pitch inspection has resulted in Hereford United's FA Trophy fourth round encounter against Hampton & Richmond Borough being postponed.

The pitch was playable yesterday, but heavy rain has resulted in the cancellation of the fixture for the second time in four days.

The winners of the tie, whenever it is played, with compete with either Nationwide Conference side Chester City, or Solihull Borough from the Dr Martens Western Division in the next round; the two teams replay at Solihull next Tuesday. The game was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch today.

"It would have been nice to have been handed a home tie, but with Chester City in the lower reaches of the Conference and Solihull Borough from a lower league it is still a good draw for us," said Robinson.