'I've heard of Kings Langley but I've no idea where it is or that it has a football team but I'll know more after Saturday' was one comment from a Hereford supporter talking about tomorrow's visit to Hertfordshire.
For the record Kings Langley is a historic village and civil parish in
Hertfordshire, England, 21 miles northwest of central London to the
south of the Chiltern Hills and now part of the London commuter belt, according to Wikipedia.
It's football team has spent the majority of their history in the Hertfordshire County League, they joined the Spartan South Midlands Football League in 2001, winning the Premier Division in the 2015-16 season and are currently members of the Southern League Premier Division
- the seventh tier of the English football league system, following a
third consecutive promotion in 2016 when they became champions of the
Southern League Division One South. In doing so, Kings Langley join Truro F.C., Chester F.C., F.C. United of Manchester and Gretna F.C.
as the only clubs in the United Kingdom with three or more successive
promotions. They are also unofficially the highest-ranked village
football club in England.
Last season they couldn't continue their promotion dream and just avoided relegation. Their joint manager predicted this last October when they faced a budget cut.
"We are going to be very lucky to stay in the league this year now,” said Richie Hanlon.
"It’s near-on an impossibility. People think we’re miracle
workers but we are at a level of football where you can’t do that.
“It’s now difficult to name a starting 11 within our means, but we will do the best job we can with what we have got. We’re frustrated; we’ve worked so hard to get here.
“It’s a difficult one, and we understand the finances of the club, and we’re not moaning about that. But had we understood this six months ago, we might have gone elsewhere.”
Shortly afterwards Hanlon with Paul Hughes quit and current manager Paul Hobbs took over.
Finances remain a problem at the club with average gates of just 165 last season. However the agreement that Watford Ladies will play at the ground this season will help. Already the pitch has been reseeded.
Organisation doesn't seem too high on the club's agenda. Firstly Hereford had agreed to sell tickets to their supporters for tomorrow's game. The arrangments were made, publicity released and then Kings Langley decided they would sell them after all.
How many Hereford supporters will make the trip is difficult to gauge. It's more expensive than Edgar Street, £11 for Adults, and it's reported to be £5 to park.
But it's the first away game of the season and close to London so a decent turnout of Bulls is expected.
It could even be a record gate for the Village Football Club.
SatNav: WS4 8AL