The 2007–08 season was Hereford United's 27th season in the Football League and ended in the club winning promotion to League One, the third tier of English football, for the first time in 30 years.
It was Hereford's second season back in the Football League after nine seasons spent in the Conference. The previous season had seen Hereford finish 16th after a poor run of form in the final stages of the season. On the strength of this they were predicted to battle against relegation this season by most media sources. Only one member of the 2007-08 squad was purchased for a transfer fee, Ben Smith who was signed from Weymouth for £20,000 in January 2007.
On 26 April 2008 they secured 3rd place and promotion to League One.
First-team squad
Transfers
In Date Player Transferred from Fee 12 June 2007 FW 9 Steve Guinan Cheltenham Town Free transfer 4 July 2007 DF 6 Karl Broadhurst Bournemouth DF 5 John McCombe Huddersfield Town MF 10 Kris Taylor Walsall 19 July 2007 MF 11 Clint Easton Gillingham 2 August 2007 FW 12 Trevor Benjamin Peterborough United MF 7 Lionel AinsworthDerby County 8 August 2007 FW 23 Simon Johnson Darlington 17 August 2007 GK 14 Michael Ingham Wrexham 31 August 2007 MF 27 Craig Jones Academy DF — Marvin McCoy Watford 18 January 2008 MF 7 Jack Macleod Carshalton Athletic 17 March 2008 GK 33 Ryan Esson Shrewsbury Town
Out Date Player To club Fee 14 May 2007 MF 8 Andy Ferrell Kidderminster Harriers Released FW 10 Stuart Fleetwood Forest Green Rovers DF 17 Martyn Giles Newport County MF 3 Danny Thomas Macclesfield Town GK 14 Glyn Thompson Newport County 29 May 2007 MF 23 Phil Gulliver Rushden & Diamonds Undisclosed 6 June 2007 MF 5 Tamika Mkandawire Leyton Orient Free transfer 25 June 2007 MF 6 Rob Purdie Darlington 27 June 2007 FW 9 Tim Sills Torquay United Undisclosed 2 July 2007 FW 12 Alan Connell Brentford Free transfer 4 July 2007 DF 2 Simon Travis Nuneaton Borough 5 July 2007 FW 16 Andy Williams Bristol Rovers Undisclosed 5 January 2008 MF 7 Lionel Ainsworth Watford
Loans in Start date End date Player From club 8 August 2007 13 August 2007 GK 14 Chris Weale Bristol City 10 August 2007 End of season MF 20 Toumani Diagouraga Watford FW 22 Theo Robinson 30 October 2007 DF 16 Robbie Threlfall Liverpool 16 November 2007 DF 18 Lee Collins Wolverhampton Wanderers 28 January 2008 30 April 2008 FW 29 Gary Hooper Southend United 8 February 2008 10 February 2008 FW 24 Sherjill MacDonald West Bromwich Albion 21 February 2008 24 March 2008 MF 26 Stephen Gleeson Wolverhampton Wanderers 27 March 2008 27 April 2008 MF 25 Sammy Igoe Bristol Rovers
Loans out Start date End date Player To club 22 November 2007 5 January 2008 MF 7 Lionel Ainsworth Watford 25 February 2008 25 March 2008 FW 19 Marcus Palmer Gloucester City 27 March 2008 27 April 2008 MF 17 Jordan Fitzpatrick Bromsgrove Rovers MF 27 Craig Jones
Competitions
Overall record
League Two
League table
Results summary
Results by round
Matches
FA Cup
The draw for the first round was made on 31 October 2007, with Hereford being drawn at home to League One club Leeds United, playing at that level for the first time in their history. The match was moved to Friday night in order to be broadcast on terrestrial television, with Hereford earning a replay after a 0–0 draw. In the replay, a third minute goal from Lionel Ainsworth was enough to send Hereford through 1–0 and knock Leeds out. In the second round, Hereford were again drawn at home against a League One club, Hartlepool United. No replay was needed this time to defeat their higher graded opponents with Hereford winning 2–0. A third consecutive League One club was drawn in the third round, and a third consecutive scalp obtained by Hereford as they knocked Tranmere Rovers out, beating them 1–0 in a replay after a 2–2 draw at Prenton Park. In the fourth round, Hereford were drawn at home against Championship club, and eventual runners-up, Cardiff City. Hereford's cup run came to an end as they were beaten 2–1.
League Cup
Football League Trophy
Herefordshire Senior Cup DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultScorersAttendance5 February 2008Quarter FinalLedbury TownH8 – 0Palmer 40', 53', 71', 73', 87', Taylor 42', Burge 56', 60'2214 March 2008Semi FinalBromyard TownH5 – 0Broadhurst 5', Robinson 17', 56', MacLeod 52', Thomas 90'1091 April 2008FinalWestfieldsN3 – 0Guinan 14', 46', Taylor 35'281
Squad statistics
Appearance and goals
The plus (+) symbol denotes an appearance as a substitute, hence 2+1 indicates two appearances in the starting XI and one appearance as a substitute Players with zero appearances are not included Statistics from the HFA Senior Floodlit Cup are not included
!colspan="14" style="text-align:center" | Players who left during the season but made an appearance
References