The 2012–13 season was the 92nd competitive season of Hereford United Football Club and 10th overall in the Conference Premier, following their relegation from League Two in the previous season. The club also competed in both the FA Cup and the FA Trophy.
Season summary Following Hereford's relegation, Richard O'Kelly resigned as manager and was replaced by Martin Foyle. Vice-chairman Tim Russon also resigned from the board on 23 May 2012.
Hereford kicked off their season with a Friday night fixture at Edgar Street against Macclesfield Town, also relegated from League Two, beating the Cheshire side 2–1.
Hereford reached the second round of the FA Cup, knocking out arch rivals Shrewsbury Town, then in League One, along the way. Drawing League Two club Cheltenham Town in the second round, Hereford took their higher graded opponents to a replay at Edgar Street before losing 2–1 via an extra time goal.
In the FA Trophy, Hereford defeated fellow Conference Premier club Ebbsfleet United in the first round, before hosting Chelmsford City of the Conference South, one league below, in the second round. Their opponents produced an upset, comfortably winning the tie 3–0 and knocking Hereford out.
The club's financial difficulties grew bigger during the season and in October, David Keyte suggested that unless Hereford found fresh investment, the club could enter administration. Their situation was slightly eased in November with an outstanding tax bill paid off using £70,000 received from their televised FA Cup fixture against Cheltenham.
Hereford ended the season strongly, winning five of their last eight fixtures, losing only once. They finished one place outside the play-offs in sixth but were still ten points off Wrexham immediately above them.
Hereford's financial woes continued after the playing season had ended as the club announced that players' wages would not be paid for April.
First-team squad As of 20 April 2013
+No.NameNat.Date of BirthNotesGoalkeepers 1 James Bittner 12 Dan Hanford Defenders 2 Andy Gallinagh 3 Joe Heath 4 Joe Connor On loan from Stockport County 5 Michael Townsend 6 Luke Graham 8 Chris Carruthers 14 Stefan Stam 26 Rod McDonald 27 Chris Bush On loan from GatesheadMidfielders 7 Marley Watkins 11 Simon Clist 15 Kingsley James On loan from Port Vale 17 Will Evans On loan at Newport County 18 Sam Clucas 20 Craig Jones 21 Josh O'Keefe 22 Brian Smikle Forwards 9 Marlon Jackson 10 Chris Sharp 19 Ryan Bowman Source: Hereford United (Archived)
Transfers
Transfers in
Date Pos. Name From Fee Ref.20 June 2012GK James BittnerForest Green RoversFree transfer20 June 2012DF Luke GrahamForest Green RoversFree transfer20 July 2012DF Chris CarruthersGatesheadFree transfer20 July 2012DF Andy GallinaghBath CityFree transfer20 July 2012FW Marlon JacksonBristol CityFree transfer25 July 2012FW Ryan BowmanDarlingtonFree transfer27 July 2012MF Marley WatkinsBath CityTribunal10 August 2012MF Ashley SammonsBirmingham CityFree transfer25 August 2012MF Brian SmikleKidderminster HarriersFree transfer31 August 2012MF Tristan PlummerPortimonenseFree transfer13 September 2012DF Byron AnthonyBristol RoversFree transfer25 September 2012MF Josh O'KeefeSouthportFree transfer7 December 2012MF Simon HackneyFC Halifax TownFree transfer1 January 2013FW Chris SharpAFC Telford United£3,00028 January 2013DF Rod McDonaldNantwich TownFree transfer21 March 2013MF Craig JonesWestfieldsFree transfer
Transfers out
Date Pos. Name To Fee Ref.8 June 2012GK Adam BartlettGatesheadFree transfer3 July 2012MF Rob PurdieShrewsbury TownFree transfer11 July 2012FW Yoann ArquinNotts CountyFree transfer4 September 2012DF Benoît DalibardReleased17 September 2012MF Tristan PlummerReleased26 September 2012DF Byron AnthonyReleased8 October 2012MF Ashley SammonsReleased1 January 2013FW Sean CanhamReleased9 January 2013MF Simon HackneyReleased28 January 2013MF Harry PellAFC WimbledonUndisclosed22 March 2013MF James McQuilkinReleased
Loans in Date Pos. Name From Until Ref.10 August 2012MF Tom NicholsExeter City17 September 20125 October 2012FW Phil MarshForest Green Rovers5 January 20138 October 2012DF Chris ToddForest Green Rovers11 November 201213 October 2012FW Kyle PerryNuneaton Town–1 January 2013DF Andrew CorbettBurton Albion–4 January 2013DF James MusaFulham–28 January 2013MF Kingsley JamesPort ValeEnd of season1 March 2013DF Joe ConnorStockport County–28 March 2013DF Chris BushGatesheadEnd of season
Loans out
Date Pos. Name To Ref.5 October 2012FW Sean CanhamBath City31 January 2013MF Will EvansNewport County
Pre-season
Competitions
Overview
Conference Premier
League table
Results summary
Results by round
Matches
The league fixtures were announced on 2 July 2012, with the season starting on 10 August.
Source: Football Web Pages
FA Cup
Hereford entered the competition in the fourth qualifying round.
Source: Football Web Pages
FA Trophy
Hereford entered the competition in the first round.
Source: FCHD
Attendances
+DateTimeOpponentResultCompetitionAttendance 10 August 2012 19:30 Macclesfield Town 2–1 Conference Premier 2,139 25 August 2012 15:00 Ebbsfleet United 4–2 Conference Premier 1,906 1 September 2012 15:00 Grimsby Town 0–2 Conference Premier 2,059 4 September 2012 19:45 Woking 2–1 Conference Premier 1,481 22 September 2012 15:00 Cambridge United 4–2 Conference Premier 1,677 25 September 2012 19:45 Forest Green Rovers 1–2 Conference Premier 1,656 6 October 2012 15:00 Stockport County 1–2 Conference Premier 1,889 13 October 2012 15:00 Braintree Town 0–0 Conference Premier 1,537 3 November 2012 13:00 Shrewsbury Town 3–1 FA Cup 3,251 6 November 2012 19:45 Luton Town 1–0 Conference Premier 2,108 11 December 2012 19:45 Cheltenham Town 1–2 FA Cup 5,026 15 December 2012 15:00 Chelmsford City 0–3 FA Trophy 1,124 26 December 2012 15:00 Kidderminster Harriers 0–1 Conference Premier 2,902 8 January 2013 19:45 AFC Telford United 1–1 Conference Premier 1,490 12 January 2013 15:00 Alfreton Town 3–3 Conference Premier 1,565 2 February 2013 15:00 Southport 2–2 Conference Premier 1,513 12 February 2013 19:45 Wrexham 0–1 Conference Premier 1,781 16 February 2013 15:00 Lincoln City 3–2 Conference Premier 1,914 2 March 2013 15:00 Nuneaton Town 0–0 Conference Premier 1,908 5 March 2013 19:45 Newport County 2–3 Conference Premier 2,519 16 March 2013 15:00 Barrow 2–1 Conference Premier 1,273 23 March 2013 15:00 Hyde 1–2 Conference Premier 1,152 26 March 2013 19:45 Dartford 1–0 Conference Premier 662 1 April 2013 15:00 Tamworth 5–2 Conference Premier 1,424 13 April 2013 15:00 Gateshead 1–1 Conference Premier 1,599 16 April 2013 19:45 Mansfield Town 1–2 Conference Premier 2,141 Source: Football Web Pages
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. Italics indicate player is/was a loan player
!colspan="12" style="text-align:center" | Youth team players
!colspan="12" style="text-align:center" | Players out on loan
!colspan="12" style="text-align:center" | Players who left during the season but made an appearance
Source: Soccerbase
Players with zero appearances were unused substitutes named in at least one matchday squad.
Goals + Rank Player ConferencePremier FA Cup FA Trophy Total 1 19 FW Ryan Bowman 15 4 0 19 2 21 MF Josh O'Keefe 12 1 1 14 3 18 MF Sam Clucas 8 1 0 9 4 9 FW Marlon Jackson 7 0 0 7 5 7 MF Marley Watkins 5 0 0 5 6 10 FW Chris Sharp 4 0 0 4 7 10 FW Sean Canham 3 0 0 3 14 DF Stefan Stam 3 0 0 3 9 6 DF Luke Graham 2 0 0 2 17 MF Will Evans 1 1 0 2 26 DF Rod McDonald 2 0 0 2 12 4 MF Harry Pell 1 0 0 1 8 DF Chris Carruthers 1 0 0 1 15 MF Kingsley James 1 0 0 1 15 FW Phil Marsh 1 0 0 1 16 MF James McQuilkin 1 0 0 1 20 MF Ashley Sammons 1 0 0 1 21 MF Tom Nichols 1 0 0 1 22 MF Brian Smikle 1 0 0 1 23 DF Chris Todd 1 0 0 1 Own goals 2 0 0 2Total 73 7 1 81
References