58-458: Edgar Street is a football stadium in Hereford and was the home of Hereford United Football Club from the club's formation in 1924 until December 2014, when the club was wound up. It is now the home of Hereford FC , a phoenix club formed to replace the former club. It is the largest football stadium in the county of Herefordshire and is located on the edge of Hereford city centre, adjacent to
116-560: A civil parish council could be set up, which happened in 2000. Hereford is one of only eight civil parishes in England which have city status . It is based at Hereford Town Hall . Hereford was the name of a parliamentary constituency that was centered in the city, from 1295 to 2010, when it was renamed as Hereford and South Herefordshire. The current Member of Parliament (MP) in the House of Commons for Hereford and South Herefordshire
174-410: A civil parish since 2000. It is known for being a trading centre for a wider agricultural and rural area. Products from Hereford include cider , beer , leather goods, nickel alloys, poultry , chemicals and sausage rolls , as well as the famous Hereford breed of cattle. The Herefordshire edition of Cambridge County Geographies states "a Welsh derivation of Hereford is more probable than
232-400: A "City Council" but this is actually a parish council with city status , and has only limited powers. Historically Hereford has been the county town of Herefordshire . In 1974 Herefordshire was merged with Worcestershire to become part of the county of Hereford and Worcester , and Hereford became a district of the new county. Hereford had formed a historic borough and was reformed by
290-480: A 30-yard strike into the top corner that beat Willie McFaul to equalise. The goal sparked a pitch invasion, and the images of the muddy pitch, Radford celebrating with arms aloft and the crowd invading the pitch, have since become immortalised in FA Cup history. Radford's goal is sometimes incorrectly attributed as the winning goal; indeed the match actually went to extra time. It was substitute Ricky George who got
348-542: A Saxon one" but the name "Hereford" is also said to come from the Anglo-Saxon " here ", an army or formation of soldiers, and the " ford ", a place for crossing a river (cf. Herford , Westphalia, with the same Saxon etymology). If this is the origin it suggests that Hereford was a place where a body of armed men forded or crossed the Wye . The Welsh name for Hereford is Henffordd , meaning "old road", and probably refers to
406-803: A TV commentary career. Motson's commentary on the Radford goal: "Oh what a goal! Radford the scorer. Ronnie Radford! And the crowd are on the pitch. What a tremendous shot by Ronnie Radford". After bowing out of the cup to West Ham United , Hereford eventually finished runners-up in the Southern League and were elected to the Football League. Radford stayed at Hereford until July 1974 when he became player-manager at nearby Worcester City . He later played for Bath City and Forest Green Rovers but an Achilles tendon injury ended his playing career. He moved back to Yorkshire to continue his work as
464-566: A home game at Edgar Street was 4,683, for a 1–0 win in the FA Vase semi-finals against Salisbury on 13 March 2016, until the club's FA Cup first round match against Portsmouth in November 2022 attracted a crowd of 4,912. It hosted Hereford FC's televised FA Cup second round replay against Fleetwood Town in December 2017. The 2020–21 FA Trophy semi-final between Hereford FC and Woking
522-528: A lease on the stadium for the first time. Although now showing its age, the ground's history does have some notable landmarks, such as the installation of floodlights in March 1953, before many large clubs. In 1974, following the most recent major development seen at Edgar Street, it was the only one outside the First Division with two cantilever-roof stands. At 76 yards (69 m) the ground had, until
580-413: A manor built there by Peter of Aigueblanche , Bishop of Hereford , in the middle of the 13th century. Hereford, a base for successive holders of the title Earl of Hereford , was once the site of a castle , Hereford Castle , which rivalled that of Windsor in size and scale. This was a base for repelling Welsh attacks and a secure stronghold for English kings such as King Henry IV when on campaign in
638-488: A new higher education institution NMITE (New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering) welcomed its first students who are undertaking an MEng Integrated Engineering. There have been a number of improvements at Hereford Sixth Form College , where a new business block extension was completed in 2013 and a new reception area was completed in 2015. Hereford benefitted from the PFI reconstruction schemes for NHS hospitals, with
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#1732772277677696-592: A north–south bypass and currently the plan is for a nine-mile (14 km) dual carriageway ; however, HM Government as yet has refused to grant permission or supply funds. However, the Hereford Link Road was completed in December 2017, costing around £34,000,000 to build. There are plans to add new homes, a university building and a transport hub to this area. Plans for the north–south bypass were scrapped in February 2021. Hereford railway station
754-462: A proposal by Worcestershire -based Redditch United to play at Edgar Street. Later that same week, on 24 February, the council confirmed that Hereford FC , a phoenix club formed following Hereford United's demise, had been granted a lease allowing them to play at Edgar Street. The stadium's record attendance is 18,114 when Hereford United played against Sheffield Wednesday in the 1957–58 FA Cup Third Round. Hereford FC's record attendance for
812-663: A sculpture and stained glass window dedicated to the SAS. On 17 October 2017 Ascension , a new sculpture and window honouring the Special Air Service Regiment in Hereford Cathedral , was dedicated by the then Bishop of Hereford . The main public service employers in Hereford include: In 2005 Hereford was granted Fairtrade City status. Major employers in the city include: Herefordshire
870-547: A straight line from east to west. Only one of these major routes crosses the River Wye , the A49/Victoria Street, which is carried by Greyfriars Bridge. In 2017, Hereford was named Britain's second slowest city , with an average traffic speed of 14.09 mph. Cambridge topped the list, whilst London came third with vehicles travelling at an average 14.59 mph. There have been plans for many years for
928-573: Is Jesse Norman of the Conservative Party . As with all of the UK, Hereford experiences a maritime climate , with limited seasonal temperature ranges, and generally moderate rainfall throughout the year. The nearest Met Office weather station for which 30-year averages are available is Credenhill weather station, about 4 miles (6 km) north west of the city centre. Before 2001, the weather station at Preston Wynne (7 miles, 11 km to
986-551: Is Kilpeck Castle . The route passes through Abergavenny and the Heads of the Valleys as it enters Wales . As of Summer 2020, Sustrans proposes an extension to Route 46 running eastbound from Hereford to Worcester . National Cycle Route 44 leaves Hereford to the southeast and runs as far as Rotherwas . The route is incomplete; once completed, Route 44 will run to Ludlow Castle to the north and Cinderford , Forest of Dean to
1044-502: Is a centre for cider production as it supports many acres of orchards, so many breweries and associated organisations exist here, along with other heavy and light industries. Within the city, many are based at the Rotherwas Industrial Estate. Many of the schools in Hereford have been rebuilt and improved. The Herefordshire and Ludlow College has also been rebuilt to a 21st-century standard. In September 2021
1102-419: Is maintained by Herefordshire Council and Sustrans . An unbroken shared-use path for cyclists and pedestrians runs along the western rim of the city, from Newton Farm to Holmer . The Great Western Way route crosses the River Wye using Hunderton Bridge. National Cycle Route 46 runs southbound from Hereford to Swansea. The route is signposted and unbroken, and the next destination from Hereford en route
1160-610: Is situated to the north of the city centre. The station is the western terminus of the Cotswold Line ; it is a through station on the Welsh Marches Line between Abergavenny and Leominster . The station is managed by Transport for Wales , which operates services to destinations such as Newport , Cardiff and Swansea to the south. Transport for Wales also operates services northbound towards Leominster , Shrewsbury , Chester , Manchester and Holyhead . On
1218-498: Is unusual in that the lower tier is terraced and the upper tier seated. The upper tier contains just five steep rows of seating but offers perhaps the best view in the ground as it is higher than the Merton Stand, and also closer to the pitch so supporters may not be able to see the front of the pitch, but seating is narrow. The view from the terracing on the lower tier can be obscured by a number of supporting pillars, but also has
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#17327722776771276-650: The Goal of the Season competition. For many years the footage of Radford's wonder goal, coupled with the commentary of John Motson, was part of the Match of the Day opening titles and it arguably launched Motson's career. Described as the FA Cup's greatest ever giant killing Motson believed because of this game he was later given a three-year deal. Motson also believed if Radford had never scored his famous goal he would never have had
1334-618: The Municipal Corporations Act 1835 . On 1 April 1998 the County of Hereford and Worcester was abolished, and Herefordshire and Worcestershire were re-established as separate counties. However the new Herefordshire was a unitary authority without any districts, and so Hereford lost its district status (although, confusingly, the authority's full legal name is the County of Herefordshire District Council). Charter Trustees were appointed to preserve mayoral traditions until
1392-587: The Roman road and Roman settlement at nearby Stretton Sugwas . Some historical documents refer to "Hereford in Wales". Hereford became the seat of Putta , Bishop of Hereford , some time between 676 and 688 AD, after which the settlement continued to grow due to its proximity to the border between Mercia and Wales , becoming the Saxon capital of West Mercia by the beginning of the 8th century. Hostilities between
1450-726: The Welsh Marches against Owain Glyndŵr . The castle was dismantled in the 18th century and landscaped into Castle Green. After the Battle of Mortimer's Cross in 1461, during the Wars of the Roses , the defeated Lancastrian leader Owen Tudor (grandfather of the future Henry VII of England ) was taken to Hereford by Sir Roger Vaughan and executed in High Town. A plaque now marks the spot of
1508-470: The 2021 Census was recorded as: Hereford, as an ancient crossing over the River Wye, has long been important within the regional and national transport network. Today, the town is served by several major routes, including: The nearest motorway is the [REDACTED] M50 , which passes to the south of Ledbury. Along the northern rim of the city, the A4103 is named Roman Road , running in
1566-808: The Anglo-Saxons and the Welsh came to a head with the Battle of Hereford in 760, in which the Britons freed themselves from the influence of the English. Hereford was again targeted by the Welsh during their conflict with the Anglo-Saxon King Edward the Confessor in 1056 when, supported by Viking allies, Gruffydd ap Llywelyn , King of Gwynedd and Powys, marched on the town and put it to
1624-483: The Cotswold Line, services are operated by West Midlands Railway towards Birmingham , via destinations such as Great Malvern , Worcester and Bromsgrove . Great Western Railway operates regular services to London Paddington via Worcester , Oxford and Reading , amongst other destinations. A second station served Hereford, Hereford Barton , which closed in 1893. Cycling infrastructure in Hereford
1682-578: The Council announced they were seeking bids to begin demolition of the stand in the summer. Work began to demolish the stand in June. Hereford Hereford ( / ˈ h ɛr ɪ f ər d / HERR -if-ərd ) is a cathedral city and the county town of the ceremonial county of Herefordshire , England. It is situated on the banks of the River Wye and lies 16 miles (26 km) east of
1740-412: The Football League the stand was extended to cover the entire length of the pitch. The Merton Stand is the nominated family stand and includes the director's and press boxes, with matchday sponsors also seated in this stand. In front of the stand lie the dugouts next to the players' tunnel. All of the club facilities, such as offices, changing rooms, boardroom and corporate hospitality are located underneath
1798-683: The Fourth Qualifying Round to the Fourth Round Proper. In the Third Round Hereford met Newcastle United at St James' Park, and the team of part-timers came away with a 2–2 draw, after going 1–0 up in the first minute. The much-postponed replay at Edgar Street was played on a quagmire of a pitch in front of a capacity crowd. The match was being covered by the BBC with a young John Motson commentating. It
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1856-614: The T14 service. Stagecoach South Wales has the 23 which runs to Abergavenny and Newport In 1999, the British Army Special Air Service (SAS) moved from their base at Stirling Lines (formerly Bradbury Lines) in Hereford, their home since 1960, to a former Royal Air Force base RAF Credenhill in Credenhill that had been redeveloped and was designated as Stirling Lines in 2000. The clock tower on which
1914-466: The action. It has a capacity of 1,400. Located behind this end is the substantial Merton Meadow car park. The pitch's distinctive downhill slope is in the direction of the Meadow End, which has seen some memorable goals over the years, most notably the goals scored by Ronnie Radford and Ricky George in the 1972 FA Cup victory over Newcastle United . The Len Weston Stand on the western side of
1972-511: The advent of new stadia, one of the widest pitches in the Football League. The extreme width of the pitch was created when the old running track was turfed over. Due to the club's financial crisis in 1997, the lease was handed over to developers. In 2000 an electronic scoreboard was put up at the Blackfriars Street End, using funds bequeathed to the club by a supporter. On 19 February 2015, Herefordshire County Council rejected
2030-475: The benefit of being very close to the touchline. The proximity of the A49 road immediately behind the stand limited the amount of room to build the stand, hence the relatively small number of rows of seating. Ticket allocation is split between home and away supporters with the Meadow End side allocated to home supporters. A terrace situated to the behind the southern goal, the stand was split between home supporters to
2088-573: The border with Wales , 23 miles (37 km) north-west of Gloucester and 24 miles (39 km) south-west of Worcester . With a population of 53,112 in 2021, it is the largest settlement in Herefordshire. An early town charter from 1189, granted by Richard I of England , describes it as "Hereford in Wales ". Hereford has been recognised as a city since time immemorial , with the status being reconfirmed in October 2000. Hereford has been
2146-494: The cathedral was built in 1204 and is continually used to the present day. Hereford Cathedral School is one of the oldest schools in England. The Harold Street Barracks were completed in 1856. During World War I , in 1916, a fire at the Garrick Theatre killed eight young girls who had been performing at a charity concert. The main local government body covering Hereford is Herefordshire Council . Hereford has
2204-473: The east, and away supporters to the west. The stand was popular amongst supporters but had to close its terracing due to health and safety concerns in 2009, then from 2010 to 2012 it adopted temporary seating to accommodate bigger sides in League Two. In 2023, it was announced that a long term lease had been offered by Herefordshire Council that would allow for the redevelopment of the stand. In March 2024,
2262-508: The execution. Vaughan was later himself executed, under a flag of truce, by Owen's son Jasper . During the English Civil War , the city changed hands several times. On 30 September 1642 Parliamentarians led by Sir Robert Harley and Henry Grey, 1st Earl of Stamford occupied the city without opposition. In December they withdrew to Gloucester because of the presence in the area of a Royalist army under Lord Herbert. The city
2320-511: The faith" and the even rarer gold-barred peer's helm, found only on the arms of one other municipal authority: those of the City of London . Nell Gwynne , actress and mistress of King Charles II , is said to have been born in Hereford in 1650 (although other towns and cities, notably Oxford , claim her as their own); Gwynn Street is named after her. Another famous actor born in Hereford is David Garrick (1717–1779). The Bishop's Palace next to
2378-612: The former County Hospital site having £60 million spent on a brand new, one-site hospital to replace the former 3 hospitals: the General, the Eye Hospital, and the County Hospital. The new Hereford County Hospital was the single largest investment in Herefordshire at that point. In 2015, further funds for more improvements at the hospital were granted. Ronnie Radford Ronald Radford (12 July 1943 – 2 November 2022)
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2436-535: The former cattle market (now a shopping centre). The name of the stadium directly derives from the name of the street where it is located, which is also the A49 . The site has been used as a stadium since the late 19th century, although the year in which it was opened has not been widely recorded. The stadium was originally owned by the Hereford Athletic Ground Company and was also used by amateur football side Hereford City. In those days
2494-418: The ground's official name was Edgar Street Athletic Stadium, there was a running track around the pitch which explains the curious curved "dead" areas behind each goal in front of the terraces. Even in the early days Hereford United struggled financially and the landlord obligingly reduced the rent to help the club. In 1931 the stadium was purchased by Hereford City Council for £3,000, and in 1952 United secured
2552-437: The ground, is a narrow two-tiered stand and was built in 1974, replacing the previous wooden grandstand, which was moved to a field near Risbury in the county. The stand has a total capacity of 1996, comprising 936 seats and a further 1,060 standing. It extends the entire length of the pitch and was named after the former president and benefactor of the club, Len Weston and the stand is now sponsored by Weston's Cider . The stand
2610-559: The names of deceased SAS soldiers are inscribed was re-located. The local Anglican church of St Martin's has part of its graveyard set aside as an SAS memorial, over twenty SAS soldiers are buried there. There is also a Wall of Remembrance displaying memorial plaques to some who could not be buried, including the 18 SAS men who lost their lives in the Sea King helicopter crash during the Falklands Campaign on 19 May 1982 and
2668-432: The north-east) provided the data. Since 2001, extremes at Hereford Credenhill have ranged from 33.6 °C (92.5 °F) during July 2006, to as low as −15.8 °C (3.6 °F) during December 2010. In February 2020 many houses in Hereford were evacuated due to floods. Hereford and its surrounding urban area were recorded as follows in the table below at the 2021 Census: The religious composition of Hereford at
2726-633: The south. The nearest bike park is the Black Mountain Bike Park. Since the decision of First Midland Red to pull out of the city in 2015, the majority of bus routes have been operated by Hereford bus and coach operator Yeomans Canyon . The 33 service to Gloucester is operated by Stagecoach and the 66 service to Monmouth is operated by Newport bus , services historically in the hands of Red & White . Other bus services are operated by various operators. TrawsCymru links Hereford railway station to Hay-on-Wye and Brecon on
2784-405: The stand. The result of this is a number of windows at pitch level. The Meadow End is located at the northern end of the ground and is traditionally populated with the club's most vocal supporters. It is a fully covered terrace and has a distinctive curve to its shape. The flat area in front of the terracing enables supporters to stand directly behind the perimeter wall of the pitch, very close to
2842-411: The top corner. Years later Radford said in an interview that he believed that goal was equally as good a goal as his most famous effort. Eventually the financial and physical strain of travelling to and from Newport led to Radford moving to a club closer to home. That club was Hereford United. Radford was a regular in the Hereford midfield and was part of the team that went on an incredible cup run, from
2900-525: The torch before returning home in triumph. Hereford had the only mint west of the Severn in the reign of Athelstan (924–939), and it was to Hereford, then a border town, that Athelstan summoned the leading Welsh princes. The present Hereford Cathedral dates from the early 12th century, as does the first bridge across the Wye . Former Bishops of Hereford include Saint Thomas de Cantilupe and Lord High Treasurer of England Thomas Charlton . Hereford
2958-405: The winner and wrote his name in the history books alongside Radford, as Hereford held out for an incredible 2–1 victory which is generally considered the greatest FA Cup shock of all time. The BBC quickly switched the match to the feature slot on Match of the Day , and Radford's goal was replayed countless times and was eventually voted Goal of the Season. It was the first goal from the FA Cup to win
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#17327722776773016-418: Was again occupied briefly from 23 April to 18 May 1643 by Parliamentarians commanded by Sir William Waller but it was in 1645 that the city saw most action . On 31 July 1645 a Scottish army of 14,000 under Alexander Leslie, 1st Earl of Leven besieged the city but met stiff resistance from its garrison and inhabitants. They withdrew on 1 September when they received news that a force led by King Charles
3074-531: Was also played here, although it took place behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic , in which Hereford won 1–0 to make the final . The Merton Stand , on the eastern side of the ground is the only all-seater stand in the ground and was built in 1968. It currently has a capacity of 1818. Initially it was flanked on either side by standing areas known as the Cowsheds , but when the club progressed into
3132-511: Was an English footballer who was known for scoring "one of the most iconic goals in FA Cup history", in the 1971–72 FA Cup for Hereford United during their shock 2–1 giant-killing of Newcastle United . Born in South Elmsall , West Riding of Yorkshire, Radford started his footballing career at Sheffield Wednesday and later Leeds United , but did not make a first team appearance for either club. He joined Cheltenham Town where he
3190-499: Was an ever-present in the 1963–64 season, even though he was only a part-time footballer; working during the week as a joiner. He spent one season at Rugby Town before returning to Whaddon Road in 1966. Newport County then paid £1,500 for him in 1969, and in his first season he was voted Player of the Year by the supporters. While at Newport Radford scored a volley from the edge of the box against Bradford Park Avenue , which flew into
3248-430: Was approaching. The city was finally taken for Parliament on 18 December 1645 by Colonel Birch and Colonel Morgan . King Charles showed his gratitude to the city of Hereford on 16 September 1645 by augmenting the city's coat of arms with the three lions of Richard I of England , ten Scottish Saltires signifying the ten defeated Scottish regiments, a very rare lion crest on top of the coat of arms signifying "defender of
3306-728: Was home to a small but relatively important Jewish community until 1290, when Jews were expelled from England by Edward I . Jews from Worcester and Gloucester moved to Hereford after their expulsion in January 1275 by the Queen mother, Eleanor of Provence . The Bishops of Hereford campaigned against the presence of the community, including Cantilupe, and Richard Swinefield , who tried to stop social contact between Christians and Jews. The city gave its name (translated to French) to two suburbs of Paris , France : Maisons-Alfort (population 54,600) and Alfortville (population 36,232), due to
3364-473: Was originally scheduled for a small slot on Match of the Day later that evening. Newcastle United went 1–0 ahead in the last ten minutes, and with the tie seemingly settled, Radford won a tackle in the Newcastle United half and played a one-two with Brian Owen (who had scored the first goal at Newcastle). The return pass bobbled on the muddy surface but sat up nicely for Radford, and he unleashed
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