Pic: John Rose
HEREFORD FC boss Peter Beadle was full of praise for his side after they completed the “huge, huge achievement” of back-to-back promotions.
The Bulls, born from the ashes of Hereford United, won the Midland League Premier last season in their debut campaign and they were celebrating more glory on Saturday.
The 4-0 victory at fellow Phoenix club Salisbury, along with defeats for Taunton and Tiverton, meant the Bulls were crowned Southern League Division One South & West champions with six games remaining.
Beadle's side have lost just one of their 36 league games this season, scoring 94 goals along the way as the club claimed their second successive promotion.
Hereford will take their place in the Southern Premier next term, the same level former club United were playing at when they were wound up in December 2014.
“Two promotions back to back is a great achievement for the football club, not only for the players and ourselves,” Beadle told Keith Hall.
“We do get the best of everybody every single week so when we've won something like this I know that we've earnt it because we do get the best of everybody every single week no matter home or away.
“Two promotions back to back and no disrespect to the Midland League, it was a real tough league for lots of different reasons. There were three or four really good sides in there and this year we've come up another division so we've got more good teams in this league and again they've all raised their game when they've played us or we've gone to them, their big day if you like, and we don't disrespect that, we've been very respectful to everybody we've played.
“So it is a huge, huge achievement and one that I'm extremely proud of and the players will be extremely proud of when it finally sinks in I think next week.”
This is such a great achievement for Hereford FC considering what happened to Hereford United FC. I have supported the team since I was a child. Though born in Hereford, now living in the North West of England, I have shed many tears and laughter for my beloved football club. When Hereford United folded, my heart was broken and once again fighting back tears, I knew it was the right thing to do, though I was hoping for a miracle that a billionaire would invest their hard earned money to save them from being no more, and away we go up the footballing world of recognition. But this was not the case. I wondered what will become of Hereford at all, until someone, a Hereford United FC fan, came up with a brilliant plan to bring back football. And a group of business men, came up with the readies, and alongside HUST to form a new football club in the name of HEREFORD FC. A new club owned by the fans, a brand new team that never played together before under the brilliant management of Peter Beadle. What a beautiful story of a never let die for Hereford FC taking the club up back to where they belong in football, starting at the bottom and earning their way back up one leauge a time. Just two seasons ago and we have back to back promotion…wow, wow, and wow! Upward and Onward we go, Hereford FC till I am called home. Well done Hereford FC! From a fan of Hereford FC in Burnley, Lancashire.