Archived News from October 2005
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STAGSNET`S STATISTICAL PREVIEW
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The Stags, who in the 1986-87 won the LDV Vans Trophy under the name of Freight Rover Trophy by winning the penalty shoot-out at Wembley against Bristol City, now face Conf side Hereford United for the first time ever in any cup competition. But the Bulls are best known as FA Cup giant-killers, a feat Newcastle United had to endure in a third round replay at Edgar Street in February 1972. The teams had been dead-locked 2-2 up in Newcastle, before the Geordies took the trip to then non-league Hereford. In the replay, Hereford pulled off a major shock by kayoeing Newcastle 2-1 – and in the next round, they held West Ham to a 0-0 home draw before going out at Upton Park 3-1 in front of a near-capacity crowd, 42271 despite the afternoon kick-off due to some fuel crisis. The cup feats helped Hereford gain election to the League a few months later at the expense of Barrow.
And in the second Football League season, Hereford gained revenge on West Ham by winning a third round replay 2-1 in front of 17423 on January 9, 1974. And more top flight sides have had problems at Edgar Street in the FA Cup. Arsenal in 1984-85 and Tottenham in 1995-96 were held to 1-1 draws in the third round, respectively, before winning the replays convincingly. And in 1989-90, the eventual winners Manchester United managed only to scrape through thanks to a 1-0 scoreline in the fourth round. In Hereford's very first league season, they played the Stags, who the previous season had been relegated on goal average, for the first time. The first match was played at Hereford, who had started slowly, eventually went on to be the second side to gain further promotion in their first league campain (the first one was Peterborough in 1960-61) on October 25, 1972 in front of Hereford's then highest league attendance, 10095. The then table-topping Stags lost 3-1 at Hereford – and in the return fixture in January 1973, the teams drew 1-1. By that time, Hereford were climbing up the table, already being in sixth position. A few years later, the sides clinched again – in a higher division – within days of each other. First, the teams drew 2-2 at Field Mill – and a few days later, Hereford won by the only goal of the game. That defeat was to be the last Stags league one in the 1975-76 campaign - but Hereford went on to be Division Three champions with 63 points, 86 league goals, 35 of those from Dixie McNeil, all club records for the Bulls during their 25-year stint in the League, which for the time being ended by a 1-1 home draw against Brighton on May 3, 1997. But at Field Mill, Hereford have lost heavily on a few occasions. The first was a 4-0 on August 23, 1980 when goals from Bird, Burrows, Austin and Caldwell did the stuffing – and the first-ever Stags victory against the Bulls. Another memorable rout was a 4-0 as well, which happened on the opening day of the 1985-86 season, August 17, 1985, when a hat-trick from Cassells and a goal from Chamberlain sealed it. But the most memorable thrashing must be the 7-1 on December 26, 1994, during a period when the Stags were scoring left, right and centre big style, or nineteen times in four consecutive three-pointers. The 7-1 mauling is remembered for six goals in the second half and the strike from Baraclough. More on that game in the Vintage Stags section. There has been a few players appearing for both sides as well. One ex-Stag, who featured in eleven of Hereford's first league games, was Ivan Hollett, who a few years earlier played in Cambridge United's very first league campaign. Another one was much-travelled Ian Juryeff, yet one more was the most recent Stags promotion side manager. The name: Stuart Watkiss. The hot-shot in the 1991-92 promotion season must also be mentioned: Phil Stant. But even before Hereford's election to the League in 1972, there had been player connections, say Lindy Delapenha. Played for both sides: (details mainly courtesy of the Players Who's Who on the history CD): George Banks, Michael Carter, Peter Clark (1960's), Lindy Delapenha, Raymond Devey, John Dungworth, Des Finch, Ivan Hollett, Guy Ipoua, Ian Juryeff, Harry Keeling, Joe Laidlaw, Fred Laycock, Jack Lewis, Brian MacReady, Paul McLoughlin, Darren Rowbotham, Frank Shell, George Simpson, Steve Spooner, Phil Stant, Richard Walker, Stuart Watkiss. Home games: P 13, W 6, D 5, L 2, GF 29, GA 13 Away games: P 13, W 5, D 2, L 6, GF 13, GA 18 Previous league games: Season Home Date Away Date 1972-73 1-1 1973-01-13 1-3 1972-10-25 Division 4 (old) 1975-76 2-2 1976-02-07 0-1 1976-02-11 Division 3 (old) 1980-81 4-0 1980-08-23 1-2 1981-01-31 Division 4 (old) 1981-82 2-1 1981-11-28 1-3 1982-04-24 Division 4 (old) 1982-83 0-1 1983-01-22 2-0 1982-09-18 Division 4 (old) 1983-84 1-1 1984-02-18 0-0 1983-10-29 Division 4 (old) 1984-85 1-1 1985-03-23 0-3 1984-10-06 Division 4 (old) 1985-86 4-0 1985-08-17 2-4 1986-01-18 Division 4 (old) 1991-92 1-1 1992-02-15 1-0 1992-02-25 Division 4 (old) 1993-94 2-1 1994-01-18 3-2 1994-04-04 Division 3 1994-95 7-1 1994-12-26 0-0 1995-04-17 Division 3 1995-96 1-2 1996-04-20 1-0 1995-11-04 Division 3 1996-97 3-1 1996-09-28 1-0 1997-01-11 Division 3 Svante Bernhard aka Sweden Stag (pictured, above right) |
Latest | October 2005