# 2013–14 Hereford United F.C. season

The 2013–14 season was the 93rd and penultimate competitive season of Hereford United Football Club and their second consecutive season, as well as their 11th overall, in the Conference Premier, the fifth tier of English football, following their 6th-placed finish in the previous season. The club also completed in both the FA Cup and the FA Trophy.

## Season summary

During the summer of 2013, Hereford lost three of their key players from the previous season, including top goalscorer Ryan Bowman. Bowman, along with Marley Watkins and Sam Clucas, were offered contracts but all three signed elsewhere, meaning Hereford were to be awarded a fee for each player at tribunal at a later date.
On 10 January 2014, Hereford were placed under a transfer embargo.
Manager Martin Foyle and his assistant Andy Porter left the club on 19 March 2014, with youth team manager Peter Beadle taking over as caretaker the following day.
Hereford entered the final day of the season in the relegation zone and needed to win at Aldershot Town combined with Chester failing to win at home to Salisbury City in order to stay up. Going into the 86th minute, Chester were winning 2–1 whilst Hereford were drawing 1–1 and looking certain to be relegated. Chester then conceded an equaliser before Michael Rankine scored an 88th-minute winner for Hereford to completely change the outcome in the space of two minutes, and ensuring Hereford avoided relegation.
This season Hereford gave future West Ham and England forward Jarrod Bowen his first appearances in professional football.
On 10 June 2014, the club was expelled from the Football Conference despite their final day survival, meaning they would be demoted to the Southern League Premier Division and Chester reprieved from relegation. The club commenced their campaign in the Southern League the following season, but would go on to be wound-up in court on 19 December 2014.

## First-team squad

    As of 26 April 2014
| No. | Name | Nat. | Date of birth (age) | Signed from | Apps | Goals |
| Goalkeepers |||||||
| 1 | Rhys Evans | | (1982-01-27)27 January 1982 (aged 32) | Exeter City | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Daniel Lloyd-Weston | | (1991-08-17)17 August 1991 (aged 22) | Market Drayton Town | 0 | 0 |
| Defenders | Defenders | Defenders | Defenders | Defenders | | |
| 2 | Daniel Leadbitter | | (1991-06-24)24 June 1991 (aged 22) | Torquay United | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Chris Bush | | (1992-06-12)12 June 1992 (aged 21) | Gateshead | 6 | 0 |
| 5 | Rod McDonald | | (1992-04-11)11 April 1992 (aged 22) | Nantwich Town | 11 | 2 |
| 6 | Luke Graham | | (1986-04-27)27 April 1986 (aged 27) | Forest Green Rovers | 48 | 2 |
| 12 | Dominic Collins | | (1991-04-15)15 April 1991 (aged 23) | Chester | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Joel Edwards | | (1991-08-18)18 August 1991 (aged 22) | Westfields | 0 | 0 |
| Midfielders |||||||
| 4 | Kingsley James | | (1992-02-17)17 February 1992 (aged 22) | Port Vale | 21 | 1 |
| 7 | Rob Purdie (captain) | | (1982-09-28)28 September 1982 (aged 31) | Shrewsbury Town | 204 | 26 |
| 16 | Frankie Artus | | (1988-09-27)27 September 1988 (aged 25) | Grimsby Town | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | Danny Pilkington | | (1990-05-25)25 May 1990 (aged 23) | Kidderminster Harriers | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | Sam Gwynne | | (1987-12-17)17 December 1987 (aged 26) | Brackley Town | 81 | 1 |
| 22 | Jamie Edge | | (1993-09-09)9 September 1993 (aged 20) | Cirencester Town | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Billy Murphy | | (1995-12-22)22 December 1995 (aged 18) | Youth team | 0 | 0 |
| Forwards |||||||
| 9 | Dan Walker | | (1990-10-04)4 October 1990 (aged 23) | Luton Town | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | Chris Sharp | | (1986-06-19)19 June 1986 (aged 27) | AFC Telford United | 25 | 4 |
| 11 | Sam Smith | | (1990-05-20)20 May 1990 (aged 23) | Cambridge United | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Michael Rankine | | (1985-01-15)15 January 1985 (aged 29) | Aldershot Town | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Jonathan Brown | | (1990-04-27)27 April 1990 (aged 23) | Suphanburi | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | Cory Williams | | (1995-09-26)26 September 1995 (aged 18) | Youth team | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | Jarrod Bowen | | (1996-12-20)20 December 1996 (aged 17) | Youth team | 0 | 0 |

## Transfers
### Transfers in

| Date | Pos. | Name | From | Fee |
| 5 June 2013 | FW | Dan Walker | Luton Town | Free transfer |
| 19 June 2013 | DF | Chris Bush | Gateshead | Free transfer |
| 19 June 2013 | MF | Danny Pilkington | Kidderminster Harriers | Free transfer |
| 26 June 2013 | GK | Daniel Lloyd-Weston | Market Drayton Town | Free transfer |
| 20 June 2013 | DF | Dominic Collins | Chester | Free transfer |
| 3 July 2013 | MF | Rob Purdie | Shrewsbury Town | Free transfer |
| 26 July 2013 | FW | Jonathan Brown | Suphanburi | Free transfer |
| 26 July 2013 | DF | Joel Edwards | Westfields | Free transfer |
| 30 July 2013 | FW | Michael Rankine | Aldershot Town | Free transfer |
| 31 July 2013 | MF | Frankie Artus | Grimsby Town | Free transfer |
| 31 July 2013 | MF | Sam Gwynne | Brackley Town | Free transfer |
| 1 August 2013 | GK | Rhys Evans | Exeter City | Free transfer |
| 1 August 2013 | MF | Kingsley James | Port Vale | Free transfer |
| 1 August 2013 | DF | Daniel Leadbitter | Torquay United | Free transfer |
| 19 September 2013 | FW | Eric Odhiambo | Denizlispor | Free transfer |
| 18 December 2013 | MF | Jamie Edge | Cirencester Town | Free transfer |

### Transfers out

| Date | Pos. | Name | To | Fee |
| 22 April 2013 | MF | Simon Clist | Released | Released |
| 22 April 2013 | DF | Andy Gallinagh | Released | Released |
| 22 April 2013 | GK | Dan Hanford | Released | Released |
| 22 April 2013 | MF | Brian Smikle | Released | Released |
| 22 April 2013 | DF | Michael Townsend | Released | Released |
| 17 May 2013 | DF | Stefan Stam | FC Den Bosch | Free transfer |
| 24 May 2013 | FW | Ryan Bowman | York City | £20,000 |
| 10 June 2013 | MF | Marley Watkins | Inverness Caledonian Thistle | Tribunal |
| 21 June 2013 | MF | Sam Clucas | Mansfield Town | £20,000 |
| 26 June 2013 | GK | James Bittner | Released | Released |
| 30 June 2013 | DF | Chris Carruthers | Corby Town | Free transfer |
| 30 June 2013 | MF | Will Evans | Eastleigh | Free transfer |
| 30 June 2013 | MF | Craig Jones | Released | Released |
| 6 July 2013 | DF | Joe Heath | Chester | Free transfer |
| 31 July 2013 | FW | Marlon Jackson | Bury | Free transfer |
| 17 September 2013 | FW | Jake Harris | Released | Released |
| 7 January 2014 | FW | Eric Odhiambo | Released | Released |
| 31 January 2014 | MF | Josh O'Keefe | Kidderminster Harriers | Undisclosed |
* ↑ Fee was set at tribunal and includes a 15% sell on-clause
* ↑ Fee was set at tribunal and includes a 15% sell on-clause
* ↑ Fee was set at tribunal and includes a 15% sell on-clause

### Loans in

| Date | Pos. | Name | From | Until |
| 12 June 2013 | FW | Sam Smith | Cambridge United | End of season |
| 26 August 2013 | MF | Michael West | Crewe Alexandra | 26 September 2013 |
| 29 August 2013 | MF | Paul Green | Forest Green Rovers | 29 September 2013 |
| 13 September 2013 | FW | Richard Brodie | Gateshead | 16 October 2013 |
| 11 October 2013 | MF | Kevin Krans | Bristol City | 11 November 2013 |
| 11 October 2013 | FW | Ross Dyer | Mansfield Town | 21 November 2013 |
| 12 November 2013 | MF | Damon Lathrope | Torquay United | 3 January 2014 |
| 26 November 2013 | MF | Micah Evans | Burnley | 26 December 2013 |

### Loans out

| Date | Pos. | Name | To | Until | Ref. |
| 12 November 2013 | FW | Chris Sharp | Lincoln City | 12 December 2013 | |

## Pre-season

Win  Draw  Loss

## Competitions
### Overview

| Competition | First match | Last match | Starting round | Final position | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record |
| Competition | First match | Last match | Starting round | Final position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % |
| Conference Premier | 10 August 2013 | 26 April 2014 | Matchday 1 | 20th | 46 | 13 | 12 | 21 | 44 | 63 | −19 | 028.26 |
| FA Cup | 26 October 2013 | 10 November 2013 | Fourth qualifying round | First round | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 050.00 |
| FA Trophy | 30 November 2013 | 30 November 2013 | First round | First round | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | −3 | 000.00 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | 49 | 14 | 12 | 23 | 45 | 68 | −23 | 028.57 |
Source: FCHD

### Conference Premier
#### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
| 18 | Southport | 46 | 14 | 11 | 21 | 53 | 71 | −18 | 53 | |
| 19 | Aldershot Town | 46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 69 | 62 | +7 | 51 | |
| 20 | Hereford United (R) | 46 | 13 | 12 | 21 | 44 | 63 | −19 | 51 | Demoted to the Southern League Premier Division |
| 21 | Chester | 46 | 12 | 15 | 19 | 49 | 70 | −21 | 51 | |
| 22 | Dartford | 46 | 12 | 8 | 26 | 49 | 74 | −25 | 44 | |
* ↑ Aldershot Town deducted ten points for entering administration
* 1 2 On 10 June 2014, Hereford United were expelled from the Conference due to financial irregularities. They were later accepted into the Southern League. Because of this, Chester were reprieved from relegation.
* ↑ On 13 June 2014, Salisbury City were demoted to the Conference South due to financial irregularities. Because of this, Dartford were reprieved from relegation. Salisbury were subsequently expelled from the Football Conference altogether on 4 July 2014, after which they went into liquidation.

#### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Last updated: 26 April 2014. Source: Football Web Pages

#### Results by round

| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 |
| Ground | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | H | A | H | A | H | H | H | A | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A |
| Result | D | W | D | W | L | W | L | L | L | D | W | D | L | L | D | L | L | D | W | D | W | L | W | L | W | D | W | W | D | L | L | L | L | L | D | D | D | L | L | L | L | W | L | L | W | W |
| Position | 10 | 5 | 9 | 5 | 12 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 20 |
| Points | 1 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 21 | 22 | 25 | 25 | 28 | 28 | 31 | 32 | 35 | 38 | 39 | 39 | 39 | 39 | 39 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 45 | 45 | 45 | 48 | 51 |

#### Matches

The league fixtures were announced on 3 July 2013, with the season starting on 10 August.
Win  Draw  Loss
Source: Football Web Pages

### FA Cup

Hereford entered the competition in the fourth qualifying round.
Win  Draw  Loss
Source: FCHD

### FA Trophy

Hereford entered the competition in the first round.
Win  Draw  Loss
Source: FCHD

## Attendances

| Date | Time | Opponent | Result | Competition | Attendance |
| 10 August 2013 | 15:00 | Braintree Town | 1–1 | Conference Premier | 2,033 |
| 24 August 2013 | 15:00 | Tamworth | 1–0 | Conference Premier | 1,864 |
| 31 August 2013 | 15:00 | Welling United | 2–1 | Conference Premier | 1,527 |
| 13 September 2013 | 19:45 | Aldershot Town | 0–2 | Conference Premier | 1,851 |
| 24 September 2013 | 19:45 | Lincoln City | 1–0 | Conference Premier | 1,398 |
| 28 September 2013 | 15:00 | Luton Town | 0–0 | Conference Premier | 2,386 |
| 12 October 2013 | 15:00 | Dartford | 2–2 | Conference Premier | 1,583 |
| 19 October 2013 | 15:00 | Barnet | 0–1 | Conference Premier | 1,632 |
| 12 November 2013 | 19:45 | Chester | 2–2 | Conference Premier | 1,512 |
| 26 November 2013 | 19:45 | FC Halifax Town | 3–2 | Conference Premier | 1,158 |
| 30 November 2013 | 15:00 | Woking | 0–3 | FA Trophy | 1,041 |
| 7 December 2013 | 15:00 | Nuneaton Town | 0–1 | Conference Premier | 1,292 |
| 21 December 2013 | 15:00 | Cambridge United | 1–0 | Conference Premier | 1,558 |
| 28 December 2013 | 19:30 | Forest Green Rovers | 1–0 | Conference Premier | 1,848 |
| 18 January 2014 | 15:00 | Southport | 4–1 | Conference Premier | 1,569 |
| 25 January 2014 | 15:00 | Salisbury City | 1–0 | Conference Premier | 2,016 |
| 28 January 2014 | 19:45 | Kidderminster Harriers | 1–1 | Conference Premier | 2,014 |
| 25 February 2014 | 19:45 | Macclesfield Town | 1–2 | Conference Premier | 1,013 |
| 1 March 2014 | 15:00 | Wrexham | 0–2 | Conference Premier | 1,884 |
| 15 March 2014 | 15:00 | Hyde | 0–0 | Conference Premier | 1,378 |
| 29 March 2014 | 15:00 | Grimsby Town | 0–1 | Conference Premier | 2,545 |
| 5 April 2014 | 15:00 | Woking | 0–2 | Conference Premier | 2,140 |
| 12 April 2014 | 15:07 | Gateshead | 0–1 | Conference Premier | 1,783 |
| 21 April 2014 | 15:00 | Alfreton Town | 3–2 | Conference Premier | 2,445 |
Source: Football Web Pages

## Squad statistics

    As of match played 26 April 2014

### 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
* Players with zero appearances were unused substitutes named in at least one matchday squad
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Conference Premier | Conference Premier | FA Cup | FA Cup | FA Trophy | FA Trophy |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 1 | GK | ENG | Rhys Evans | 22 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | ENG | Daniel Leadbitter | 41 | 0 | 30+8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Chris Bush | 43 | 3 | 39+3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | MF | ENG | Kingsley James | 23 | 2 | 21+2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | ENG | Rod McDonald | 40 | 2 | 37 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | WAL | Luke Graham | 43 | 1 | 42 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | ENG | Rob Purdie | 31 | 0 | 21+8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | ENG | Dan Walker | 46 | 3 | 26+17 | 3 | 1+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 10 | FW | SCO | Chris Sharp | 31 | 2 | 21+9 | 2 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | FW | ENG | Sam Smith | 36 | 4 | 26+8 | 4 | 0+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 12 | DF | ENG | Dominic Collins | 37 | 5 | 32+2 | 5 | 1+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 14 | DF | ENG | Joel Edwards | 5 | 0 | 0+4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 15 | FW | ENG | Michael Rankine | 34 | 7 | 25+6 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 16 | MF | ENG | Frankie Artus | 37 | 1 | 31+3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 17 | FW | WAL | Jonathan Brown | 38 | 2 | 21+15 | 2 | 1+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | MF | ENG | Danny Pilkington | 13 | 0 | 4+9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | MF | ENG | Sam Gwynne | 5 | 0 | 4+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | GK | ENG | Daniel Lloyd-Weston | 28 | 0 | 26+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 22 | MF | ENG | Jamie Edge | 12 | 0 | 7+5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | FW | WAL | Cory Williams | 10 | 0 | 0+10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | FW | ENG | Jarrod Bowen | 8 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | MF | IRL | Billy Murphy | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Youth team players ||||||||||||
| 34 | GK | WAL | Owen Evans | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | GK | ENG | Kyle Moore | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Players who left during the season but made an appearance ||||||||||||
| 8 | MF | IRL | Josh O'Keefe | 21 | 4 | 18 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 20 | FW | ENG | Jake Harris | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | FW | ENG | Eric Odhiambo | 10 | 1 | 2+5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 22 | MF | ENG | Michael West | 8 | 1 | 7+1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | MF | ENG | Micah Evans | 7 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 23 | MF | ENG | Paul Green | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | MF | FRA | Kevin Krans | 4 | 1 | 2+1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | FW | ENG | Richard Brodie | 8 | 1 | 6+2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | MF | ENG | Damon Lathrope | 9 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 36 | FW | ENG | Ross Dyer | 5 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Source: Soccerbase

### Goals

| Rank | No. | Pos. | Player | Conference Premier | FA Cup | FA Trophy | Total |
| 1 | 15 | FW | Michael Rankine | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| 2 | 12 | DF | Dominic Collins | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 3 | 8 | MF | Josh O'Keefe | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 3 | 11 | FW | Sam Smith | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 5 | 3 | DF | Chris Bush | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 5 | 9 | FW | Dan Walker | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 5 | 36 | FW | Ross Dyer | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 8 | 4 | MF | Kingsley James | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 8 | 5 | DF | Rod McDonald | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 8 | 10 | FW | Chris Sharp | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 8 | 17 | FW | Jonathan Brown | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 12 | 6 | DF | Luke Graham | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 12 | 16 | MF | Frankie Artus | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 12 | 20 | FW | Eric Odhiambo | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 12 | 22 | MF | Michael West | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 12 | 23 | MF | Kevin Krans | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 12 | 24 | FW | Richard Brodie | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 12 | 32 | FW | Jarrod Bowen | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Own goals | Own goals | Own goals | Own goals | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | 44 | 1 | 0 | 45 |