# 1972–73 Hereford United F.C. season

The 1972–73 season was the 43rd season of competitive football played by Hereford United Football Club and their first in the Football League following election from non-league at the end of the previous season. The club competed in Division Four, as well as the League Cup, FA Cup and Welsh Cup.

## Background

Hereford ended the 1971–72 Southern League season as runners-up, two points behind champions Chelmsford City. They also reached the final of the Southern League Cup and enjoyed a run to the fourth round of the FA Cup which included a famous win over Newcastle United that put the club in the national spotlight. Hereford applied for election to the Football League and were duly voted in at the expense of Barrow.

## Summary

Hereford made their league bow in a 1–0 defeat away to Colchester United. The following weekend, Kenny Wallace scored their first league goal in a 3–0 home win over Reading, although the honour of Hereford's first scorer in a competitive match as a league club went to George Johnston in a midweek League Cup defeat to Aston Villa.
After 14 matches, Hereford had notched up only one further win and lay 21st in the division, but in their next two matches, they doubled their tally by beating Northampton Town and leaders Mansfield Town. This started a 14 match unbeaten run that saw Hereford surge up the table to become promotion contenders. They maintained this good form, losing only three of their last 17 matches, but still needed at least a point from their final match against Crewe Alexandra to guarantee promotion. In the event, Hereford managed a 1–0 win courtesy of a goal by David Jenkins.
Hereford's average home crowd of nearly 9000 was the highest in the Fourth Division (Reading's 5521 being the next highest) and higher than all bar six clubs from the Third Division. They lost only once at Edgar Street and dropped just a single point from their last 17 home matches.
This was the only season at the club for goalkeeper David Icke. Despite suffering from rheumatoid arthritis which would force him to quit the game at the age of 21, Icke kept 18 clean sheets in 37 league appearances and did not once feature on the losing side at home.

## Squad

Players who made one appearance or more for Hereford United F.C. during the 1972-73 season
| Pos. | Nat. | Name | League | League | League Cup | League Cup | FA Cup | FA Cup | Welsh Cup | Welsh Cup | Total | Total |
| Pos. | Nat. | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| GK | ENG | David Icke | 37 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 42 | 0 |
| GK | ENG | Fred Potter | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| DF | ENG | Steve Emery | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0(1) | 0 |
| DF | ENG | Roger Griffiths | 7(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8(2) | 0 |
| DF | WAL | Alan Jones | 28 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 31 | 1 |
| DF | WAL | Mick McLaughlin | 32 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 36 | 1 |
| DF | ENG | Ken Mallender | 45 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 51 | 0 |
| DF | ENG | Tommy Naylor | 35(2) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 40(2) | 0 |
| DF | ENG | Billy Tucker | 42 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 48 | 9 |
| MF | ENG | Colin Addison | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 1 |
| MF | ENG | Harry Gregory | 39 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 41 | 3 |
| MF | ENG | Ron Radford | 28 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 32 | 3 |
| MF | ENG | David Rudge | 31(2) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 3 | 1 | 34(3) | 4 |
| MF | WAL | Clive Slattery | 3(5) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2(1) | 1 | 7(6) | 1 |
| MF | ENG | Colin Tavener | 28(1) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 33(1) | 2 |
| FW | ENG | Colin Hall (on loan from Bristol City) | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| FW | ENG | Ivan Hollett | 11 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 2 |
| FW | ENG | David Jenkins (on loan from Brentford) | 8(2) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8(2) | 3 |
| FW | SCO | George Johnston | 15(3) | 5 | 0(1) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 17(4) | 8 |
| FW | ENG | David Layne (on loan from Sheffield Wednesday) | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| FW | ENG | Brian Owen | 31(5) | 11 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 37(5) | 13 |
| FW | ENG | Eric Redrobe | 26 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 29 | 9 |
| FW | ENG | Kenny Wallace | 26(6) | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 31(6) | 5 |

## League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 1 | Southport (C, P) | 46 | 26 | 10 | 10 | 71 | 48 | 1.479 | 62 | Promoted to the Third Division |
| 2 | Hereford United (P) | 46 | 23 | 12 | 11 | 56 | 38 | 1.474 | 58 | Promoted to the Third Division |
| 3 | Cambridge United (P) | 46 | 20 | 17 | 9 | 67 | 57 | 1.175 | 57 | Promoted to the Third Division |
| 4 | Aldershot (P) | 46 | 22 | 12 | 12 | 60 | 38 | 1.579 | 56 | Promoted to the Third Division |
| 5 | Newport County | 46 | 22 | 12 | 12 | 64 | 44 | 1.455 | 56 | |
* ↑ New club in the league; elected from Southern League

## Results
### Welsh Cup

* Match played at Edgar Street after Merthyr chose to waive home rights.