# 1984–85 Hereford United F.C. season

The 1984–85 season was the 55th season of competitive football played by Hereford United Football Club and their 13th in the Football League. The club competed in Division Four, as well as the Milk Cup, FA Cup, Welsh Cup and Freight Rover Trophy.

## Summary

Hereford carried on their good form from the latter part of the previous season and made their best ever start to a league campaign, keeping a clean sheet in all of their first seven matches, winning six and drawing one. They were top at Christmas following a 2–1 win over Aldershot but suffered a significant blow in this match when a knee injury to midfielder John Delve ruled him out for the rest of the season. Although they briefly went top again at the start of March, an injury to Jimmy Harvey stripped Hereford of another integral part of the midfield and stretched their threadbare squad to its limits. Thereafter, their form tailed off badly and they ended the season in fifth, seven points adrift of Bury in the final promotion place.
In the FA Cup, Hereford reached the third round and earned a lucrative home tie with Arsenal. Only a fine display by visiting goalkeeper John Lukic kept Hereford at bay after Chris Price had equalised Tony Woodcock's goal in the first half. The replay, however, was dominated by the First Division side who ran out comfortable 7–2 winners.
For the first and only time, three Hereford players were voted by their peers into the divisional PFA Team of the Year - Price (for the third successive season), Harvey (second successive season) and Stewart Phillips (the club's top scorer for the fourth successive season).

## Squad

Players who made one appearance or more for Hereford United F.C. during the 1984-85 season
| Pos. | Nat. | Name | League | League | Milk Cup | Milk Cup | FA Cup | FA Cup | Welsh Cup | Welsh Cup | Freight Rover Trophy | Freight Rover Trophy | Total | Total |
| Pos. | Nat. | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| GK | ENG | Kevin Rose | 46 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 58 | 0 |
| DF | ENG | Ian Bray | 42 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 53 | 2 |
| DF | ENG | Ian Dalziel | 19(7) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 28(7) | 2 |
| DF | ENG | Keith Hicks | 38 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 48 | 1 |
| DF | ENG | Tony Larkin | 8(6) | 1 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12(7) | 1 |
| DF | ENG | Carl Leonard | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| DF | ENG | Mel Pejic | 46 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 2(1) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 57(1) | 2 |
| DF | ENG | Chris Price | 41 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 49 | 6 |
| MF | ENG | Paul Butler | 14(3) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 16(3) | 1 |
| MF | ENG | Mike Carter | 25(3) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1(1) | 0 | 31(4) | 1 |
| MF | ENG | John Delve | 20 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 2 |
| MF | ENG | Steve Emery | 40(1) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 50(1) | 1 |
| MF | NIR | Jimmy Harvey | 34 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 44 | 9 |
| MF | WAL | Paul Maddy | 33(1) | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 40(1) | 8 |
| MF | ENG | Paul Tester (on loan from Shrewsbury Town) | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| FW | ENG | Mark Hacker | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 |
| FW | ENG | Ollie Kearns | 45 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 55 | 22 |
| FW | ENG | Stewart Phillips | 46 | 19 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 58 | 25 |

## League table

| Pos | Team v t e | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
| 3 | Darlington | 46 | 24 | 13 | 9 | 66 | 49 | +17 | 85 | Promoted |
| 4 | Bury | 46 | 24 | 12 | 10 | 76 | 50 | +26 | 84 | Promoted |
| 5 | Hereford United | 46 | 22 | 11 | 13 | 65 | 47 | +18 | 77 | |
| 6 | Tranmere Rovers | 46 | 24 | 3 | 19 | 83 | 66 | +17 | 75 | |
| 7 | Colchester United | 46 | 20 | 14 | 12 | 87 | 65 | +22 | 74 | |