# 1976–77 Hereford United F.C. season

The 1976–77 season was the 47th season of competitive football played by Hereford United Football Club and their fifth in the Football League. Following promotion as champions of Division Three the previous season, the club competed in Division Two, as well as the League Cup and FA Cup.

## Summary

Hereford's rapid progress up the Football League was halted as they made an immediate return to Division Three, becoming the first team ever to finish bottom of Division Two having been promoted as Third Division champions the previous season.
After a promising start which saw only one point dropped in the first three matches, Hereford's form nosedived as it became clear that most other clubs possessed greater strength in depth and players more suited to the demands of Second Division football. This was amply demonstrated by successive matches in the autumn when Hereford were beaten 4–1 at Fulham by a team containing Bobby Moore, Rodney Marsh and George Best, then thrashed 6–1 at home a week later by a Wolverhampton Wanderers side containing the likes of Steve Kindon, Kenny Hibbitt, Alan Sunderland and Bobby Gould.
A late rally (four wins and only one defeat from the final nine matches) proved to be too little, too late and relegation was confirmed following a goalless draw against Carlisle United with three matches still to play.

## Squad

Players who made one appearance or more for Hereford United F.C. during the 1976-77 season
| Pos. | Nat. | Name | League | League | League Cup | League Cup | FA Cup | FA Cup | Total | Total |
| Pos. | Nat. | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| GK | ENG | Kevin Charlton | 16 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| GK | SCO | Tommy Hughes | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 27 | 0 |
| DF | ENG | Phil Burrows | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| DF | IRE | Tony Byrne | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| DF | ENG | Steve Emery | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| DF | ENG | John Galley | 20(3) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 22(4) | 2 |
| DF | ENG | Derek Jefferson | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 28 | 0 |
| DF | ENG | John Layton | 28 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 32 | 4 |
| DF | WAL | Julian Marshall | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| DF | ENG | Chris Price | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| DF | SCO | Steve Ritchie | 32 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 35 | 1 |
| DF | ENG | Billy Tucker | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| MF | ENG | Les Briley | 33(1) | 1 | 0(1) | 0 | 2 | 1 | 35(2) | 2 |
| MF | ENG | Roy Carter | 18(6) | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20(6) | 3 |
| MF | SCO | Jimmy Lindsay | 33 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 37 | 4 |
| MF | ENG | Barry Lloyd | 12(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13(2) | 0 |
| MF | ENG | Terry Paine | 26(1) | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 30(1) | 3 |
| MF | WAL | Alan Peters | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| MF | ENG | Brian Preece | 3(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3(1) | 0 |
| MF | IRE | Kevin Sheedy | 13(3) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13(3) | 1 |
| MF | ENG | Peter Spiring | 32(6) | 9 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 36(6) | 10 |
| MF | ENG | Dudley Tyler | 4(2) | 0 | 0(1) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4(3) | 1 |
| MF | WAL | Shane Walker | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| FW | SCO | Jimmy Coughlin (on loan from Albion Rovers) | 1(1) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1(1) | 1 |
| FW | WAL | Steve Crompton | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| FW | ENG | Steve Davey | 31 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 35 | 9 |
| FW | ENG | Gary Goodchild | 1(3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2(3) | 0 |
| FW | ENG | Dixie McNeil | 37 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 18 |
| FW | SCO | Colin Sinclair | 7(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7(2) | 0 |

## League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 18 | Cardiff City | 42 | 12 | 10 | 20 | 56 | 67 | −11 | 34 | Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup first round |
| 19 | Orient | 42 | 9 | 16 | 17 | 37 | 55 | −18 | 34 | |
| 20 | Carlisle United (R) | 42 | 11 | 12 | 19 | 49 | 75 | −26 | 34 | Relegation to the Third Division |
| 21 | Plymouth Argyle (R) | 42 | 8 | 16 | 18 | 46 | 65 | −19 | 32 | Relegation to the Third Division |
| 22 | Hereford United (R) | 42 | 8 | 15 | 19 | 57 | 78 | −21 | 31 | Relegation to the Third Division |