# 1974–75 Hereford United F.C. season

The 1974–75 season was the 45th season of competitive football played by Hereford United Football Club and their third in the Football League. The club competed in Division Three, as well as the League Cup, Welsh Cup and FA Cup.

## Summary

Hereford began the season with a new manager at the helm, Colin Addison having left the club by mutual consent to be replaced by Bristol City coach John Sillett. A number of new signings also arrived, including former England international Terry Paine from Southampton as player-coach, and forward Dixie McNeil from Lincoln City.
Results showed an overall improvement on the previous season as Hereford finished comfortably in mid-table, with McNeil bagging 31 league goals, making him top scorer across all four divisions. He became the first Hereford player to score a league hat-trick in a 5–0 win over Chesterfield and followed up with another in a 6–3 win over eventual champions Blackburn Rovers.

## Squad

Players who made one appearance or more for Hereford United F.C. during the 1974-75 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 | SCO | Jim Blyth (on loan from Coventry City) | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| GK | SCO | Tommy Hughes | 39 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 47 | 0 |
| DF | IRE | Tony Byrne | 45 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 53 | 0 |
| DF | ENG | Steve Emery | 44 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 52 | 1 |
| DF | ENG | John Layton | 19 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 24 | 1 |
| DF | WAL | Mick McLaughlin | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| DF | WAL | Peter Morgan | 16 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| DF | ENG | Tommy Naylor | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| DF | ENG | Brian Roberts (on loan from Coventry City) | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| DF | ENG | David Rylands | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 0 |
| DF | ENG | Billy Tucker | 35 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1(1) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 39(1) | 2 |
| MF | ENG | Roy Carter | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| MF | WAL | Brian Evans | 14(3) | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1(1) | 0 | 19(4) | 2 |
| MF | ENG | Viv Fear | 2(1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3(1) | 0 |
| MF | ENG | Harry Gregory | 11(2) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 11(3) | 1 |
| MF | ENG | Bobby Kellard (on loan from Portsmouth) | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| MF | ENG | Fred Kemp | 12(1) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 17(1) | 2 |
| MF | ENG | Colin Lee (on loan from Bristol City) | 7(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9(2) | 0 |
| MF | ENG | Terry Paine | 40 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 5 |
| MF | ENG | Brian Preece | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| MF | ENG | David Rudge | 16 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 2 |
| MF | ENG | Barry Silkman | 6(9) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6(9) | 1 |
| MF | ENG | Dudley Tyler | 38(3) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 45(3) | 3 |
| MF | WAL | Shane Walker | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| FW | WAL | Nick Deacy | 13(4) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 14(4) | 2 |
| FW | ENG | John Galley | 22 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 6 |
| FW | ENG | Dixie McNeil | 44 | 31 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 51 | 32 |
| FW | ENG | Paul Lee | 9(3) | 3 | 0(1) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12(4) | 3 |
| FW | ENG | Eric Redrobe | 13(2) | 3 | 1(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15(3) | 3 |
| FW | ENG | John Ritchie | 9(2) | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12(2) | 2 |

## League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 10 | Gillingham | 46 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 65 | 60 | 1.083 | 48 | |
| 11 | Colchester United | 46 | 17 | 13 | 16 | 70 | 63 | 1.111 | 47 | |
| 12 | Hereford United | 46 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 64 | 66 | 0.970 | 46 | |
| 13 | Wrexham | 46 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 65 | 55 | 1.182 | 45 | Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup first round |
| 14 | Bury | 46 | 16 | 12 | 18 | 53 | 50 | 1.060 | 44 | |