Hereford United - Edgar Street

What we say

When Hereford United returned to the Football League a year or so ago, our first back to Edgar Street turned out to be a complete surprise for the Dale support, because it transpired that nothing had changed whatsoever. It was like we'd headed down to Hereford in our De Lorean and headed back to 1958, because this really is a football ground living in the past.

That in itself, please don't take as slagging the place off. Yes it's a dump, that in itself is not up for debate, but it's a real honest place, and I'd take dumps like this a thousand times over the likes of the Deva Stadium or Darlington Arena.

There's always a fine line between past its sell by date and being "quaint", and if truth be told, it's probably more past its sell by date than a seven two year old pint of milk. But we take comfort in the way that Hereford have shunned delusions of Premier League grandeur. They know they aren't going to be "doing a Wigan" at any stage, so why bother?

Even the name does you a favour. There's no "Herefordshire Beef Limited" stadium going on here. No annual change of name due to sponsorship with "Hereford's very own 94.5 Love FM - your family station". It's Edgar Street to them and it's Edgar Street to us.

We have no idea whether they still take the Bull round the ground before kick off like they used to, or whether that was ever done other than for when the Match Of the Day Cameras.

The Away End

If you've not been in it before, then you'll have to brace yourself. Away supporters are given a choice of whether they want to stand up or go in the seats.

Most supporters will opt to go on the terrace. It would appear that we're not longer in the corner terrace that has housed Dale fans previously.

All away supporters go in the "Floors 2 Go stand". That's a two tiered stand which runs the full length of the pitch. The top tier has seating and the bottom tier is a terrace. Neither are particularly great for supporters and unfortunately admission prices don't reflect this either.

On the plus side, at least both the terrace and the stand have roofs over their head.

And we're talking proper cider. We're not talking that fancy dan stuff that people started pouring into pint glasses full of ice cubes over the past couple of years, we're talking Real Cider here.

If that is what takes you're fancy, then the Cider Museum and King Offa Distillery  is in town and is open on Saturdays between 1pm and 5pm. Just remember we've got a game at 3pm.

Closer to the ground, you have the club's bar on site called "Legends" which is no doubt their version of our very own Studds.

Also close to the ground is the Oxford Arms. A lot of home supporters will be in this pub, and it comes with a beer garden for you smokers and sun bathers, and Sky Sports comes as part of the package. They also sell beer.

Other than that, you're very close to the town centre which is packed with decent pubs.

Before the game - food

Food inside the ground apparently comes highly recommended, with their Balti Pies a local speciality. If you don't fancy eating inside the ground, then pop into the centre which is very close by, and you can pretty much get what you want.

From Rochdale take the M62, M60 (clockwise) and M56 following signs for North Wales. Leave the M56 at junction 10 and take the A49 towards Whitchurch. Continue along the A49 for Hereford.

At the roundabout, take the Grayfriars Bridge/Victoria Street road. At Steels Garage, keep left into Edgar Street.

Take Blackfriars Street (right) immediately before the stadium and turn left for parking.

Alternatively, take the M62 westbound and the M6 southbound, until leaving the M6 at Walsall to join the M5. Keep on the M5 until junction 8 and exit onto the M50.

At junction 2, take the A40 and then the A49 to Hereford. Then proceed as above.

Admission Prices

I know we're not exactly Poundstretcher when its come to admission prices, but I have to take issue with the prices charged by Hereford. Charging £13 and £10 for kids would even embarrass Bradford, and it's all well and good having a ticket offer for Under 10's for home supporters, but it really cannot be justified in a time where the majority of clubs are trying to bring the youth of today on board. For the youth of today have got lots to say. It's our life, it's our future. Adult prices are par for the course in this division.

Terrace:
Adults £13
Concessions £10

Stand
Adults £15
Concessions £13

Stewarding

Oh dear, we did have problems last season with regards to the stewarding at Hereford. Now fair enough, we appreciate there were concerns about the Dale supporter who got caught short inside the ground, but there was a heavy handed approach from the other stewards which by all accounts went more than just a step too far, and the slightest flash point seemed to be just what they had been waiting the entire game for.

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