The 1984–85 season was the 56th 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 continued 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 Hereford briefly went top again at the start of March, an injury to Jimmy Harvey stripped them 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.NameLeagueMilk CupFA CupWelsh CupFreight Rover TrophyTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGKKevin Rose46020503020580DFIan Bray42120502021532DFIan Dalziel19(7)01050221028(7)2DFKeith Hicks38120502010481DFTony Larkin8(6)10(1)000301012(7)1DFCarl Leonard500000301090DFMel Pejic46120512(1)02057(1)2DFChris Price41520510010496MFPaul Butler14(3)10000101016(3)1MFMike Carter25(3)01020211(1)031(4)1MFJohn Delve20021301100262MFSteve Emery40(1)11050202050(1)1MFJimmy Harvey34523502110449MFPaul Maddy33(1)82000302040(1)8MFPaul Tester (on loan from Shrewsbury Town)400000000040FWMark Hacker0000000(1)0000(1)0FWOllie Kearns4518105420205522FWStewart Phillips4619215233205825
League table
Results
Fourth Division
Milk Cup
FA Cup
Welsh Cup
Freight Rover Trophy
References
Bibliography