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Sir Alex Ferguson has now been at Old Trafford for over twenty years but it might not have been anywhere near as long had Hereford United defeated Manchester United in the FA Cup on January 28th 1990.
Fergi had to take his team to Edgar Street to face Hereford United in the fourth round of the FA Cup. At the time he was under pressure as his side were sliding down the First Division. Some of his expensive squad were not performing and as ever the buck stops with the manager.
"He takes his side into tomorrow's tie at Hereford knowing that his tenure will probably go the way of the Government's Football Spectators Bill should the League's 88th-placed team prove victorious." wrote Phil Shaw in the Independent.
Team captain Bryan Robson revealed before the game that United were wary of going to Edgar Street. They had defeated Notts Forest in the previous round.
"It's cup final to them and it's sure to be tough," said Robson.
"On paper this looks easier than playing Forest away, but you never know when you go to these lower league clubs."
On
the day of the game, Sunday January 28th 1990, the pitch was awful
after days of rain and the Bulls held their visitors until the 84th
minute of the game when Clayton Blackmore scored the only goal of the
game.
"Being drawn against a little club can be a nightmare. When we won the
FA Cup in 1990we played Hereford United on a quagmire of a pitch,"
Ferguson wrote in a column later that year.
"There was an incredible extravaganza with marching bands and a big bull - the Hereford emblem - out on the pitch.
"There was a sell-out crowd, tickets changing hands on the black market
and of course television - they hadn't seen so many cameras since they
beat Newcastle in the FA Cup in 1972.
"So our visit made it a big day for them.
"It was so wet that the car park was flooded and some cars were marooned for days.
"We only won with a goal in the final minutes."
13,777 watched the game.
Hereford United: Elliott, Jones MA, Devine, Hemming, Peacock, Pejic, Jones M, Narbett, Robinson, Benbow, Tester.
Relive the game with YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyMSCXBKZ0A
Other Highlights from 1990:
Jan 1st: Hereford 1 Gillingham 2
Jan 6th: Hereford 2 Walsall 1 (FA Cup Third Round)
Jan 10th: Peterborough 0 Hereford 1 (Leyland-Daf Cup First Round)
Jan 12th: Hereford United have fixed a 1 p.m. kick-off for their fourth round FA Cup match with Manchester United at Edgar Street on Sunday, January 28. Police have fixed a ground limit of 12,500.
Jan 13th: Hereford 0 Cambridge 2
Jan 20th: Carlisle 2 Hereford 1
Jan 22nd: Manchester United have sent a scout to measure the size of the visitors dressing room at Hereford ahead of Saturday's FA Cup game.
Jan 28th: Hereford 0 Manchester United 1 (FA Cup Fourth Round)
A phantom whistler nearly cost Manchester United
their place in the English F.A. Cup fifth round draw. Referee John
Moules spoke with police after the 50th minute incident during United's 1-0 win at Hereford.
Feb 5th: Hereford United have signed Nottingham Forest striker Phil Starbuck on a month's loan. He will make his debut for the Fourth Division club in Wednesday's Leyland Daf Cup match against Notts County.
Feb 7th: Hereford 1 Notts County 1 (Notts won 4-3 penalties) (Daf Southern Quarter Final). Most of the action was in 30 minutes of extra time.
Feb 10th: Wrexham 0 Hereford 0
Feb 13th: Cardiff City, the favourites, have been drawn to meet either Bangor City or Hereford United in the semi-finals of the Welsh Cup.
Feb 14th: Maidstone 2 Hereford 0
Feb 17th: Hereford 4 Hartlepool 1
Feb 20th: Hereford United have signed Nottingham Forest striker Phil Starbuck on a month's loan.
Feb 22nd: Bangor 1 Hereford 1 (Welsh Cup Quarter Final)
Feb 25th: Doncaster 0 Hereford 1
Feb 26th: Notts County striker Phil Stant, signed for £175,000 from Hereford United last summer, has been put on the transfer list.
Feb 28th: Hereford 4 Bangor 0 (Welsh Cup replay)
Mar 3rd: Hereford 4 Aldershot 1
Mar 7th: Hereford 0 Grimsby 1
Mar 9th: Colin Addison, former Derby County, Hereford United and Newport County manager, flies to Madrid on Sunday to take charge of Swinish club Cadiz until the end of the season.
Mar 10th: Chesterfield 2 Hereford 1
Mar 14th: Hereford 2 Colchester 0
Mar 17th: Hereford 1 Stockport 2
Mar 20th: Southend 2 Hereford 0
Mar 24th: Scarborough 0 Hereford 1
Mar 28th: Hereford 0 Burnley 1
Mar 31st: Hereford 2 Exeter 1
Apr 2nd: Cardiff 0 Hereford 3 (Welsh Cup semi-final 1st leg)
Apr 4th: Hereford 1 Cardiff 3 (2nd leg)
Apr 7th: Lincoln 1 Hereford 0
Apr 11th: Hereford 0 Halifax 1
Apr 14th: Gillingham 0 Hereford 1
Apr 16th: Hereford 0 Torquay 0
April 21st: Scunthorpe 3 Hereford 3
Ian and Gary Bowyer became first father and son combination to appear in the Football League for 39 years for Hereford United against Scunthorpe. The game was drawn 3-3.
April 25th: Hereford 1 York 2
April 28th: Hereford 1 Peterborough 2
May 1st: Aldershot 0 Hereford 2
May 5th: Rochdale 5 Hereford 2
May 13th:
IN front of just 4182 Hereford United win the Welsh Cup for the first time. They defeated Wrexham 2-1 in the final at Cardiff Arms Park. Colin Robinson and Ian Benbow scored the goals. They became the first English club to win at the Welsh National stadium since 1963.
Team: T Elliott, M A Jones, S Devine, M Pejic, D Peacock, Bradley, S Jones (P Tester), M Jones, I Benbow, Robinson, I Bowyer
May 18th: 
Hereford will bring the recently won Welsh FA Cup with them when they play
Newcastle Town tomorrow (3pm) In a feast of football being staged at Mahal, Road. borough and the Fourth Division dub are expected to field
a full-strength side.
July 9th: Bobby Smith, the former Bury and Swindon manager, has joined fourth division Hereford United as assistant manager to Colin Addison.
July 11th: Central defender Mel Pejic, released by Hereford United at the end of last season, has rejoined the club on a two-year contract and been reappointed captain. Pejic holds Hereford United's appearance record of 351 League games.
Aug 2nd: Hereford will travel to Brentford in the Rumbelows Cup on August 28th. Second round will be at Edgar Street on September 5th.
August 4th: Hereford have signed former 37 year old Scottish international keeper George Wood from Cardiff City on a one year contract.
August 4th and 8th
Pre-season friendlies against Millwall (0-1) and Chelsea (2-2)
New signings Dennis Wise and Andy Townsend played for Chelsea.
Aug 25th: Hereford 1 Northampton 2
Aug 28th: Brentford 2 Hereford 0 (League Cup First Round First Leg)
Sept 1st: Hereford 2 York 0
Sept 5th: Hereford United 1 Brentford 0 (League Cup Second Leg). Bulls went out on aggregate 2-1
Sept 7th: Hereford United have signed former Manchester United apprentice Karl Goddard (22) on a free transfer from Bradford.
Sept 8th: Chesterfield 1 Hereford 0
Sept 12th:
Hereford United have sold striker Ian Juryeff to Halifax for a reported £50,000. He made 28 starts and scored four goals whilst with the Bulls.
Sept 15th: Hereford 4 Carlisle 2
Sept 19th: Hereford 1 Gillingham 1
Sept 22nd: Walsall 0 Hereford 0
The Bulls made their first visit to the Bescot Stadium, Walsall new ground close to the M6.
Sept 29th: Hereford 0 Stockport 0
Oct 3rd: Lincoln 1 Hereford 1
Oct 6th: Darlington 3 Hereford 1
Oct 13th: Hereford 3 Burnley 0
Oct 20th: Hereford 1 Cardiff 1
Oct 23rd: Halifax 0 Hereford 4
Oct 27th: Hartlepool 2 Hereford United 1
Stewart Phillips scores for the Bulls.
Nov 3rd: Hereford 3 Scarborough 3
Nov 7th: Hereford 1 Newtown 1 (Welsh Cup Round Three)
Nov 10th: Maidstone 1 Hereford 1
Nov 13th: Newtown 1 Hereford 1 (aet) Hereford won 4-3 on pens
Nov 17th: Hereford 1 Peterborough 1 (FA Cup Round One)
Nov 20th: Peterborough 2 Hereford 1 (Replay)
Nov 24th: Hereford 0 Peterborough 0
Nov 28th: Exeter 2 Hereford 2 (Leyland Daf group stage)
Dec 1st: Exeter's Richard Young turned down a £30K move to Hereford.
Dec 1st: Hereford 1 Blackpool 1
Dec 11th: Hereford 1 Cardiff 1 (Leyland Daf group stage)
Dec 15th: Aldershot 1 Hereford 0
Dec 22nd: Hereford 2 Scunthorpe 0
Hereford United have sold defender Darren Peacock to QPR for £200,000. He made 59 appearances and scored four goals whilst with the Bulls.
Meanwhile, Hereford striker lan Benbow is joining Telford United for £5OOO and Cheltenham Town winger Simon Brain has moved to Hereford
Dec 26th: Wrexham 1 Hereford 2
Dec 29th: Doncaster 3 Hereford 1
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