Edgar Street

Edgar Street Athletics Stadium is a football stadium in Hereford. It has been the home ground of Hereford United, since their formation, in 1924. Since the 1890's it has been used as a sporting stadium, although the exact year of opening remains unknown. The stadium has a, much restricted, capacity of 5,081.

The stadium consists of a mixture of both terracing, and seating. The site has been owned by Herefordshire City Council since 1931. Hereford United FC are currently the subletters since a decision in 1996, during the height of the club's financial woes, to trade the leases for £1 Million pound loans.

The record attendance attendance for a Hereford United game remains the 18,114 who packed into Edgar Street to see the Bulls defeated 3-0 by Sheffield Wednesday, in the third round of the FA Cup in January 1958.

1890-1930
As said, the exact year of the grounds opening remains unclear. Originally the site was owned by the Bulmer Cider family, a nod to Herefordshire's history of Cider brewing. Various football clubs used the stadium from the 1890's onwards, including Hereford City, who would later reject a merger to become Hereford United, and Hereford Thistle. The stadium was also used for regular athletics meetings in the City.

In February 1920, the Herefordshire FA met in, what was desribed as a 'well attended' meeting. During the meeting, it was suggested to the shareholders that the HFA purchase the Edgar Street site and develop it, to provide the City with a modern ground '''for the holding of athletic sports, football and encourage all games and pastimes'. The company, which would attempt to purchase the ground would be known as 'The Hereford Athletic Ground Company'. In March 1920, the final decision to purchase the ground was taken. The Company had raised £2,150 in capital for the purchase, and the site was bought for a fee of £2,000. At the time, Edgar Street was described as a meadow of 4 acres.''

For the next 4 years, the ground would be regularly used for, both, athletics meetings and by football teams. However in 1924, the Hereford and County Athletic complained of a lack of support for the meetings, and suggested that, without further guarantees, that such meetings would end at Edgar Street. This would be the end of regular athletics meetings at Edgar Street, During the same year, the Company decided that the stadium was being used by too many football teams. They decided that two teams would be sufficient, playing on alternate weeks. Fortunately, the recently formed Hereford United FC would be one of these clubs. The early Hereford United would pay the Company rent totaling £82 and 2 shillings during the bulls first season.

In 1925, the first major construction began at Edgar Street. On the West side (Edgar Street side) a barrel roofed stand was constructed. The stand would remain in place until 1974, when it would be replaced by the Len Weston Stand. The barrel stand, was considered the 'main stand' at Edgar Street.

On the East side (Merton side) a tin roofed terrace was constructed, which would be known as the Coalshed. The North and South ends would be home to uncovered terraces, which, in truth, were simply mounds of ground.

The early Hereford United, much like their modern counterparts, would face financial struggle. Following several appeals, the club's landlords assisted by lowering the rent paid by the club. So that by the 1930, it had been reduced to £14, 7 Shillings.

1930- 1970
By early 1930 it became clear that the Hereford Athletic Ground Company were interested in selling the Edgar Street site. In May 1930, the Hereforshire Football Association confirmed it's interest. But by December, of that year, Hereford City Council became a prospective buyer. They allocated, £2,750 from the £3,000 Jackson Bequeath, for the purchase of the stadium. Despite some early opposition in the councils monthly meeting, they decided, by a large majority, to attempt to acquire the stadium. The council were successful, and by 1931 the Hereford Athletic Ground Company agreed to sell the ground to the council, on the condition it would be reserved for the use of sport. Hereford City council paid £3,000 for the land.

By 1931 Hereford United became the sole tenants went Hereford City vacated the ground. By the end of the decade City would cease to exist.

Initially the council rented the ground back to the club at a much inflated price of £126 per season. This would gradually decrease to £93, by 1938, when war would halt the clubs progression. Following the war rent would, once again, rise to over £100. But in March 1952, the Bulls achieved a significant milestone when they signed a 14 year lease, with a nominal £1 annual rent.

In March 1952, Hereford United became one of the first non-league sides to install floodlights. The pylons, upon which the floodlights were positioned were presented to the club by the Painter Brothers, a local steel fabrication company. The first competitive Hereford game, under the lights, was Hereford United's 3-1 defeat of Merthyr Tydfill in front of 7,508. However, in December 1968, following the widening of Edgar Street, the original pylons were replaced with those which are, currently, in use at Edgar Street

1970-2000
in 1996, the Edgar Street stadium came to the forefront of the Bulls financial troubles. Following a period of financial mismanagement, the bulls had amassed severe debts. Peter Hill negotiated two loans from the Bristol Stadium Group, and Chelverton properties, each for five hundred thousand pounds. A precondition of the loan was that the leases be assigned to the Bristol Stadium Group. The BS group became the tenants of Edgar Street, with Hereford United subletters. The council remained the owners.

Following the transfer of the leases, the club signed a Joint Venture Agreement with the BS Group. The agreement, dated 19 May 1997, sought to secure the sale of the Edgar Street site to the BS Group. The site would then be sold, with planning permission, to a third party at market value. The proceeds from the sale would be divided, with 75% going to Hereford United Companies, and 25% to the Bristol Stadium Group. This agreement was then superseded by a second Joint Venture agreement between Hereford United, and Formsole Limited. The agreement would, again, seek the sale of the Edgar Street site, to a third party at market value, however the proceeds would now be divided with Formsole receiving 50%, and Hereford United companies 50%.

During the next year, it seemed inevitable that Hereford United's days at Edgar Street were numbered, with Graham Turner, numerous councillors and local politicians exploring the possibility of the club relocating outside the city. Several different sites were mooted, with plans drawn for 10,100 all seater stadium. However in August 1999, Herefordshire Council leader Terry James, became one of first to suggest that Hereford United should remain on the Edgar Street site, declaring a move to the outskirts of the city as 'ill conceived'.