Hereford FC v Portsmouth: Emotional night awaits in FA Cup first round
- Published
Harry Pinchard's superb left-foot free-kick set Hereford on the way to their FA Cup fourth qualifying round victory at Bromley
Hereford FC's FA Cup first-round tie with Portsmouth on Friday looks set to be a night of emotion at Edgar Street.
It is the only the second time that the Bulls have made the first round since they reformed after the original Hereford United were wound up in 2014.
Playing twice winners in Pompey, who won the trophy in 1939 and 2008, has added to the cup magic.
And this week's sad passing of 1972 FA Cup hero Ronnie Radford makes Friday's televised match even more poignant.
"We just hope we can do Ronnie proud," Bulls club secretary Jamie Griffiths said. "The BBC being here just adds to the occasion and makes it even more special."
Radford was the scorer of one of the most famous goals in FA Cup history - perhaps even the most famous - when he drilled in the sensational late 40-yard equaliser that inspired the Bulls to go on and win their third-round replay against top-flight side Newcastle United.
It is a goal that has been shown countless times since, most recently in February when the club celebrated the 50th anniversary of that day.
"We were in contact with him at the time," Griffiths added. "But he sadly wasn't well enough to come down from his home in Yorkshire to attend.
"So, although we did know that he had not been well, it was still a shock to hear of his passing - and we will do our best to help give him a fitting send-off."
'It's just another game'
The meeting with Danny Cowley's Pompey will be Hereford's first appearance beyond the FA Cup qualifying stages since beating AFC Telford United, another side of great cup folklore, before bowing out in a second-round replay to Uwe Rosler's Fleetwood in 2017.
It is a case of 14th in National League North, the sixth tier, against fifth in League One - a gap of 81 places in the English football pyramid.
But home boss Josh Gowling, Hereford's manager for the last three seasons, insists "it's just another game for us".
"We're not going to get too high and we're not going to get too low. If we win, then we just look at the next tie," added Gowling, who was part of the Kidderminster Harriers side that got to the fourth round in 2014.
"But we've already won in a sense, as it's put the club back in the spotlight that it hasn't been for a while. And financially it has been great for the club."
Hereford won at fifth-tier high fliers Bromley in the fourth qualifying round
The biggest single source of income is the £50,000 both Hereford and Portsmouth collect for the game being shown on BBC Two (coverage starts 19:30 GMT, kick-off 19:55).
Hereford get an extra £10,000 for being the home side, while there is a further £41,000 on offer in prize money if they win.
Coming on top of the £3,375 in prize money for beating Bromsgrove Sporting 1-0 in the second qualifying round, £5,625 for winning 3-0 at Sussex side Three Bridges in the third qualifying round and £9,375 for winning 2-1 in Kent against National League high fliers Bromley in the fourth qualifying round, it is welcome financial assistance for the fan-owned club.
And there is still money to come in. "We're sold out," Griffiths added. "We're sold out on the hospitality and sponsorship sales too. And on the voucher system we used for the Fylde game this week, we had 3,200 in for that too.
"We're not allowed to be as full as we were in our Football League days, as we still only have a three-sided stadium and we lose a few seats because we have the TV cameras here, but we will still have a capacity crowd of 4,939. And it should still be a great atmosphere."
'We understand the magnitude'
Portsmouth boss Cowley acknowledges that Ronnie Radford's passing will be top of the pre-match agenda at Edgar Street.
"It's really sad news to hear of his passing," he told BBC Radio Solent. "Ronnie Radford's goal kind of transcends eras.
"It would always be shown at the start of most BBC FA Cup programmes. Anyone of our kind of age will remember that incredible goal.
Pompey boss Danny Cowley led then non-league Lincoln City to the FA Cup quarter-finals in 2017
"I can vividly remember the pictures of the mud, John Motson's commentary as he hit the ball from 35-40 yards and then the crowd running on the pitch.
"It will be an opportunity for Hereford to mark and celebrate his passing and we fully understand the magnitude of the game.
"It proved such an inspiration for so many victorious underdogs yet to come."
Cowley himself knows all about that sort of cup magic, after taking then National League side Lincoln City to the quarter-finals in 2017, the furthest any non-league side has been in the competition.