Hi all,

Ahead of the start of the new campaign, I just wanted to share a quick message with you all as I look ahead with a great deal of optimism to what lies ahead.

While on and off the field it has not been the perfect close season, with unexpected issues arising and one or two lessons learned for the future, with the opening game now upon us I have to say I am extremely excited and intrigued to see how our season will play out.

We may have lost one or two crowd favourites, (at our level this is almost inevitable I feel), but we have retained a core group of players that I am absolutely delighted to still see at the club.

To the core that we have retained, we have added quality in all areas, and I have once again been hugely impressed by our manager’s work in the transfer market, even in a close season when it has been madder than ever.

Whatever your views on the work that has gone on over the summer, now is the time for us all to focus on throwing our support behind our team and, as a lifelong Hereford fan myself, I know you will all do just that.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – as fans we should never underestimate the positive impact we can have on our team and I would ask you all to show our players, old and new, what they mean to us and what being a Bulls fan is all about.

We will see good times and bad this season, with enjoyable performances and disappointing ones, but that’s the life of being a football fan that we have all ‘signed up’ for.

One thing we can be sure of though, is that any team sent onto the field by our manager, Paul Caddis, and his staff will never be found wanting in terms of effort and desire, and in my view that’s all we can ask for.

On occasions, that effort and desire will secure the results we all want, but on others it may not be enough. That’s football, sadly, and it’s why we can often love the game and hate it in equal measure.

I believe that as supporters we may need to be patient in the early part of the season, but I suspect we won’t be the only set of fans who will need to do that. As we all know, National League North seasons are long, challenging and usually very unpredictable and we must remember that.

I remain incredibly proud to be Chairman of this football club, and I hope you all remain proud to be Bulls supporters. Please can I ask that, as always, you get right behind our team from first whistle to last, from the very start of the season to the very end.

If we all stand together, our chances of success must be higher, so let’s go all in with our positive support and ensure our players feel as proud to play for Hereford FC as we are to follow it.

On behalf of my fellow Directors, the staff behind the scenes, our fantastic volunteers and all Bulls fans, I’d like to wish Paul, Adam and everyone on the management and playing staff all the very best for the season ahead.

Go out there and do yourselves, your families and Bulls supporters everywhere proud. Every single one of us is right behind you.

Come on you Whites!

Stig