Hi All,

I will start my update with an update on our current injuries and availability.

Gus Mafuta – Gus had a scan a few weeks back and the results showed a tear which he is currently undergoing rehab with our medical team. We are hoping Gus will be back on the pitch running in the next few weeks and then we will assess how he develops from there.

Madou Cisse – Madou suffered a lot of pain and discomfort in his ankle and was sent back to Notts County to overcome the issue. He has been given the all clear to return to training and we are assessing him on a weekly basis.

Preston Bitemo – As you are all aware, Preston suffered a really horrible and scary collision away at Darlington last weekend and thankfully, with the help of the Darlington FC players and staff as well as our brilliant physio, he was treated swiftly and precisely on the pitch. Preston will be under the three-week return to play protocol for concussion set by the FA.

Other than that, at the moment it’s just a lot of normal wear and tear injuries and recovery protocols that are continuously taken place, but as I mentioned, it’s very normal for all teams to have these situations.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work out it’s not been a start to shout about in the league campaign. I won’t sit back and give excuses because I’ve never done that, but I will try and bring a bit of calmness to the matter. We have had a really tough start, and the first few weeks were really tough – as tough as I’ve had for many reasons since taking over. I have got to say, though, the players have stayed really strong and together behind closed doors, and we have found ourselves unbeaten in our last three games, which is a positive from where we were before that.

It’s a long, long season full of frustrations as well as highs and lows. Amongst the negativity, I have stayed extremely calm and tried to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I am seeing the anger and upset as a small positive in some way, and I’m happy to explain that.

When I first took over, the club had never competed at this level. That’s a fact. We have taken the season to the last game of the league campaign for two years in a row now. That’s also a fact. We have broken the total points records at this level for two seasons in a row. Again – that’s a fact. It’s not arrogance on my part; it’s just an idea of my thinking and my vision of staying positive rather than negative. We have raised expectations at a rate that no one will disagree with internally; that was never expected. I accept that, and that’s the positives I see; however, I am also educated enough to know that I want to try and better what we have previously. There is no doubt about that.

The first six weeks of the season have, in truth, been the toughest for me personally and professionally since taking over the manager’s job. Let me stress it’s not solely down to football results that have made me feel this way. My young family was subjected to some not-so-nice words directed at them at the opening league fixture away at Spennymoor Town FC by a Hereford FC supporter, which I was deeply saddened by, given how much support my family gives me being so dedicated to your football club.

The nasty on-field collision of Preston Bitemo was such a horrible sight to witness. I wasn’t aware how serious it was until a few minutes later. To see a young player that you have huge adoration for lying unconscious was sad for us all as a group and his teammates, and it was a worrying sight. Thankfully, Preston has made a full recovery. I made my way down the tunnel right after the game to check on Preston, but let me stress I also came back onto the pitch to applaud the supporters that were sat behind the goal as well as shake the officials’ hands.

Then, to add to those moments above, the shambolic behaviour on Saturday was sickening. I have been involved in football now professionally as a player, coach and manager since 2003 and I have never witnessed racist abuse at any match I’ve played or any football club setting I have been in.

I want to address this as the manager of your football club and the first spokesman for our club when incidents like this happen. I acted on instinct on Saturday with a human thought process to it and not as a football manager leading a game. I have players of different races in my dressing room, and I will go to hell and back with those lads, whatever race you may be.

We will not accept that type of behaviour at our club. We should not accept that as human beings. Ravan Constable turned up on Saturday to play with his mates, kicking around a bag of air and throwing on his gloves, and all he did for the first 60 mins of the game was smile and compete. I want to once again publicly and personally apologise to you and your football club, Ravan, for what you had to witness. I reiterate that all at Hereford FC are behind you and stand with you. Our own Hereford FC players will be offered the full support of myself and the club if they feel the need to seek some clarification and/or help off the back of the incident on Saturday.

It’s now important that we allow the authorities and right people to deal with the incident, and I consider what happened on Saturday between both clubs and 99% of the stadium capacity a show of strength and togetherness and a message that it’s not okay to pay an entrance fee and do and say what you want. In a world in which it costs an arm and a leg to provide for your family, there are always some things that will never ever cost a penny. Be a decent human being. It costs nothing!

Moving forwards and as critical as I was of a tiny portion of our support on Saturday, it’s important I also bring it to everyone’s attention that we have a fantastic football club with fantastic supporters.

I as manager and you as supporters were tarnished on Saturday and we have to accept that. We will prove collectively that we aren’t represented by that incident on Saturday. Since coming into the football club your support of me has been great but most importantly your support in the football club and the community as a whole has been simply remarkable.

I won’t allow those who have supported the club, whether that for 40+ years or for 4 days, to be brought down by those incidents. Don’t think for one minute that because you don’t stand up and shout and sing and scream that you are not appreciated. We appreciate every single individual – whatever race or gender – who comes into our club and represents themselves as good people and good supporters of our club.

It’s now my job to continue improving the results on the pitch but also to show as your manager that we are a proud football club and that one abhorrent incident by an uneducated individual and/or individuals doesn’t define me, my players, my staff, our chairman and board of directors and, most importantly, our fanbase.

Thank you for your support and please keep being positive and supportive of our players through the good and the bad times.

In a world where you can be anything, choose the option that doesn’t cost anything.

Be Kind.

See you soon!

Paul