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Read the latest update following the Hereford FC Shareholder Commitment to Further Work
Earlier this week Hereford FC Shareholders met to discuss the name change back to Hereford United Football Club. We were grateful to be allowed to attend the meeting to share our thoughts, answer questions and discuss the shareholders views with them.
Whilst the shareholders decided not to vote for a return to Hereford United for the 2025/26 season, we are reassured that they would like further work to be carried out to give proper consideration to the name change process.
We agree with the founding shareholders’ suggestion that a full, detailed cost analysis should be worked on by the club, something we attempted to discuss with the club in March 2024 prior to the release of our projected costs. We also hope this will include a cost-benefit analysis for the name change.
Many shareholders present also felt a wider supporter survey was needed. We have no objections to a wider supporter survey and fully believe this supporter survey would give similar results to every other poll of supporters done during the last couple of years which have consistently shown over 75% support for a name change. We are grateful for the suggestions made that this process should have scrutiny from an independent party to ensure the result is trusted by all supporters.
We are aware that any supporter survey would not be a binding vote and any individual shareholder could still choose to ignore the results of any supporter survey. However, we are hopeful all shareholders will follow this result due to the fact that not only did the vast majority of attendees at the meeting support a survey, the five founding shareholders also called for it in their statement on the eve of the Hereford FC Special General Meeting.
On Monday night, we expressed our views to the shareholders that the cost analysis and cost-benefit document should be released sufficiently in advance of the supporter survey to allow an informed review and discussion of the costs and benefits by all supporters.
We agree with the suggestion that all costs for the name change should be raised by the fans. This is something we have always said should be done and we have already passed a resolution at the HUST AGM for HUST to facilitate a fundraiser for this. We have had significant pledges already including an offer from Keith Hall (Broadcast Journalist and Radio Hereford FC presenter) to match supporter donations of £9,570. This will mean the club faces no financial risk from the name change. Instead they have a massive commercial opportunity for merchandise and publicity, and the move will also provide renewed financial impetus for the club and its fanbase, once more United.
We agree that any name change should happen at the best time for the club and any time frame should be carefully considered. Our group has never specified any time frame for when the name change should take place.
We once again thank the club board and shareholders for allowing members of our working group to attend Monday night’s Hereford FC Special General Meeting. We look forward to working with all parties going forwards.
Today marks the 10th anniversary of Hereford United’s sad demise. We are aware of several local and national media outlets planning to run features on the both last ten years and the current name change discussion and look forward to reading these and reminiscing over many happy memories from both Hereford United and Hereford FC’s history.
Along with all Hereford supporters, 19th December will always be a painful day for us but we hope everyone is able to enjoy the past memories as well as look forward to a positive future as one, United fanbase.
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