The goalscorer of the famous FA Cup goal for Hereford United against Newcastle has today passed away.
Being from Hereford the man means a great deal to the city. My Dad was at the game as he went to every game back then and everyone who was there says what a special occasion it was.
There are many unknown stories relating to the game. Firstly that Hereford had gone up to Newcastle and got a draw there in the first game to take it to a replay. Secondly the Newcastle striker Malcolm McDonald had been in the press leading up to the game boasting that he would score ten goals at Edgar Street in the replay which was the reason that he received so much grief from the crowd on the day. Thirdly that a Hereford player (Griffiths I believe) was involved in a first half challenge and landed awkwardly. He limped on throughout the rest of the game and the extra time only for it to be determined afterwards that he'd played most of the game with a broken leg. Also that Newcastle had taken the lead in the 82nd minute before the Radford goal then forced extra time. Hereford went on to face West Ham who were a side packed full of superstars at the time. Hereford held them to a draw at Edgar Street before losing the replay at Upton Park when thousands of Hereford fans were locked outside the ground and those who did get in were spread around in an attempt to quieten them. Hereford would get their revenge just 3 years later knocking West Ham out of the FA Cup.
The Radford goal was absolutely outstanding and rightfully players over and over for both the quality of the goal and the occasion that it happened in (part timers Hereford of the Southern League against the giants of Newcastle).
History has come full circle. The antics of Radford and co gained Hereford a place in the football league before crooked ownership forced them to no longer exist as a club. Hereford FC were born and had to start from scratch far down the pyramid and working their way up to National League North where they now play. Strangely, just two days after the death of Ronnie, Hereford have made it to the first round of the FA Cup and on Friday night on BBC2 face Portsmouth. I'm sure the occasion will end up being a huge tribute to Ronnie Radford and rightfully so, may be rest in peace and I hope that Hereford can create a new piece of giantkilling history for the new club to honour his memory. If you have made it this far thank you lol. I am Herefordian through and through and was once a season ticket holder then in 2009 after being assaulted by a steward for no reason and the club sweeping it under the carpet my second love (CPFC) became my first. I've had season tickets at Selhurst and travelled all over watching us play although money and work are limiting that somewhat at present. Hopefully a few of our fans can watch the game on TV on Friday night and cheer on the whites from the cider country.

"It's ok postman , he'll lick you to death" "That isn't really that comforting , I still end up dead !!"

For anyone who saw it that genuinely was an unforgettable game.
Malcolm MacDonald was prone to that sort of comment. As an aside he's married to the ex-wife of Brian Johnson (the AC/DC singer not the cricket commentator).

I normally have a memory like a sieve but my then three year old son had contracted meningitis and had been blue lighted to hospital. They provided a room for us to stay the night and I remember watching the match there and seeing his wonder goal

the pitch looked like the local farmer had just taken the cows off it .
The ball was leather , wet and heavy , ( not like the plastic things they play with now ) the boots were also leather and heavy and to hit it with the force and accuracy as he did was a sight to behold .
I wonder if a modern player could do that in those conditions .
Thanks for the memories of that goal
RIP Ronnie Radford

You certainly won't forget that. I hope that your son is okay. My daughter also contracted meningitis when she was 15 months old. Thanks to the fast actions of my wife, the surgery doctor and then the hospital staff she survived just with no long lasting effects. Take care.

"It's ok postman , he'll lick you to death" "That isn't really that comforting , I still end up dead !!"

I had a soft spot for Hereford, purely because of that cup tie. Similarly for Colchester for their famous cup tie against Leeds a little bit earlier.

My soft spot for Hereford was severely tested when they briefly became a bogey team for the Eagles in trying to escape from the old Division 3 in the mid-70s. We drew 3 and lost 1, making Hereford one of those teams we've never beaten in a league game. I can't remember which of the two home games it was, but in one of them an ageing Terry Paine completely bossed the midfield, much to my frustration.

Palace since 19 August 1972. Palace 1 (Tony Taylor) Liverpool 1 (Emlyn Hughes)