Hereford will entertain an Aston Villa U23 side on Saturday, 27 July as their last pre-season warm up match ahead of the new Vanarama National League North campaign which starts a week later on 3 August.
Villa, under the management of the former Hereford United duo Dean Smith and Richard O’Kelly, have reached the Premier League, and will send a talented squad to Edgar Street a matter of three days after a Wolverhampton Wanderers U23 side have also faced the Bulls in the Ryan Green Testimonial match.
Hereford’s friendly programme is now complete, with the Bulls’ other home game featuring Cheltenham Town on Wednesday 17 July.
Local side Wellington host the Bulls’ first friendly on Saturday 6 July, before Hereford travel to Cinderford two days later in a Monday night match at the Causeway Ground.
Tim Harris and Marc Richards are then taking the new-look Hereford squad on a three day ‘boot-camp’ style bonding weekend in Devon, with matches scheduled to take place on Friday 12 July and Sunday 14 July at the Sports Ground, Bideford.
Hereford will face Southern League Division One South side Bideford on the Sunday, whilst the Friday night opponents are Yeovil Town.
The Bulls’ head of football, Tim Harris, said, “It’s a weekend to gel the team as we have a very short period of time, and it’s not just about the football but the characters. It will be an important weekend for the coaches and players.
“We will play on the Friday night, train on the Saturday, and then play again on the Sunday.
The Bulls’ first home friendly at Edgar Street this summer sees Cheltenham Town as the visitors with George Lloyd, who featured 19 times for Hereford on loan last season, expected to line up against some of his former colleagues.
The date of the match at Ludlow has been moved to Saturday 20 July with Town boss Chris Waldron looking forward to the Bulls’ visit.
“It will be a great event for the club and a great experience for the players. I’m hoping Hereford will bring a strong team.
“Hereford have a good fan base in the Ludlow area so it will give some of those supporters a chance to watch them closer to home. I think it’s fantastic that a club the size of Hereford are supporting grassroots football like this”.
The Bulls pre-season schedule is as follows:
Saturday 6 July Wellington A
Monday 8 July Cinderford A
Friday 12 July Yeovil Town A (at Bideford)
Sunday 14 July Bideford Town A
Wednesday 17 July Cheltenham Town H
Saturday 20 July Ludlow FC A
Wednesday 23 July Wolves U23 H (Ryan Green Testimonial)
Saturday 27 July Aston Villa U23 H
