“50/50 TICKETS, GET YOUR 50/50 TICKETS HERE!”

HUST continues to make monthly payments to HFC of the profits from the 50/50 Matchday Draw and Golden Goal and we dusted off our ‘Big Cheque’ in January, to do a celebration presentation at a chosen match.

HUST Chair Richard Tomkins and Club Chair Chris Ammonds with the recent cheque, displaying the profits generated for October, November & December 2023 of £9,513.83.

For the 2023/24 season, so far, we have paid £15,438.52 to HFC

Sales of the 50/50 draw vs Gloucester on New Year’s day reached 2,374 tickets sold…
● Our highest sales total of the season (previous 2,272 against Gillingham)
● Highest last season was 2,391 against Portsmouth
● Highest 2021/22 season 1,390 against Chester

A big THANK YOU to all the volunteers who work tirelessly to deliver the matchday draws and to the supporters who make it the success it continues to be.

Mike Langford, both a HUST Director and also serving on the Hereford FC Board, was one of the original 50/50 sellers and shares how it all began…

The cry went out around Edgar Street on Saturday 11th July 2015 when the newly formed Hereford FC played their first home friendly game against F C United of Manchester. It was a big day for the Club, the supporters and the city and the game was only made possible by the thousands of man hours put in by volunteers to refresh the stadium and make it a safe place for spectators.

Where did it all begin and how did it become so successful? As the season rapidly came upon us, it was decided by the Hereford FC Board that HUST could organise and operate the draw using the profits to help buy the £289,000 of shares it had been allocated. Such was the excitement around the City I knew that the budgeted average 800 gate budgeted in the first season was too low so I calculated that with hard work and determination we could sell some 20,000 tickets over the season and make £10,000 profit. There were some who questioned my sanity but all wished me luck! It was down to me to make sure we had sufficient sellers and a system that enabled tickets to be sold for the first 30 minutes of the game to ensure maximum sales but also allowed us to get the winning numbers on the scoreboard at half time.

Just as Peter Beadle realised that he needed a big name proven striker in the prolific Jonny Mills, still my favourite player, I had my own marquee signing in mind. Where was Jeremy Wolfe and how could I contact him? In the Hereford United days, the legend that is Jeremy always used to ensure that I bought tickets and there was no hiding place! He was going to be my rock and we would build our team around him. I spoke with Jeremy over the phone to introduce myself and my plans for the season. Jeremy didn’t know me but after some friendly cajoling we met up and the new selling team was formed. All of us were new to the task apart from Captain Jeremy.

Back to the FC United of Manchester game and the 1,980 tickets sold and the £990 paid out to the lucky winners. Probably as expected with anything new the second prize was not claimed so after publicising this in the days following the game, I received a message from an away supporter saying he had the winning ticket but would destroy it to donate the monies back. A noble gesture from a true supporter at a newly formed club born out of the discontent at Manchester United.

Dunkirk was the first league game of the season and a crowd again in excess of 4,000 with generous ticket sales. Attendances continued to be excellent throughout the season and sales were helped by the Vase run to the final and bumper gates against Leicester Nirvana (twice), Camberley and Salisbury. Great days and great games! Given the volume of sales it was decided to have 3 or 4 winning tickets with the highest prize paid out was £600, a tidy sum with other substantial consolation prizes.

One of the best-selling pitches was next to programme seller Jenny, now sadly passed away, who had sold programmes forever on the corner of Blackfriars Street in the old Hereford United days. It was tradition for many supporters to buy from Jenny so spending their change on some 50/50 tickets soon became another good habit. We had the ground surrounded and it worked well although some days it was miserable being out in the cold and rain when fingers were so numb you could barely tear off the tickets! However, the friendly banter with supporters always carried us through the really awful weather days.

The most lucrative opponents were Leicester Nirvana as we had to play them twice on consecutive Saturdays due to the first game being abandoned by the referee at half time. I was given the nod that the referee had this in mind if it didn’t stop raining and thankfully, we managed to get the winning numbers out before our opponents came dancing onto the pitch to celebrate with their supporters as they were 3 1 down. Their joy was short lived as we smashed them 6-0 the following Saturday again in front of a large crowd.

In the first season we sold 46,572 tickets and made a profit on the 50/50 draw of £ 24,970 thanks to some winners donating their prize money back to HUST and the occasional unclaimed prize. This continued into season 2 when we competed in the Southern League South and West with a further 46,018 tickets sold and a profit of £23,450. I had to give up the organisation after year 2 as I was given matchday duties in the HFC Office. Tony Taylor took it on and it has continued to flourish under his leadership supplemented now by the Golden Goal competition.

Sellers during the early years and to date are too numerous to mention and I would not wish to exclude anyone. Best to say they were all die-hard Hereford supporters who generously gave their time for free in all winds and weather. A big thank you to them all and to the supporters who make it the success it continues to be.