Hereford United's FA Cup opponents Radcliffe Borough boast one of football's more interesting characters as their president, writes Richard Prime.

The controversial comedian Bernard Manning is the club's figurehead and obviously proud of his association with the Greater Manchester outfit.

"I've been involved for a good few years now and it's a very go-ahead club," he said. "We've just spent more than £300,000 on a gymnasium and new dressing rooms.

"There's a good social side, too, and we're all looking forward to playing Hereford.

"I have been down that way and performed in Ross-on-Wye. I probably won't be at the game as Saturdays are always a big night for me with a big fee and contracts worked out a long way in advance."

His son, Bernard junior, is Radcliffe's chairman and he was realistic about the task ahead.

"This is the sort of tie that that the FA Cup is all about but we're under no illusions and we know that we've got it all to do," he said. "But we'll come to have a go - we're a footballing side, so we'll not be looking to kick lumps out of Hereford. We know that Hereford are a footballing side, too, as we saw them on the television against Accrington.

"We only have an average home attendance of about 250 but most of them seem to be trying to make it to the game.

"They deserve a good day out as they have followed us all over the place this season and I'm sure they will try to make as much noise as possible on the terraces."

Borough director David Murgatroyd said: "It's a marvellous draw for us. We were hoping for one of the big four - Carlisle, Hereford, Exeter and Aldershot - and we were lucky enough to get Hereford.

"We got through to the first round in 2000 when we played York City at Bury's Gigg Lane ground and we have been through to the fourth qualifying round since, two years ago when we played Chester City.

"In the cup it's all on the day so we have to hope to win, although even a replay would be nice."

Radcliffe's most experienced player, the former Sunderland midfielder Gordon Armstrong, is on the injured list with a broken arm sustained in the first game of the season.

But, in Lee Duffy and Rory Patterson, Borough have a couple of young players who have enjoyed Football League experience with Rochdale.

Their most noted recent player was striker Jody Banim whose goal-scoring exploits earned him a £20,000 transfer to Shrewsbury Town 12 months ago.