PLAYERS don't perhaps always realise the significance of local derbies such as we have on Saturday.

Whereas Michael Rose, as a Mancunian, knows all about the Manchester derby and Merseysiders know all about Liverpool/Everton, the only way that players can get to know of the importance of other local derbies is through the supporters and their extra interest.

That's where it's really brought home to the players and they can see the greater significance of the game. It's not just the normal three points.

That's evident from the fact that we had a crowd of 2,300 here on Saturday and we shall be taking around 2,000 to Shrewsbury.

Of course, to players like Steve Guinan, Dean Craven and Andy Tretton - although Andy won't be playing - it does mean a bit more as they all spent time at Shrewsbury so they have a point to prove themselves.

I am rather surprised at the way that Shrewsbury have handled the ticket arrangements. We were led to believe that it would be an all-ticket match and only found out that it wasn't - it's just all ticket for Hereford fans - when we were informed by our supporters.

I think you have to be very careful with that scenario.

We saw something of the problems that can occur when Joan Fennessy and I went up to Burton last Monday to meet with the police and representatives from the Conference, Burton Albion and Tamworth.

We were forced to sit through the videos of the violence at Burton and Tamworth and found ourselves in a very embarrassing situation watching people in Hereford shirts causing the problems.

We accept that it's only a small minority but in one of the incidents in a pub in Tamworth town centre the police felt sufficiently threatened to draw their batons, which is very rare.

At least the 16 arrests which have been made seem to have had a calming influence on the fringe elements.

I still have a lot of respect for Shrewsbury as the club which gave me my first opportunity in management. It hardly seems five minutes since we were going to Leeds, Newcastle and Chelsea on equal terms.

But while I always watch their results with interest, there's only one place that my loyalty lies and that's in making sure that the three points come back to Edgar Street with us.

*Graham Turner was talking to Richard Prime.