GRAHAM Turner reached a rare landmark in modern football last week when he celebrated 10 years in charge at Edgar Street.

The United chief took over at Edgar Street back in August 1995 and has remained director of football ever since.

Apart from a brief period in 2001-2 when he handed over the running of the side to then player-coach Phil Robinson, Turner has handled team affairs throughout, as well as adding the chairman's role in 1998.

His 10 seasons at the helm have brought three play-off challenges, the first in his first season at Edgar Street when United finished in sixth place in what was then Division 3.

This had seemed to mark an up-turn in the club's fortunes, a hope which was swiftly dashed by relegation from the Football League the following season when the club's financial problems really began to surface.

Turner's skilful handling of the budget played a major part in keeping the club afloat during the difficult days of the club's Company Voluntary Arrangement. His ability to spot and develop a young player with talent has also brought in much needed transfer revenue as various of his proteges have moved on to a higher level.

The club is now reaping the rewards of the stability which he, in tandem with company secretary Joan Fennessy and a new and enthusiastic board of directors, has brought to the club.

Successive second-place finishes in the Nationwide Conference have brought the crowds back to Edgar Street and the corresponding boost to the club's income stream means that Hereford are more than holding their own financially, on a day-to-day basis, for the first time in many years.

And on the field, his record stands comparison with his most successful predecessors.

His average yield of 1.51 points per match makes him, on that particular benchmark, the most successful Hereford manager since Bob Dennison, marginally ahead of Colin Addison and John Charles.

Basing results throughout on three points for win, the following table provides a comparison of the records of managers since the Second World War.

League matches only

Manager P W D L F A PT Av

George Tranter 218 85 35 98 411 390 290 1.33

Alex Massie 43 24 8 11 92 58 80 1.86

Joe Wade 207 103 36 68 401 306 345 1.67

Ray Daniel 55 16 11 28 79 107 59 1.07

Bob Dennison 171 91 32 48 343 203 305 1.78

John Charles 158 68 32 58 259 225 236 1.49

Colin Addison 167 66 50 51 208 172 248 1.49

John Sillett 201 67 58 76 270 287 259 1.29

Tony Ford 18 4 4 10 13 22 16 0.89

Mike Bailey 60 20 16 24 67 68 76 1.27

Peter Isaac 5 1 1 3 5 10 4 0.8

Frank Lord 124 32 43 49 125 156 139 1.12

Tommy Hughes 29 7 6 16 26 50 27 0.93

John Newman 206 77 50 79 270 266 281 1.36

Ian Bowyer 128 40 36 52 158 181 156 1.22

Greg Downs 94 23 23 45 115 156 92 0.98

John Layton 35 11 11 13 39 52 44 1.26

Graham Turner 408 168 111 129 598 471 615 1.51

Phil Robinson 20 7 4 9 28 23 25 1.25

Based on three points for a win throughout