HEREFORD chairman David Keyte says Peter Beadle is still very much in the frame to be Hereford United's manager for next season.

And the Bulls supremo was expecting the deal to bring new investment to the club to have been finalised as the Hereford Times went to press yesterday (Wednesday).

Keyte described speculation that Beadle was not being considered for the manager's job as 'absolute rubbish'.

"Our investment partners will be putting money in and so they will be part of the discussions but Peter Beadle's is the name that I have put forward," said Keyte.

"It will be a joint decision."

Beadle has the full backing of one of United's heroes from their glorious, last-day win at Aldershot Town.

"Beads came in and did well, so has put himself into contention for the job," said striker Michael Rankine, who scored the winner at the Recreation Ground.

"If someone came in with not a massive amount of experience, then I think he would be hard done by.

"Hereford is a big club and, at the end of the day, he got us to play good football, so I hope he gets it."

Keyte confirmed that there had been a club board meeting on Monday to discuss the progress of the negotiations.

"Then on Tuesday we had another round of meetings with the investors," said Keyte. "It was a very positive day.

"We are expecting everything to be concluded today (Wednesday) but the details will remain confidential at the request of our new partners.

"They expect us to continue to run the club but they will certainly want to be involved.

"The real step forward will be when the money drops in and they understand the urgency of that.

"We have the taxman to pay as well as the players and staff who have been waiting.

"The time scale is imminent but we know that we are already stretching good will."

All details will be updated at herefordtimes.com as they become available.

Meanwhile, Bulls fans Jack James and Kristina Guntulyte will be walking the Miners Trace on Mount Snowdon next month to raise money for the Hereford United Supporters Trust (HUST).

The aim of the trek on Sunday, June 29 will be to increase the shareholding of HUST at the club and to give supporters "a bigger voice".

The pair will also make a contribution to the United in the Community scheme towards the away travel of the youth team next season after HUST took over the running of it last term, as well as making a donation to their charity, the Adam Stansfield Foundation.

For more information and to sponsor the walk, visit hufctrust.co.uk/hust-to-climb-snowdon/