Old boys return as part of Edgar Street re-shuffle

10:59am Thursday 4th September 2008

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TWO members of Hereford United’s Nationwide Conference play-off winning side made their return to Edgar Street on transfer deadline day.

But a member of the backroom staff who played a significant role in United’s two promotions in three seasons has moved on.

Striker Andy Williams is back at Edgar Street on a four-month loan from Bristol Rovers until January.

And Jamie Pitman has left his role as player/assistant manager at Forest Green Rovers to return to the club as physiotherapist.

Pitman takes over from Wayne Jones who has joined Yeovil Town in a similar position after more than three years at Edgar Street.

Twenty-two-year-old Williams left the Bulls for the Memorial Stadium before the start of last season for a fee reputed to be in the region of £150,000.

He was a regular member of the Rovers squad last season but was often deployed as a substitute.

That trend continued this season when he came on as a late replacement during United’s 6-1 hammering by Rovers.

With the Bristol club signing another striker, Jo Kuffour from Bournemouth, last week, Williams has moved further down the pecking order and has evidently decided that a period in familiar surroundings at Edgar Street will kick-start his career again.

Bulls fans will be delighted to see his return, remembering the 24 goals and brilliant skills which characterised the 104 games of his first spell with the club.

Williams will return to the United squad for tomorrow’s (Friday’s) home League 1 clash with Swindon Town, evoking memories of his two goals in the Bulls’ 2-1 at the County Ground two seasons ago.

Swindon were the first club of the other returning hero, Pitman, who has left Forest Green Rovers after just over two seasons to return to the club where he made 233 appearances scoring 20 goals in two spells as a player.

Any appearances on the field for the 32-year-old now, however, will be with his physiotherapist’s bag in hand.

The prospect of being an hour closer to his Kent-based family was significant in Jones’ decision to move to Yeovil.

The former Wales international has been a popular member of staff during his three-and-a-half year spell at Edgar Street.

“It has been a hard decision to make because I have made a lot of good friends at Hereford,” he said.

“I have learned a lot at Edgar Street and now I am looking forward to the new challenge.”

In another back-room change, Football in the Community officer Adriano Girolami has been replaced by former United trainee and current Westfields player Jamie Edwards.

Midfielder Luke Webb has also left the club after an injury-plagued two years.

United will be looking to build on their success last Saturday against Swindon, who have made a mixed start to the new season, winning two and losing two of their four matches so far.