Bee Gees and Bulls - Hereford United's Dudley Tyler recalls the West Ham United connection (From Hereford Times)

Bee Gees and Bulls - Hereford United's Dudley Tyler recalls the West Ham United connection

11:00am Thursday 9th February 2012 in Local By Richard Prime

AMEETING with the Bee Gees was just one of the highlights which sprang out of Hereford United’s giantkilling season 40 years ago.

“Before the replay with West Ham, we were staying in a hotel in Grosvenor Square in London, opposite the American Embassy,” recalled winger Dudley Tyler.

“And the Bee Gees were guests at the hotel, too.”

In the midst of the three-day week, Hereford’s heroic FA Cup exploits had made them a cause celebre throughout the land.

And tickets were like gold-dust for the replay which was attended by more than 42,000 people, with another 10,000 or so estimated to be locked out.

“Our team-coach could not get anywhere near the ground,” recalled Tyler.

“We ended up having to walk the last 20 minutes to the ground with all the kit.”

Although United were beaten 3-1 on the day, as Geoff Hurst produced one of the hat-tricks he saved for the biggest football occasions, Tyler was not finished with West Ham.

The First Division giants and their boss Ron Greenwood kept a close eye on the part-timer, who was working in accounts for Plessey in Swindon. And, during the summer of 1972, a bid of £25,000 secured his transfer to Upton Park.

“At 26, I was probably a bit old to be turning pro for the first time but I didn’t take too much time over making the decision.

“I went up to sign around the end of May and the day before we went, we found out that my wife Margaret was pregnant with our first child. It was a memorable time.”

Although, after huge success at Edgar Street during the previous three seasons, there was a tinge of regret at missing United’s own debut in the Football League, there were compensations as he moved among the greats of the era.

“I made my West Ham debut against West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns, where I had scored the winning goal against Northampton which earned the Newcastle tie the previous season, ” recalled Tyler.

“And there were lots of telegrams from Hereford people wishing me well.

“I got my first goal for West Ham against Leicester City two games later.

“I was marked by David Nish, then the England left-back, and scored past Peter Shilton, then the England goalkeeper.

“We won 5-2 and one of the other West Ham goals was scored by Bobby Moore.”

Tyler held his place in the West Ham until November when he broke his collar-bone in a freak training-ground accident.

He regained his spot before the end of the season and had another spell in the Hammers’ first-team at the start of the following campaign before falling out of favour.

Fate then took a hand.

“I was filling my car up with petrol at a garage in Southend when another car pulled in and out of it got Frank Miles, who was the Hereford chairman,” recalled Tyler.

“He asked how I was getting on and I explained the situation. Not long after that I was back at Hereford.”

Finances played a big part in his return and provide a fascinating insight into how the game has changed.

“At West Ham, I was on a basic wage of £50 per week but there were bonuses of £30 per appearance and £30 per point gained.

“Although it was only two points for a win then, rather than three, if you played and won twice in a week, then it was good money.

“But I was out of the side at the time and I was pleased to come back.”

And it took just 36 minutes to re-establish his popularity at Edgar Street when he hammered home the opening goal in a Division Three clash with Walsall.

Playing for Hereford in Division Three would have been a distant dream when the 22-year-old Tyler first arrived at Edgar Street from local football in Swindon.

“I played for a team called Pinehurst in the Wiltshire Premier League,” he said.

“We got to the final of the Swindon Advertiser Cup against Swindon Town’s third team and we won 4-1.

“I got a hat-trick and Bert Head, the Swindon manager who was watching, suggested I ring John Charles at Hereford and ask for a trial. It was a thrill coming to play alongside a legend.

“He told me to go out and play, get my crosses in and he would get on the end of them. And he did.”