I'VE mostly reported as the Club Secretary at Hereford FC, but I also have the more exotic title of Football Director – with responsibility for the entire football department of the club.

Back in January, I sat in front of over 300 fans at the Welsh Club and told them that the new Hereford FC would be built on local youth being developed through the system.

Against Pershore a couple of weeks ago in the Polymac Packaging Midland Football League Club, we fielded a side with 10 of the 16 on the team sheet having spent some part of their career either with the Hereford United youth team or United In The Community (UITC).

It proved it could be done and with less than 10 games of the season gone.

The youngest of the ten was just 16 and a second-generation Bull on the pitch, following in the footsteps of his father.

The oldest, 24 year old Joel Edwards, is not only captain of the side but also now working with the next generation at UITC.

He is the representation to the dozens of ambitious youngsters in UITC of what they can achieve with effort and commitment.

While we have an ambition to be back up the footballing pyramid as a club, we also have a fantastic opportunity to bring the whole of the Herefordshire footballing family up with us. We played pre-season friendlies with our friends at Pegasus Juniors and Wellington not because it was convenient, but because the income from the matches would help them develop their clubs further – to bring more players through and strengthen the base from which Hereford FC can thrive.

Unfortunately, the ever expanding nature of my unpaid role with Hereford FC means I have to step down from my position with the Supporters Trust at the forthcoming election.

It is not feasible for one person to hold both demanding roles, a 30-40 hour a week commitment to the club plus another 20 plus to the Trust simply isn’t sustainable.