THERE have been some difficult weeks to be a Bulls fan, but this past week probably takes the prize as being the worst - but with a small piece of hope.

The annual meeting tore the curtains off the worst kept secret in the city - that the club was in a desperate state and needed significant funds to see out the season - £78,000 within a couple of weeks to satisfy the taxman, and a further six-figure sum by June.

The starkness of the situation frightened even those that were aware that the situation was bad.

So we pulled together HUST and HUISA and arranged a meeting to try and find some light at the end of the very dark tunnel. The players had already had their own meeting and made their pact to keep on fighting, it was time for the fans to do the same.

We went into Monday night's meeting not really knowing what to expect. We were buoyed that the room ended up as standing-room only and we had another 120 fans following a live stream of events plus dozens more following events on Twitter.

As the night unfolded, social media turned into a small frenzy as passionate fans tweeted the great and the good. They got the message out there. Hereford United is in grave danger. Radio and TV personalities, footballers, and fan groups at some of the biggest clubs in the country retweeted messages and tens of thousands of people saw that the club was in trouble.

The problem is, most of those people will not be able to visit Edgar Street anytime soon. What we need to do now is the same passionate marketing campaign to our neighbours, friends, and colleagues that we see day-in, day-out.

To the people of Herefordshire and the surrounding areas.

Our opponents on Saturday are Grimsby Town. The last time someone had something to cheer about at Edgar Street, the opponents were also Grimsby Town. The Bulls had won promotion to League One, and the game itself was pretty much meaningless. However 6,000 people came to Edgar Street - nearly double the previous home attendance - just to celebrate.

This Saturday, we don't have a promotion to celebrate. We have a club to celebrate. We have 90 years of history, and our own stories within the Hereford United family to celebrate. We have a new manager, a fresh impetus, and a comradeship among the players little seen at any football club.

The players and staff at the club haven't been paid in full for months. Yet they soldier on because they're professionals. They do their jobs with pride. Our supporters will enter Edgar Street on Saturday with renewed optimism and the Meadow End singers will be in full voice throughout the game.

After all, Peter Beadle's having a party. So bring you next door neighbour Charlie!