SUPPORTERS’ chief Keith Dodd says Hereford United have cleared the first financial hurdle – but admits there’s still a mountain to climb.

United have raised the £78,000 amount needed to pay a HMRC tax bill which had threatened the club's existence.

But Dodd says United's supporters must keep pitching in for the cash-strapped club.

“We have got there but there are still a lot of other things to come into play,” said Dodd, the Hereford United Independent Supporters’ Association chairman (HIUSA).

“Everyone is positive and we have got through this hurdle. We now have to make sure the staff and players are paid.

“The fans have been fantastic but if it wasn’t for the £21,000 from Omid Djalili’s shows and the £10,000 donation from Heineken, we would have been struggling terribly.

“We need to start raising money again with the Madness tribute evening on Friday, the home match against Gateshead and the Ronnie Radford evening on Saturday.”

Dodd said HUISA and Hereford United Trust (HUST) were working together.

“We have a meeting early next week between the Trust, HUISA and board members,” said Dodd.

With chairman David Keyte in Barbados, Dodd praised the work of director Dave Preedy.

“The chairman has been in touch with the club every day but for these past couple of weeks, I have almost been living at the club with Dave Preedy and members of the Trust.”

He added: “We don't know the exact figures that we now need to rause but we have to continue trying to raise funds to get out of this mess.

"When we know the figures involved we can see sit down and then have a proper look to see what needs to be done to put things right.”