HEREFORD United have at last brought their board of directors up to full strength with the election this week of Grenville Smith and Steve Bayliss.

The club's rules allow for a maximum of eight directors on the board, a figure which has not been attained at Edgar Street since Director of Football and chairman Graham Turner took over as majority shareholder from former chairman Peter Hill two years ago.

But the election of former policeman Smith and Independent Supporters' Association committee member Bayliss will certainly add some much-needed stability to the club, whose financial proplems in recent years have been well chronicled.

Turner and club secretary Joan Fennessy have been joined on the board in recent years by chief scout Ron Jukes, George Hyde, Sam Lodh and Tristan Richmond-Sterry.

Turner is delighted to welcome the new directors onto the board. He said: "Both are very keen supporters of the club and I am sure they will work tirelessly."

The election of Bayliss as a supporters' representative is particularly interesting. He was elected by the club's liaison committee, which consists of representatives of all the various supporters' sections.

The club has always been keen to make provision for the supporters to have their say in the day-to-day running of affairs at Edgar Street, and they have had supporters' representatives on the board before -- the most recent being Keith Benjamin.

Turner said: "Steve has a very positive attitude towards our future, and his election to the board further cements the relationship between the club and its supporters.

"He has a very important role to play as their representative."