HEREFORD manager Pete Beadle said that he expected the Bulls to be placed in the National League North next season and had already started preparing for that scenario.

Speaking to the Hereford FC website about the allocation, Beadle said: "We obviously had an idea that we would be placed in the North.

“We’d already started working along those lines, putting feelers out for players in that location, but it’s pleasing for the FA to have made a quick announcement that will enable us to start making solid decisions based on where we will be playing.

“There are some big teams in that league, some ex-League and former Conference clubs so it’s great for us to be able to compete at the same level week in week out with those clubs.

“We’ve already played a few clubs in the North, so it’s great to be able to come up against FC United of Manchester, Kidderminster and Telford again.

“It’s great to be competing against some big clubs, but it means that we need to try and it is really important to sell as many season tickets as possible so that we can ensure the budget enables us to challenge.”