THE memories of great goalscorers live on for ever in the minds of their fans.

And if any proof of that little maxim was needed, it could be found at Edgar Street last Saturday when Albert Derrick, one of the undisputed Hereford United greats of the 1960s, stepped inside the ground for the first time in 35 years.

Although more than 38 years had passed since Derrick pulled on a Hereford shirt, a string of fans came up to shake the hand of this polite, modest and unassuming man from South Wales and to share their memories of the old days.

And to see the pleasure in his 68-year-old eyes was to know that his own memories of his five years at Edgar Street still also burn bright.

Derrick arrived at Hereford late in the 1963-4 season, making his debut at Hinckley on February 15.

"I think Bob Dennison paid Cambridge £1,000 for me," recalled Derrick. "That was quite a bit of money in those days."

He found the net five times in 18 matches but it was not enough to save United from relegation to Division 1 of the Southern League.

"We went down but we came straight back up," said Derrick. "We had a good season and a lot of good players."

And it was Derrick's goals, 35 of them in 41 league games, which ensured that United made a rapid return to the top flight.

A season of consolidation followed, made memorable by a FA Cup win over Division 3 leaders Millwall.

"We beat them 1-0," said Derrick. "And they had Alex Stepney, who went on to play for Manchester United,in goal."

If Stepney had a big future, then a player with an even greater past was about to enter the Edgar Street scene with the arrival of John Charles.

"We had played against John at Cardiff in a pre-season friendly the year before and he scored with four headers," Derrick recalled. "And Ray Daniel was marking him - and Ray was no slouch."

Daniel had, indeed, also been a Wales international and the arrival of his old team-mate Charles on August 20, 1966 brought Edgar Street's biggest opening day gate - 4,869 - since 1953.

Charles was on target in the 75th minute but, by then, his rather shorter strike partner had stolen his thunder and found the net three times.

Remarkably, although Derrick had by that time already hit 69 goals for Hereford, it was his first hat-trick in United colours.

The years have left Derrick's admiration for Charles undimmed.

"I saw him play for Wales at Wembley against England when I was young," he remembered. "Billy Wright was marking him, pulling his shirt all the time, but John still scored two goals.

"He was so athletic and strong. I'm very proud of the fact that I played more games alongside him - around 120 - than any other Welshman.

"At away games, all of the home fans would congregate behind the goal we were attacking just to get a closer look at him.

"And he had a great sense of humour, too."

One of Charles' vices might have got him into trouble these days, however.

"He would smoke all night," recalled Derrick. "Particularly if they were my cigarettes! He never bought his own!"

The pair continued to score goals for fun as they terrorised Southern League defences. But at the end of the 1968-9 season, and after 291 games and 132 goals for Hereford, Derrick decided enough was enough.

"I had had enough of the travelling - three times a week for training from my home in Newport," he said. "So I decided to join Newport County.

"It was the worst decision I ever made."

Although he proved that he could still find the net with eight goals in around 20 appearances for Newport that season, a ripped cartilage effectively ended his career.

The legacy was a knee-replacement 15 years ago.

A brush with cancer also deprived him of part of his larynx three years ago but his enthusiasm for the club he served with such distinction remains undimmed.

And he left promising a quick return visit.

"I shall be coming back soon to show my grandchildren where I played," he said.