STRIKER Febian Brandy may only have just joined Hereford United but he knows the importance of tomorrow’s League 1 relegation clash at Cheltenham Town.

The Manchester United youngster is poised to make his debut for the Bulls in their must-win bottom-of-the-table derby at Whaddon Road.

Hereford are second-bottom in the table courtesy of a better goal difference than their struggling Gloucestershire rivals.

More than 1,100 Bulls fans will be making the 100-mile round-trip from Hereford to cheer on their side.

Brandy, 20, believes he can help Hereford to climb out of the relegation zone.

He said: “It’s a very important game for us at Cheltenham and we have got to pick up three points.”

The on-loan Old Trafford youngster will link up with another Manchester United player, midfielder Sam Hewson, who is also on-loan with Hereford.

Manchester-born Brandy is recognised for his pace and skill, and prefers to drop deep and run at defenders.

Speaking about his move to Hereford, Brandy said: “There was a number of English and European clubs (Holland, Spain, Belgium) interested on long-term loan deals. Our club knows Hereford well and all agreed they were short on strikers. For me, 90 minutes of football is a priority for my development.”

He added: “I’ve got plenty of time left on my contract at Manchester United so I am confident I can make an impact and achieve my long term ambition of playing in the first-team back home.”

Brandy had been out on loan with Championship outfit Swansea City.

Last season Brandy’s goals earned Swansea nine points in their League 1 winning campaign.

Jamie Holsgrove, the player’s agent, said Swansea boss Roberto Martinez had asked if he could extend Brandy's loan until the end of the season.

However, Manchester United recalled Brandy because Brandy was not featuring regularly in Swansea’s 4-5-1 formation.

Holsgrove said: "Febian has an excellent pedigree and what he achieved from the bench last season was exceptional. Championship experience was always going to be difficult to turn down even though there was a risk of him not starting as much as he hoped due to the 4-5-1 formation. However, the experience was invaluable".

Hereford chief Graham Turner has described tomorrow’s match as ‘vital’.

“Cheltenham is a vital match for us,” he said. “Throughout the season there are certain defining matches - and this could be one of them.”