Lifelong Hereford United/FC supporter Hedley Lawson has started a campaign to award former Hereford United manager Freedom of the city status.
Hedley told Your Herefordshire “I am conscious that John Newman is now 91 and in my opinion deserving of some recognition for his contribution towards the fortunes of Hereford United, in particular, and further afield. He was born on the College Estate in Dec 1933 and would represent Lads Club and Hereford as an amateur before landing at Birmingham City where he won a Second Division medal in 1952. He then played in the 1956 Cup Final, maybe the only Herefordian to have reached that level. Manchester City won that match 3 1 with Bert Trautmann, their goalkeeper playing on towards the end with a broken neck. John was aged 22 at the time and the youngest member of the cup final team”
Hedley continued “John moved around with Leicester, Exeter and Plymouth amongst others before becoming Hereford manager, replacing caretaker Tommy Hughes in March 1983. He spent four and a half years at Edgar Street, the highlight probably being the FA Cup tie with Arsenal which went to a replay in 1985. I am wondering whether he is a candidate to be awarded the Freedom of the City, If there is sufficient support we can approach Hereford City Council. We also have the support of Hereford United/FC historian Ron Parrott”
You can read about John’s time at Hereford United here -> MY HEREFORD UNITED STORY | John Newman – Herefordshire’s Independent Source of News & Information
