Fan's dream comes true after 'rubbish few months'

A Hereford FC fan had his childhood dream come true after previously withdrawing his support for the club when fellow fans reportedly chanted a racist phrase.

Ahead of watching his beloved team secure safety in the National League North on Saturday, KD Rai was "stitched up" when he was made a mascot as part of his stag do.

"It was a childhood dream walking out on that hallowed turf at a packed Edgar Street, and to witness a great escape from relegation on the day when the odds were against us over the last few weeks made it even more special," he said.

His comments come after he wrote an open letter in which he explained he had chosen "to take time away from following the club".

The letter came after an incident on 30 December during a tie with Merthyr Town FC that allegedly saw a racial slur sung by a group of Hereford FC fans.

"In over 300 games across 23 countries, I had never once heard a similar chant to this in person. I believed it had been banished to the past," he wrote.

"As an Asian Hereford fan, and as a proud Punjabi Sikh, I could not believe that after 21 years of following the club I love, I witnessed a group of Hereford supporters singing [redacted] loudly and repeatedly before kick-off at the Merthyr game, behind the goal.

"A game I was really looking forward to with my friends was totally ruined in seconds."

In response, club chairman Chris Ammonds slammed the incident and said the club would take "the robust action necessary".

But after after making his first trip to Edgar Street since the incident to watch Hereford FC's 2-2 draw with Peterborough Sports, the fan took to Facebook to praise the "totally overwhelming" support he had received.

He said: "Back in January, when I released my letter to the fans, I genuinely didn't know if I'd ever walk through the gates of Hereford FC again and went through a real rubbish period over those few months.

"The response that followed from the club, the fans, the London Bulls Working Group, my partner, family, friends and people I never even met was totally overwhelming in a way I'll never forget.

"There was no way I couldn't come back. I'll always be grateful to everyone who showed support during that time. Thank you."

He added: "If you'd told me then that just a few months later I'd be back at Edgar Street on my stag do, and stitched up by the London Bulls who made me walk out in full kit, shin pads and all, in front of over 4,600 fans in a game like that I honestly wouldn't have believed you.

"The noise, the atmosphere, the emotion, it was absolutely unreal. Football has a funny way of giving you moments you could never script.

"I feel incredibly lucky to have the friends, family and the amazing community around Hereford FC that I do. Honestly, one of the best days of my life."

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