IT was a mixed week for Hereford United with celebrations for a manager-of-the-month award but sadness at the death of the former club doctor.

Graham Turner's happiness at winning the Nationwide Conference Manager Of The Month award was tempered by the loss of Dr Declan O'Brien.

Tributes came from all parts of the club with goalkeeper Matt Baker saying: "The man was an essential member of our medical team and his sterling work behind the scenes never went unnoticed."

Hereford director Joan Fennessy added: "Dr O'Brien was very loyal, never let us down and if he said he was on the way you knew he would be there.

"He will be sadly missed by everyone at the club and our sympathies are with his family."

A minute's silence will be held in his memory before the home Scarborough match next Saturday. United defend their top spot at Farnborough Town today.

Turner meanwhile was quick to pay tribute to everyone at the club following the award.

"It is a reflection on everybody at the club," he said. "That's the players, coach Richard O'Kelly, and you've also got the administrative staff at the club as well."

Meanwhile Turner's accolade as Nationwide Conference manager-of-the-month for August brought praise from one of his former clubs.

James Bateman, who runs the independent wolvescentral.com website, wrote: "I know this is off topic for a Wolves board but Graham will never be forgotten for his efforts in getting Wolves away from the depths of despair, he also was a hero in Wolverhampton for signing Steve Bull from WBA.

"He helped Wolves from the fourth to the second division and nearly got us into the Premiership in his first season way back in 1989.

"He helped Wolves win back to back championships and a Sherpa Van Trophy title with a win against Burnley.

"Turner's Hereford side have won five out of six games so far this season and it would be as much as an achievement getting Hereford where they belong again in the Football League as it was getting Wolves to Division Two."

Other news at Hereford includes notice that their forthcoming clash at Chester City's Deva Stadium has been made an all-ticket affair.

Further details on the allocation of tickets is expected soon, but the game, to be held on Saturday, October 18, has been made ticket-only on police advice.

This follows problems at their recent match with Shrewsbury when some away fans were reportedly locked out for part of the match.