JOE Wade, who died at the weekend at the age of 84, was Hereford United's player-manager during the late 1950s when the club's reputation as FA Cup giantkillers first began to take root.

Wade's side hammered Queen's Park Rangers 6-1 at Edgar Street in 1957 to progress to the competition's third round for the first time.

There was disappointment, however, waiting for United as, in front of an Edgar Street record gate of 18,114, they went down 3-0 to First Division Sheffield Wednesday.

Wade, who was born on July 7, 1921, enjoyed his first connection with Hereford in the opening football season after the end of the Second World War.

Along with many other contemporaries, he spent time at RAF Credenhill and while there made a few guest appearances in the United side which clinched runners-up spot in the Southern League in 1945-6.

Wade, who played at left-back, then returned to Arsenal, where he enjoyed a distinguished career, captaining the side during the 1953-4 season and making 86 league appearances.

He skippered the side in Moscow when they took on the famous Dynamos side and also toured with the club in Brazil, Portugal, Germany and France.

At the beginning of the 1956-7 season, in search of a fresh start, he was appointed player-manager of Southern League Hereford and his record, when he finally stood down from the post five seasons later, stands comparison with most subsequent Bulls managers.

The best season of the Wade era came in 1958-9 when the club completed a double by winning the Southern League North-Western Section and the Southern League Cup.

Only a defeat by South-Eastern Division champions Bedford Town, for whom ex-Spurs star Len Duquemin claimed the winner in the title play-off, prevented a clean sweep of honours.

Wade's success at Hereford brought him the chance to coach Arsenal's old rivals Tottenham Hotspur - an offer he declined - and he was linked with jobs at other top clubs during his time at Edgar Street.

His signings for the club included former Arsenal colleague, and Wales international, Ray Daniel who ultimately was to succeed Wade in the summer of 1962. By that time, the demands of his popular shop, Joe Wade Sports on the corner of Commercial Road and Union Walk, had begun to take up the majority of his time.

He had stopped playing at the end of the 1959-60 season and in all made 134 appearances for United.

A keen golfer and a former president of Hereford Lions, Wade resumed control at Edgar Street for a short period in September 1971 between the departure of John Charles and the arrival of Colin Addison.

Wade's wife Kay died many years ago. He is survived by his partner Marianne, son Robert and daughter Beverley.