IT is imperative Hereford United use their youth set-up to develop players for the first team squad, according to the club’s director of youth Peter Beadle.

With the Edgar Street club strapped for cash and already running with a youthful group of players in the Skrill Premier, developing homegrown talent is crucial.

Hereford, who host Welling United today (3pm), currently have 16 players on their academy books playing matches in the Under 18s Youth Alliance South West Division.

Beadle, a former striker who spent the bulk of his career at Bristol Rovers and Bristol City, is looking for them to catch the eye of Bulls manager Martin Foyle.

The 41-year-old, who took over from former head of youth John Layton, said: “My aim is to get youth players into the Hereford first team as quickly as we can.

“If Martin takes one player at the end of this season then we’ve been successful. If he takes two players, then we’ve done extremely well.

“We have to aim to get as many boys into the first team squad for the next campaign but hopefully they will push on and do that this season.”

Beadle added: “It is a challenge.

“Everyone knows about the financial difficulties the club have been in and sometimes people tend to forget about young players.

“None of the second-year scholars from last season were offered a new deal.

“We had to make sure our programme was a bit more intense to give our players the best opportunity to progress.”