HEREFORD United’s plight is in the news again but this time there appears to be light at the end of the tunnel.

Following the latest hearing of their winding-up order in the Royal Courts of Justice, chairman Andy Lonsdale has said he will stump up the £1million to cover the club’s debts.

A grand gesture, I’m sure you’ll agree.

But to paint him as the saviour of the Bulls, as a statement on the club’s official website would suggest, isn’t exactly true, is it?

If Lonsdale had £1million kicking its heels in his bank account, why was that money not forthcoming when the club really needed it?

Instead, Hereford were expelled from the Conference in the summer because they refused to pay a £350,000 bond, a move which eventually saw them demoted two levels to the Southern League Premier Division.

Since then, they have been in and out of court for a winding-up order, with the club increasingly flying by the seat of their pants in gaining adjournment after adjournment.

At any time during that period, Lonsdale could have stepped in with his £1m and ended the saga once and for all.

If he wanted to be the club’s saviour, he could have been back then. But he chose not to be.

Instead, promises of imminent investment were made and broken, with one such offer of £750,000 conveniently being withdrawn on the day of their latest date in court on Monday.

The blame for that deal collapsing has been laid squarely at the door of fans for an alleged social media campaign against the club.

He does have a point there. People have spoken out against the club, largely because they feel they have been treated with utter contempt.

It is easy to blame this on supporter vitriol but, in truth, no hard proof of investment has ever been presented to the courts.

Is it any wonder why people are sceptical?