HEREFORD United play their first Football League match for nine years tomorrow when they travel to Stockport County for their League Two opener (3pm).

Graham Turner's side were relegated to the non-league tier of English football following a final day 1-1 draw against Brighton at Edgar Street in 1997.

But last season's play-off final victory against Halifax signalled a new era at the club.

Turner said: "It's our first time back in the League, it's a day that our supporters have looked forward to for a long time.

"We have had to work hard to regain our League status and had a lot to do inside the club in terms of finances but we are in a good position."

Hereford coach John Trewick said: "The preparations have gone quite well and obviously we are all looking forward to tomorrow. It's a wonderful thing to be back in the Football League.

"I am sure the supporters will turn up in force. It's a historic day getting back in the League and they all want to be there for it."

Manger Turner has retained 10 of the players that helped Hereford win promotion from the Conference and added 10 new faces during the summer.

They include Aussie right-back Trent McClenahan, 21, snapped up from West Ham, and Phil Gulliver.

Centre-half Gulliver has finally completed his on-off move from Rushden and Diamonds on a free transfer.

"Trent's another player that will challenge for a first team place," Turner said.

"We have had him watched and somebody I know at West Ham has recommended him so it's an opportunity for him to prove what a good player he is.

"One of the problems we are going to face is that we have got a lot of new players."

The Bulls travel to Edgeley Park on the back of a six-game pre-season programme, which culminated with a 3-3 home draw against Cheltenham Town at the weekend.

Turner said: "Stockport are very powerful and big up front and they are going to be a threat. We will go there without any great concern. It's a big test for the players."

Hereford will also be lining up against former player Michael Rose, who had a spell at Edgar Street between 2002 and 2004.

Trewick is an integral part of Turner's backroom staff and he is only too aware of the challenges facing Hereford over the coming campaign.

"We break the season down into sections," he said. "It's 46 games this year and it's hard to take in all that. We make shorter-term goals. We break the season down into six or seven mini-sections.

"We set the players points targets for a certain amount of games so they can see a result at the end of that shorter period of time.

"We aim to win every match as it comes along and if you win enough the rest takes care of itself."

'Keeper Glyn Thompson has endured an injury-plagued pre-season so Turner has added Paul Harrison as cover for number one stopper Wayne Brown.

Harrison, 21, played four games for Chester City last season and was on the books at Liverpool and Wolves.

Left-back Alex Jeannin is suspended tomorrow, leaving new signings Martyn Giles and Richard Rose, along with Andy Ferrell, to contest that position.