CHAIRMAN Andy Lonsdale has confirmed Hereford United’s new shirts will not carry a sponsor for today’s Southern League Premier Division opener against St Neots Town at Edgar Street (3pm).

The Bulls are without a main sponsor after Cargill ended their 24-year association with the club, choosing instead to support United in the Community, a charity which is run as a separate entity.

Lonsdale said he understood Cargill’s decision but insisted it wouldn’t be long before a new sponsor was found for the troubled club, who have seen the capacity of Edgar Street reduced to just 1,000 for today’s match after the late granting of a safety certificate.

The Bulls chairman, who has yet to be officially announced in the role, said: “The sponsors won’t be on the shirts but there will be a company on the shirts in a couple of weeks’ time.”

However, Lonsdale is expecting Jon Taylor’s Hereford side, assembled amid much secrecy and confusion during the summer, to provide a stern test for St Neots.

“The team is shaping up nicely and we should give St Neots a good game,” he said.

“We have got a few more players – some new French lads have come in but we will need international clearance for them. We have a good squad coming together.”

Cargill said of the sponsorship situation: “We have sponsored Hereford United Football Club for many years and in the last few years we have increasingly focused our attention on the efforts of Hereford United Community Trust, which supports youth football, school and disability development programmes in and around Hereford.

“We are working with the Hereford United Supporters’ Trust to look at ways to continue our support.”

Meanwhile, Hereford United Independent Supporters Association (HUISA) will be dissolved next month.

Chairman Keith Dodd, secretary Dave White and treasurer Nicki White all stood down from their roles at the group’s annual meeting.