HEREFORD FC recorded a historic third championship in as many seasons as they booked their place back in the National League.

Whether Pete Beadle’s side will play in the North or South division next season is undecided but they will be in the second tier of non-league.

Hereford became the first non-league side to have won three championships on the bounce and accumulate more than 100 points on each occasion.

They clinched the Southern League Premier Division crown at Biggleswade Town with a 1-0 win thanks to a penalty from Rob Purdie who played in the club's first season.

“It’s a proud day for everybody here but we have always set our standards high and expect to be competitive,” said Beadle.

“The biggest thing is we have had the most outstanding season this club could have or will ever have in the future in the fact we had the FA Trophy run and were the last non-league club in the FA Cup.

“If you look at the league table there has never been two teams over the last six years over 90 points.

“This year you have five teams all in the 90s now so for us to be on top of that pile is phenomenal.

"We set our standards high, prepare as best we can and take excuses away.

"We recruit extremely well and there haven’t been many players where it hasn’t worked out at that time.

“We set standards and unfortunately there is no getting away from them. If people drop below them you either leave the club or don’t play.

“I couldn’t get a better staff and every single player knows what’s expected of them and the basics of that is when you put the shirt on you give everything every time.

“I now want 113 points — that’s what I want and expect to get. I want to remove the shackles and let them play with more freedom but win every game.

“We are the team everybody wants to take down. It’s way beyond what I anticipated when we started the season.”

It is Purdie’s third title in the Hereford FC shirt alongside Ryan Green, John Mills, Pablo Haysham, Mike Symons, Martin Horsell, Jimmy Oates and James Bowen.