Several sources, including the Western Daily Press, are claiming that Hereford United are interested in signing Matt Harrold who has just been released by Southend United.

The targetman, who will turn 24 in July, originally joined Southend for a £100,000 fee in September 2006, but scored just six times in 59 appearances for the Blues.

Locally, league two side Shrewsbury Town have also been linked with the player.

At 6'1' Harrold is certainly a battling targetman who first came to prominence as a 17-year-old when playing non-league football for Grays Athletic and Harlow Town.

Brentford's manager at the time was Martin Allen who offered him at chance at Brentford, as Harrold explained in a BBC Sport interview.

'In my first year with Brentford it was a case of trying to break into the team.

'Then Isaiah Rankin and Deon Burton signed and it's hard when you don't feel you are first-choice striker.

'But Martin Allen taught me things I will always be grateful for.

'He helped me with the dirty side of the game you have to do as a forward, such as closing down players and dropping back to help the team.

'He is a very good manager. He did a lot of working with us as regards our shape to shut the other team down, and that is why Brentford didn't concede many goals.'

A move to Yeovil followed with the then Glovers boss Gary Johnson telling the official club website he was confident the hitman would prove to be a success at Huish Park.

'I see a huge potential in him and I am expecting him to show his worth during our pre-season tour to put himself in the frame for our starting eleven.

'I think he could be the striker I have been looking for for a while now.'

Harrold scored nine times in 47 league outings for the Glovers, and remained confident in his own ability - even dreaming he would play in the Premier League at one stage.

'I watch a lot of football on television to see the way different strikers move inside the box, get in front of people and lose their markers.

'It's good to watch the movement of other forwards.

'But you can only see so much on television, it's hard to detect the whole movement.

'There are lots of players who can definitely play at a higher level.
'I think I've got the potential to be a Premier League player, though obviously luck plays a big part as well as hard work.'

Southend then beat the 2006 transfer deadline to secure the striker with assistant Paul Brush upbeat about his prospects.

Brush told the club's official website:

'We've been monitoring and trying to get Matt up here for about three months now.

'We see him as a young striker with the right attitude, as well as being the right age. We are sure he can keep improving and hopefully he'll enjoy it with us.

'We are a bit short on height in attack and he gives us something there.'

Whether there is any truth in the Western Daily Press speculation remains to be seen and, as usual Bulls' boss Graham Turner is extremely unlikely to reveal any of his transfer targets until signings have been secured.

Mind you, if Harrold does sign for Hereford United we know what his nickname will be....and that's 'Prince Harry' because of his uncanny facial resemblance to the royal.

Indeed, Harrold was offered a part in a TV show because of it!

At the time Matt Harrold said he thought the documentary about the prince's life, shown in the UK and America, would 'be a good laugh'.

'I wasn't too sure whether I should do it, but the other lads all decided it would be good for the banter.'

The documentary was made by ITN for the History Network.

The striker has an 'A' level in Sports Science and at one time studied for a degree.

Taken from Vital Football