ONE of the most popular Hereford United players of recent years has lifted the lid on his time at Edgar Street.

Ben Smith has released his autobiography entitled Journeyman, which hits the shops next week.

In it the Meadow End favourite, who made more than 150 appearances for the Bulls across two spells between 2002 and 2009, says his biggest achievement in football was gaining promotion to League One with Hereford in 2008 and lists his biggest regret as leaving the Bulls at the end of his first spell.

Smith is perhaps best known for a stunning volley during an FA Cup tie at Tranmere Rovers in 2008 during a cup run which saw Hereford reach the Fourth Round before being edged out by Cardiff City.

In the 375-page book, the midfielder mentions the build-up to him re-signing for the Bulls from Weymouth for his second spell in 2007.

Hereford, in League Two at the time, were one of a number of teams interested in his signature.

The midfielder had spoken to Cheltenham Town who had offered him a three-and-a-half year contract with a £20,000 signing-on fee, plus an initial £1,200-a-week wage, rising to £1,500 by the end of the contract and £5,000 for every year the club stayed in League One.

"I began driving up to see Graham Turner [the Hereford United manager and chairman at the time], convinced Hereford wouldn't be able to get anywhere near that offer," he says in the book.

"We sat down and, as usual, just talked about football.

"Graham explained how much he wanted me back in his team.

"Graham knew I had been talking to Cheltenham and when I told him what they were offering I think he thought I was being economical with the truth.

"I had to show him the paper the deal had been written on, which on the opposite side contained a Cheltenham reserve-team line-up.

"Graham explained Hereford would not be able to equal that deal, but would offer a two-and-a-half-year contract on £1,100 a week, match the £20,000 signing-on fee, give me £5,000 if the club got promoted, raise my wages to £1,400 a week if we got into League One, and pay £100 per goal and £100 per appearance.

"I felt really happy driving back to Weymouth that night; I could have easily joined either club and was confident I would be happy at whichever destination I chose."

Luckily for Bulls fans he chose Hereford and went on to make a further 99 appearances for the club which included their one-season stay in League One in 2008-09.

The book, published by Biteback Publishing, is released on Tuesday.