Hartlepool United F.C.

I've been a follower of Hartlepool United since my youngest days, and I have found out through practical experience that supporting a small league club can be one of the most enjoyable and fruitful hobbies you can have. I don't see the point of being a supporter of a big Premiership club when perhaps you live miles away from the club and can never see them play. When you go to see your club play, you really feel like a part of it, singing on the terraces and everything. Now as small clubs go, Hartlepool are one of the smallest league clubs going. We are probably among the least successful as well. In this i mean we have never won anything important, and ...

Hartlepool United are probably the most consistent under-achievers in the Football League. Formed in 1908, their 2 promotions since that time have kept them above the bottom division for 4 seasons, and they might have some sort of record for the most re-elections to the league in the 60's and 70's (basically, we and a couple of other crap teams [who changed each year-unlike us] had to beg every May to be allowed to stay in the League). At the moment, we have a board that won't give the manager any money (take a bow, Increased Oil Recovery), a manager who played in goal for Man United (Chris Turner, who was in goal when Pools beat United 5-1 in ...

I live in West London. My maternal family live in Hartlepool. So whenever I go up there it usually includes a visit to Victoria Park. How that place has changed over the years! Not just the ground but the surrounding area. Where did the bus station go? Where do the cars go now the main road has been turned into a cul-de-sac? 'Pools will always be a third division club. That's what the are. They have been going for ninety odd years and only been out of it for four years! Unless of course they have an exceptionally bad season even for them, and drop into the Conference. Which will then set up my ultimate game; My family's home town club against my home ...