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Hartlepool United Football Club is a professional
association football Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
club based in Hartlepool, County Durham, England. The team competes in
League Two The English Football League Two (often referred to as League Two for short or Sky Bet League Two for sponsorship purposes, and known as the Football League Two from 2004 until 2016) is the third and lowest division of the English Football Lea ...
, the fourth tier of the English football league system. They were founded in 1908 as Hartlepools United Football Athletic Company.
West Hartlepool West Hartlepool was a predecessor of Hartlepool, County Durham, England. It developed in the Victorian era and took the name from its western position in the parish of what is now known as the Headland. The former town was originally formed ...
won the FA Amateur Cup in 1905 and after the club was dissolved in 1910 its assets and liabilities were subsequently taken over by Hartlepools United, who were then playing in the
North Eastern League The North Eastern League was an association football league for teams in the North East of England. The league was founded in 1906 and was initially successful, with teams defecting from the rival Northern Football Alliance to play. Although so ...
. Hartlepools United were elected into the Football League in 1921 and would spend the next 37 years in the Third Division North, at which point they were placed into the Fourth Division. In 1968, the ''s'' and the ''United'' of the club's name were removed due to the merger of
West Hartlepool West Hartlepool was a predecessor of Hartlepool, County Durham, England. It developed in the Victorian era and took the name from its western position in the parish of what is now known as the Headland. The former town was originally formed ...
with the town of Hartlepool and the village of
Hart Hart often refers to: * Hart (deer) Hart may also refer to: Organizations * Hart Racing Engines, a former Formula One engine manufacturer * Hart Skis, US ski manufacturer * Hart Stores, a Canadian chain of department stores * Hart's Reptile Wo ...
- forming the new borough of Hartlepool. The club won promotion in 1967–68 for the first time, though were relegated out of the Third Division the following season. In 1977, the ''United'' was added back to the team's name. They won another promotion in
1990–91 Year 199 ( CXCIX) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was sometimes known as year 952 '' Ab urbe condita''. The denomination 199 for this year has been used since t ...
, though were relegated in 1993–94. They won further promotions out of the fourth tier in 2002–03 and 2006–07, having been relegated again in 2005–06 after losing the 2005 League One play-off Final to
Sheffield Wednesday Sheffield Wednesday Football Club is a professional association football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. The team competes in League One, the third tier of the English football league system. Formed in 1867 as an offshoot ...
in the previous season. Hartlepool were relegated again in
2012–13 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. I ...
and ended their 96-year run in the Football League with relegation into the National League in 2016–17. Hartlepool achieved promotion back to the Football League in 2020–21, beating Torquay United in the National League play-off Final. Hartlepool have played home games at Victoria Park throughout their history. Their main rival is Darlington. The club's mascot, '
H'Angus the Monkey H'Angus the Monkey is the official mascot of Hartlepool United. The name "H'Angus" is a pun of the word hang and the name Angus, and is derived from the monkey hanger legend of Hartlepool. The mascot made his debut on 31 October 1999, during Ha ...
', was elected mayor at the 2002 Hartlepool Borough Council election. The club also receives vocal support from
Sky Sports Sky Sports is a group of British subscription sports channels operated by the satellite pay television company Sky Group (a division of Comcast), and is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It ...
presenter
Jeff Stelling Robert Jeffrey Stelling (born 18 March 1955) is an English television presenter. He currently presents '' Gillette Soccer Saturday'' for Sky Sports and hosted coverage of the Champions League between 2011 and 2015. He also presented the Chann ...
. Between 1924 and 1984, Hartlepool had to apply for
re-election The incumbent is the current holder of an office or position, usually in relation to an election. In an election for president, the incumbent is the person holding or acting in the office of president before the election, whether seeking re-ele ...
on fourteen occasions (a record) in the fourth tier of English football; however, they were not relegated from this level until 2017. The club is also known for being the one that
Brian Clough Brian Howard Clough ( ; 21 March 1935 – 20 September 2004) was an English football player and manager, primarily known for his successes as a manager with Derby County and Nottingham Forest. He is one of four managers to have won the Engl ...
started his managerial career. The club's record appearance holder is Ritchie Humphreys, who made 543 appearances, while their leading scorer is Joshie Fletcher with 111 goals.


History


1908–45: Early years and formation

Hartlepool's origins can be traced back to 1881 when West Hartlepool Amateur Football Club were founded, later joining as founder members of the Durham FA in 1883. In 1889, West Hartlepool subsequently joined the new Northern League before winning the FA Amateur Cup in 1905, beating Clapton 3–2. Partly as a result of this victory, the opportunity for a professional team arose in 1908, when West Hartlepool Rugby Club went bust, leaving their stadium, the
Victoria Ground The Victoria Ground was the home ground of Stoke City from 1878 until 1997, when the club relocated to the Britannia Stadium after 119 years. At the time of its demolition it was the oldest operational ground in the Football League. History ...
vacant. The stadium was bought and the current club was founded under the name Hartlepools United Football Athletic Company on 1 June 1908, representing both the town of
West Hartlepool West Hartlepool was a predecessor of Hartlepool, County Durham, England. It developed in the Victorian era and took the name from its western position in the parish of what is now known as the Headland. The former town was originally formed ...
and the original settlement of Hartlepool, known locally as "Old Hartlepool". On 2 September 1908, Hartlepools played their first match at Victoria Park, defeating Newcastle United 6–0. The new team joined the professional North-Eastern league in 1908. West Hartlepool managed to continue for a few seasons however it was not long before they broke up leaving Hartlepools United as the only team in town. In 1910, the club took over the assets and liabilities of
West Hartlepool West Hartlepool was a predecessor of Hartlepool, County Durham, England. It developed in the Victorian era and took the name from its western position in the parish of what is now known as the Headland. The former town was originally formed ...
who had been dissolved that year. In 1921, Hartlepools were elected to the newly formed Football League, joining the
Football League Third Division The Football League Third Division was the third tier of the English football league system in 1920–21 and again from 1958 until 1992. When the FA Premier League was formed, the division become the fourth tier level. In 2004, following th ...
. On 27 August 1921, Hartlepools played their first ever Football League match, defeating
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2–0. In 1921–22, Hartlepools finished their first Football League campaign in 4th place.


1945–89: Post-war

On 31 August 1946, Hartlepools played their first game after
World War Two World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, drawing 1–1 with Barrow. In 1956, Hartlepools narrowly lost 1–0 to First Division champions
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in the
FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual knockout football competition in men's domestic English football. First played during the 1871–72 season, it is the oldest national football competi ...
. In the subsequent
FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual knockout football competition in men's domestic English football. First played during the 1871–72 season, it is the oldest national football competi ...
campaign, Hartlepools lost 4–3 to Manchester United. The attendance of 17,426 remains the club's highest attendance. Hartlepools managed to fight back from 3–0 down to level the game at 3–3 before Manchester United scored a late winner. The Red Devils' manager Matt Busby described it as ''"the most exciting match I've ever watched"'' in his autobiography. In 1956–57, Hartlepools finished 2nd to
Derby County Derby County Football Club () is a professional association football club based in Derby, Derbyshire, England. In 2022, it was announced that DCFC was acquired by Clowes Developments (UK) Ltd, a Derbyshire-based property group. Founded in 188 ...
, missing out on promotion to the
Second Division In sport, the Second Division, also called Division 2 or Division II is usually the second highest division of a league, and will often have promotion and relegation with divisions above and below. Following the rise of Premier League style compet ...
. In 1958, the club were placed in the newly formed Fourth Division. During 1959, Hartlepools defeated Barrow 10–1, a club record victory for a League match which remains to this day.
Brian Clough Brian Howard Clough ( ; 21 March 1935 – 20 September 2004) was an English football player and manager, primarily known for his successes as a manager with Derby County and Nottingham Forest. He is one of four managers to have won the Engl ...
was invited to manage Hartlepools in 1965 at the age of 30. His reaction was ''"I don't fancy the place"'', but he took the job anyway alongside
Peter Taylor Peter Taylor may refer to: Arts * Peter Taylor (writer) (1917–1994), American author, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction * Peter Taylor (film editor) (1922–1997), English film editor, winner of an Academy Award for Film Editing Politi ...
. In order to generate funds for the club, Clough visited every pub in town. In May 1966, Clough gave future European Cup winning captain John McGovern his professional debut aged 16 years old. After Clough and Taylor left for
Derby County Derby County Football Club () is a professional association football club based in Derby, Derbyshire, England. In 2022, it was announced that DCFC was acquired by Clowes Developments (UK) Ltd, a Derbyshire-based property group. Founded in 188 ...
, the club maintained their form and were promoted for the first time in their history after defeating Swansea Town 2–0. In 1968 the "s" and the "United" were dropped from the team name of "Hartlepools United". This was due to the merger of
West Hartlepool West Hartlepool was a predecessor of Hartlepool, County Durham, England. It developed in the Victorian era and took the name from its western position in the parish of what is now known as the Headland. The former town was originally formed ...
with the older smaller town of Hartlepool and the village of
Hart Hart often refers to: * Hart (deer) Hart may also refer to: Organizations * Hart Racing Engines, a former Formula One engine manufacturer * Hart Skis, US ski manufacturer * Hart Stores, a Canadian chain of department stores * Hart's Reptile Wo ...
into one new borough named "Hartlepool". However, Hartlepool were relegated the following season after finishing in 22nd place. Under Len Ashurst (who became manager in 1971), the team slowly began to revive after years of largely indifferent form. The 1971–72 season saw a welcome improvement to 18th, and possibly saved the club; Barrow, who had finished bottom the previous year, were voted out in favour of
Hereford United Hereford United Football Club was an association football club based in Hereford, England. They played at Edgar Street for their entire history. They were nicknamed 'The Whites' or 'The Lilywhites', after their predominantly white kit, or 'Th ...
despite having improved to 22nd. The club once again avoided the re-election zone in 1972–73, finishing in 20th place, but with four successive finishes either in or not far above the bottom four and strong challenges coming from non-league sides, the club needed to show signs of improvement. Ashurst did precisely that, finishing in 11th in 1973–74; he then left the club to manage Gillingham. Ken Hale took over and guided the team to 13th and 14th over the next two seasons. The club also reached the League Cup fourth round in 1974–75 (still a club record) where they lost a replay to eventual
winners Winners Merchants International L.P is a chain of off-price Canadian department stores owned by TJX Companies. It offers brand name clothing, footwear, bedding, furniture, fine jewelry, beauty products, and housewares. Products are at a 20-60 ...
Aston Villa. However, 1976–77 saw a return to the doldrums; Hale was sacked after failing to win any of the first nine games at the start of October. His successor Billy Horner could not stop the rot either, and the team finished in 22nd place. Again there was a strong challenger from non-league in the form of Wimbledon; however, as the club was seeking re-election for the first time in six years, it was
Workington Workington is a coastal town and civil parish at the mouth of the River Derwent on the west coast in the Allerdale borough of Cumbria, England. The town was historically in Cumberland. At the 2011 census it had a population of 25,207. Locat ...
– bottom for a second successive year that made way. Over the close season the team's name was changed to its current form of Hartlepool United. A tragedy struck the club a few weeks before the end of the season when 20-year-old player
Dave Wiggett David Wiggett (25 May 1957 – 23 March 1978) was an English footballer who played for Lincoln City and Hartlepool United before losing his life in a car crash. Wiggett, a left-back, began his career at Graham Taylor's Lincoln City, making his ...
was killed in a car crash. A marginal improvement to 21st the following year again saw the club applying to stay in the league; and again a strong non-league challenge, this time from
Wigan Athletic Wigan Athletic Football Club () is an English professional association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, England. The team competes in the Championship, the second tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1932, ...
, was enough to dispose of
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. It seemed to be only a matter of time before Hartlepool United followed the same way. Once again then, it was a huge relief for the supporters that Horner managed to make considerable improvements the following season. A large part of this was due to the strike partnership of Bob Newton and
Keith Houchen Keith Morton Houchen (born 25 July 1960) is an English former professional footballer and football manager. A forward, he scored 184 goals in 687 league and cup games. He started his professional career at Hartlepool United in February 1978, ...
; the latter would be the club's leading scorer in each of the following four seasons. There was also relative success in the FA Cup, with
Crystal Palace Crystal Palace may refer to: Places Canada * Crystal Palace Complex (Dieppe), a former amusement park now a shopping complex in Dieppe, New Brunswick * Crystal Palace Barracks, London, Ontario * Crystal Palace (Montreal), an exhibition building ...
being defeated at Victoria Park thanks to two goals from Newton as the club made the fourth round. 1978–79 saw a finish in 13th place; 19th the following season was still enough to stay clear of the re-election zone, and then 1980–81 saw the team produce its best season in over a decade, never being out of the top 10 and looking promotion contenders for a long spell before falling away to finish ninth. Financial issues were however making waves off the pitch and in particular the ownership of the ground. The Town Council were approached by the club with a view to buying the ground in January 1977, and although this was initially turned down, negotiations continued. In February 1978, a deal seemed to have been agreed; however chairman Vince Barker accused the council of delaying the deal when it was not complete 12 months later. Barker would accuse the council of trying to renege on the deal in July 1980, and even threatened to move the club out of the town amidst rumours that he was prepared to sell up and allow the club to be moved to
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. 1981–82 saw the team finish in 14th place despite both Houchen and Newton scoring 18 goals, but their partnership was drawing to a close and with it four seasons of relative success. The club was running into financial difficulties under Vince Barker, and both forwards would be sold the following season for fees that failed to reflect their value to the club but allowed bills to be paid. The team finished in 22nd – back in the re-election zone. Billy Horner handed over his duties at the end of March to
John Duncan John Duncan may refer to: Arts and entertainment * John Duncan (painter) (1866–1945), Scottish painter * John Duncan (artist) (born 1953), American artist and musician * Big John Duncan (born 1958), Scottish punk musician * John Duncan (harpist) ...
. Duncan's time at the club was limited. Having been appointed in April, just nine weeks later he left to take over at Chesterfield. Hartlepool appointed Mick Docherty; however after six months and with the team struggling, he too left the club. Even for Hartlepool, four managers in the space of eight months was somewhat farcical; the fact that the decision was made to re-appoint Billy Horner (initially as a temporary measure, although he would actually remain in charge until November 1986) made the situation even worse. Dissatisfaction with the club's board grew; attendances fell; performances remained poor. An eventual finish of 23rd, and a club record low attendance of 790 for the game with
Stockport County Stockport County Football Club are a professional football club in Stockport, England, who compete in EFL League Two, the fourth tier of the English football league system. Formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, they were renamed Stockport Co ...
on 5 May 1984, showed a club that looked to be going nowhere. The application for re-election was again successful, with the club once more polling the lowest figure of the League clubs, the result was secured on the back of an agreement being made amongst the club chairmen to enter into meaningful dialogue over direct promotion and relegation with the Alliance Premier League. Many felt that without that agreement being made, Hartlepool United would have been voted out because of their perennial re-election applications.Football League Re-Election
www.poolstats.co.uk, accessed: 13 July 2012
''Rothmans 2002–03'', p. 584 Maidstone United were the unfortunate non-league champions to have the Football League door slammed in their faces for the second year running. During the close season chairman Barker left the club, John Smart taking over. Once again though Horner managed to produce an improvement, to 19th, before making a team that looked capable of winning promotion. After a shaky start to 1985–86, the team climbed into the top three by mid-October; were still in a promotion spot in early March; and eventually faded slightly to finish in seventh place. Any hopes that Horner might lead the club to promotion faded shortly after the start of the 1986–87 season. After drawing the first four games of the season, Pools then lost the next four before finally recording their first win against Lincoln City in the ninth game; a further six games without a win were enough to see the club looking in serious danger of being the first club to be automatically relegated from the Football League and saw Horner depart. He was replaced by John Bird, a former player at the club. Form improved slightly, but although the team eventually finished in relative safety in 18th, they were only three points ahead of Lincoln City who suffered relegation. One peculiarity of the season concerned
Middlesbrough Middlesbrough ( ) is a town on the southern bank of the River Tees in North Yorkshire, England. It is near the North York Moors national park. It is the namesake and main town of its local borough council area. Until the early 1800s, the a ...
; the financially struggling
Teesside Teesside () is a built-up area around the River Tees in the north of England, split between County Durham and North Yorkshire. The name was initially used as a county borough in the North Riding of Yorkshire. Historically a hub for heavy manu ...
rs had been locked out of their ground Ayresome Park, but were due to play a home game on the opening day of the season. Had they not fulfilled the fixture they would have been expelled from the League; Hartlepool stepped into the breach and offered the use of the Victoria Ground. After Hartlepool's draw with Cardiff City in the afternoon, Middlesbrough played their game with Port Vale the same evening. The following season saw an improvement to 16th place, this time comfortably above relegated Newport County and in fact only 11 points from the playoff places; however a poor run of form towards the end of the season (four points from the last 10 games) cost the team any hope of promotion. Notable events from the season included both Paul Baker and Andy Toman scoring 20 or more goals in all competitions, and beating neighbours Sunderland in the Associate Members Cup before eventually losing out to Preston North End in the Northern semi-final. Bird had however made something of a name for himself as a manager, and when early season form saw Hartlepool United in second place at the end of September 1988, he left the club to join
York City York City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of York, North Yorkshire, England. As of the 2022–23 season, the team compete in the National League, at the fifth tier of the English football league sys ...
. Former Newcastle United captain
Bobby Moncur Robert Moncur (born 19 January 1945) is a Scottish former professional footballer. Moncur is most famous for his role as captain of Newcastle United in the late 1960s and of the Scottish national side in the early 1970s. Moncur was part of the ...
was appointed to succeed Bird, but failed to inspire the team; results suffered with Hartlepool eventually finishing 19th. Five successive league defeats opened the 1989–90 season, and Moncur eventually resigned in November with the club rooted to the bottom of the table having taken just nine points from 18 games with 46 goals conceded.


1989–97: The Gibson and Hornsey years

The new manager appointed though would become a legend at the club. Cyril Knowles had been a distinguished player, and had a growing reputation as a manager; with the addition of several new signings, he achieved a remarkable turnaround. From having 9 points from 19 games, Knowles led the side to 55 by the end of the season – and a safe 19th place in the table. Even better was to follow the next season. With the partnership of Paul Baker and
Joe Allon Joseph Ball Allon (born 12 November 1966) is an English former footballer. A striker, he scored 135 goals in 361 league and cup games in a 14-year career in the English Football League. Starting his career with Newcastle United in 1984, he f ...
working well in attack, the team were in the top 10 for much of the season and in with a good chance of reaching a play-off place. Then, tragedy struck in February 1991 when Knowles was diagnosed with brain cancer and Alan Murray took over on a temporary basis. Under Murray, the team's form improved further and the club went into the final day of the season as one of several clubs that could win not just promotion but the title. A 3–1 win over
Northampton Town Northampton Town Football Club is a professional association football club based in the town of Northampton, England. The team plays in , the fourth tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1897, the club competed in the Midland ...
was enough to secure promotion in third place. However, Knowles was still suffering from cancer and in June 1991 Murray was given the manager's job on a permanent basis as Knowles had now undergone three operations but still had the cancer. He died on 30 August 1991, aged 47. Although Allon signed for
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over the close season, Murray was able to retain the majority of the squad, and also signed players such as Andy Saville and Lenny Johnrose as the club finished in a highly respectable 11th in the Third Division. The
1992–93 Year 199 ( CXCIX) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was sometimes known as year 952 '' Ab urbe condita''. The denomination 199 for this year has been used since t ...
season saw the club playing in the new Division Two, as the formation of the
Premier League The Premier League (legal name: The Football Association Premier League Limited) is the highest level of the men's English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Fo ...
had caused a re-labelling of the divisions. By October, the team was in second place, level on points with leaders
West Bromwich Albion West Bromwich Albion Football Club () is an English professional football club based in West Bromwich, West Midlands, England. They compete in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football. The club was formed in 1878 and has pl ...
. The club remained in the play-off hunt until New Year, and then achieved one of the best results in its history after beating
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1–0 in the FA Cup third round – the first time that Hartlepool had beaten a top division side. However, this would prove to be the end of the club's success for several years. It was revealed shortly after the cup win that the club were in financial difficulties. To make ends meet, a number of players were released or sold, and the club set an unenviable record by going 1,227 minutes without scoring. During this run Murray was sacked and replaced by Viv Busby. The club eventually escaped relegation, finishing 16th. The following season was an unmitigated disaster. With no money to bring in players, the team struggled all season. Busby was replaced in November 1993 by John MacPhail, but he could do little as the team remained in the relegation places from November until the end of the season. Relegation was assured following a 7–0 defeat at
Rotherham United Rotherham United Football Club, nicknamed The Millers, is a professional football club based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England, which compete in the . The club's colours were initially yellow and black, but changed to red and white around 1 ...
; the final day of the season saw the team thrashed 8–1 by Plymouth Argyle at the Victoria Ground. The next five seasons saw constant struggle and a succession of managers. Gibson finally sold the club to local businessman Harold Hornsey, who at least was able to financially stabilise the club; but with little money available for players times were hard. MacPhail left early in 1994–95 and was replaced by Dave McCreery; he was replaced towards the end of the same season by Keith Houchen, who had returned as a player. Houchen was in turn replaced after 18 months by Mick Tait. Meanwhile, the club finished in 18th, 20th (twice) and 17th. There was also a change of ownership in 1997: Hornsey sold the club to an IOR Ltd, with
Ken Hodcroft Ken Hodcroft (born 1953) is a British businessman, and the managing director of Increased Oil Recovery (IOR). IOR owned Hartlepool United for 18 years and Hodcroft was the chairman, before selling the football club to JPNG in 2015. Early life ...
becoming chairman.


1997–2012: Success under IOR

Matters came to a head in 1998–99; Tait's side were struggling, and even the signing of former
England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
international Peter Beardsley had not changed the club's fortunes. Tait was sacked in January 1999, and Chris Turner was appointed; despite being four points adrift at the bottom of the League at Easter, Turner was able to prevent the club being relegated. Under Turner, matters improved drastically. In 1999–2000 they reached the play-offs, but were beaten by local rivals Darlington in the semi-finals. Pools qualified for the play-offs for the next two seasons as well – though on both occasions they were defeated in the semi-finals by Blackpool and Cheltenham Town respectively. In 2002–03, Hartlepool finished in second place and won automatic promotion to the
Second Division In sport, the Second Division, also called Division 2 or Division II is usually the second highest division of a league, and will often have promotion and relegation with divisions above and below. Following the rise of Premier League style compet ...
for the third time in the club's history. Turner had however left to take over
Sheffield Wednesday Sheffield Wednesday Football Club is a professional association football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. The team competes in League One, the third tier of the English football league system. Formed in 1867 as an offshoot ...
part way through the season with Mike Newell replacing him. Hartlepool had been at the top of the league for the majority of the season but could only win one match from their final four, meaning that
Rushden & Diamonds Rushden & Diamonds Football Club was an association football club based in Irthlingborough, Northamptonshire, England. Nicknamed "The Diamonds", the club played at Nene Park. The club's main rivals were county neighbours Kettering Town F.C., Ke ...
won the league. Newell was relieved of his duties over the close season, with Neale Cooper replacing him in June 2003. Hartlepool enjoyed an exceptional campaign in 2003–04, with highlights including an 8–1 victory over
Grimsby Town Grimsby Town Football Club is a professional football club based in Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire, England, that in the 2022–23 season will compete in , the fourth tier of the English football league system, following the victory in t ...
and a trip to Sunderland in the third round of the
FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual knockout football competition in men's domestic English football. First played during the 1871–72 season, it is the oldest national football competi ...
(followed by 9,109 away supporters). They finished sixth and secured a play-off place on the final day of the season with a 1–1 draw away at
Swindon Town Swindon Town Football Club is a professional football club based in Swindon, Wiltshire, England. The team currently competes in , the fourth tier of the English football league system. The club has played home matches at the County Ground sin ...
. However, they lost to third-placed
Bristol City Bristol City Football Club is a professional football club based in Bristol, England, which compete in the , the second tier of English football. They have played their home games at Ashton Gate since moving from St John's Lane in 1904. The ...
in the play-offs by 3–2 on aggregate. The season also saw Eifion Williams called up to the
Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...
squad and looked set to become only the second Hartlepool player ever to win an international cap while at the club; however he had to withdraw due to injury. The club finished sixth in the league again in the 2004–05 season, despite the departure of Cooper just before the end of the season due to personal issues. In the play-off semi-final, they defeated
Tranmere Rovers Tranmere Rovers Football Club is a professional association football club based in Birkenhead, Merseyside, England. The team compete in , the fourth tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1884 as Belmont Football Club, they ado ...
6–5 on penalties after the sides had each won their home leg 2–0. The club failed to win promotion, losing 4–2 to
Sheffield Wednesday Sheffield Wednesday Football Club is a professional association football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. The team competes in League One, the third tier of the English football league system. Formed in 1867 as an offshoot ...
after extra time in front of an attendance of 59,808 in the play-off Final. Hartlepool had been leading 2–1 with eight minutes of regular time to go, but a controversial penalty decision in the 82nd minute, which also saw
Chris Westwood Christopher John Westwood (born 13 February 1977) is an English retired footballer. Career Wolverhampton Wanderers Westwood began his career at Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he scored once against Portsmouth. Reading Westwood moved to Read ...
sent off, allowed Sheffield Wednesday to level the scores making it 2–2 at the end of 90 minutes. Hartlepool struggled in extra time and conceded two further goals. Following this achievement Cooper's assistant Martin Scott was appointed as manager. The 2005–06 season saw the side slip down the division to the relegation places helped in part by poor management, an indecisive board room and key player injuries. Manager Martin Scott was suspended after an alleged fight with a player in the changing rooms, which resulted in his dismissal. Youth team coach Paul Stephenson was put in charge until the end of the season, aided by former manager Chris Turner who returned to the club as Director of Sport, nevertheless, he could not prevent the club being relegated into the fourth tier in May 2006. In June 2006, Danny Wilson was appointed as the new manager. Under Wilson, Hartlepool returned to
League One The English Football League One (often referred to as League One for short or Sky Bet League One for sponsorship purposes, and known as the Football League One from 2004 until 2016) is the second-highest division of the English Football Leag ...
at the first time of asking, finishing second behind champions
Walsall Walsall (, or ; locally ) is a market town and administrative centre in the West Midlands County, England. Historically part of Staffordshire, it is located north-west of Birmingham, east of Wolverhampton and from Lichfield. Walsall is th ...
. On 1 January 2007, Hartlepool United equalled the all-time Football League record of consecutive wins without conceding a goal by winning 1–0 at Mansfield Town; this had been the eighth straight win without conceding. Hartlepool sealed promotion with an away win at
Wycombe Wanderers Wycombe Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. The team compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system. They play their ho ...
but missed out on the title on the final day after losing 2–1 at home to
Bristol Rovers Bristol Rovers Football Club are a professional football club in Bristol, England. They compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system. They play home matches at the Memorial Stadium in Horfield, they have been ...
. However, it was a very successful season which saw Hartlepool go 23 games unbeaten during the season. They maintained their League One status by finishing 15th in the 2007–08 season. On 19 October 2007, tragedy struck when midfielder Michael Maidens died aged 20 years old. In December 2008, Danny Wilson was sacked; while the club were unbeaten in four games and well clear of the relegation zone, the board felt that Wilson could take the club no further. Chris Turner was quickly returned to the managerial position, combining the role with his existing position as the club's Director of Sport. In the 2008–09 season, Hartlepool celebrated their centenary season with a run in the
FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual knockout football competition in men's domestic English football. First played during the 1871–72 season, it is the oldest national football competi ...
and
League Cup In several sports, most prominently association football, a league cup or secondary cup generally signifies a cup competition for which entry is restricted only to teams in a particular league. The first national association football tournament t ...
: beating
Premier League The Premier League (legal name: The Football Association Premier League Limited) is the highest level of the men's English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Fo ...
sides Stoke City and West Brom. Pools stayed up on the final day of the season despite losing 4–1 to
Bristol Rovers Bristol Rovers Football Club are a professional football club in Bristol, England. They compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system. They play home matches at the Memorial Stadium in Horfield, they have been ...
. In 2009–10 Hartlepool finished in 20th place. Hartlepool had received a three-point deduction for fielding an ineligible player during a victory over Brighton. The club survived on the final day of the season with a 0–0 draw against Brentford being enough to keep them in League One, albeit on goal difference alone. Chris Turner resigned from the club a few weeks into the following season and
Mick Wadsworth Michael Wadsworth (born 3 November 1950) is an English football coach and former player. Born in Barnsley his playing career spanned only one season in The Football League with Scunthorpe United, along with spells playing for Gainsborough Tr ...
took over on a temporary basis, before being appointed permanently a month later. The
2010–11 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. ...
season ended up going much the same as the previous one, with the club in play-off contention in the middle of the campaign before falling away as the season went on. However, the drop in Hartlepool's form was not as severe as it had been in the previous two seasons, and they finished in 16th place, well clear of the relegation zone. A peculiarity of the season saw Hartlepool's goalkeeper Scott Flinders score a late equaliser in a 2–2 draw with AFC Bournemouth. The club started the following 2011–12 season well but a bad run of form resulted in the sacking of Wadsworth in December, with former manager Neale Cooper returning to the club as his replacement. While Cooper was not able to get the club back to their early form, the side stayed generally consistent for the remainder of the season and secured a 13th-place finish.


2012–18: Decline and relegation into non-League football

The following
2012–13 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. I ...
season started with just one win in fourteen league games, and in the wake of a defeat by Bury, which moved Hartlepool to the bottom of the table, Cooper resigned, bringing an end to his second spell after less than a year. He was replaced by Livingston manager John Hughes, and while the club's form gradually improved, they were ultimately unable to overcome the first half of the season, which saw them secure 9 points and just one win from their first 23 games. Hartlepool finished second-bottom of the league after six seasons in the third tier. Hughes publicly stated that he wanted to remain as manager despite the relegation, however, he was sacked by Hodcroft and replaced by
Colin Cooper Colin Terence Cooper (born 28 February 1967) is an English football manager and former professional footballer. As a player, he was a defender who notably played in the Premier League for Nottingham Forest and Middlesbrough. He played ove ...
. After an extensive overhaul of the playing squad during the summer, Hartlepool finished the 2013–14 season in 19th-place that season, their lowest finish in 15 years. In the 2014–15 season, Cooper resigned a few weeks into the campaign following a 3–0 home defeat to Carlisle United which left Hartlepool at the bottom of the Football League. Paul Murray replaced Cooper, only to be sacked just two months later, with the club six points adrift at the bottom of League Two, and having just suffered an
FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual knockout football competition in men's domestic English football. First played during the 1871–72 season, it is the oldest national football competi ...
elimination at the hands of non-League
Blyth Spartans Blyth Spartans Association Football Club is a football club based in Blyth, Northumberland. They are currently members of and play at Croft Park. They were founded in September 1899 by Fred Stoker, who was the club's first secretary before fo ...
.
Ken Hodcroft Ken Hodcroft (born 1953) is a British businessman, and the managing director of Increased Oil Recovery (IOR). IOR owned Hartlepool United for 18 years and Hodcroft was the chairman, before selling the football club to JPNG in 2015. Early life ...
resigned and sold the club to Peter Harris in December 2014. Harris' first decision was to appoint former
Tranmere Rovers Tranmere Rovers Football Club is a professional association football club based in Birkenhead, Merseyside, England. The team compete in , the fourth tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1884 as Belmont Football Club, they ado ...
manager
Ronnie Moore Ronald David Moore (born 29 January 1953) is an English football manager and former player. He has taken charge of several clubs including Rotherham United, Tranmere Rovers and Hartlepool United. He played for many different clubs in a care ...
to the managers' job. The takeover ultimately fell through due to Harris and his associates being involved in dubious activities with the club reverting to Hodcroft's ownership. After being ten points adrift in bottom place at the turn of the year, in what has been termed the "great escape" and "miracle", a revival in form saw Hartlepool escape the relegation places and secure survival in the penultimate game of the season. June 2015 saw a change of ownership, handing over to Essex recruitment firm JPNG (liquidated in 2017), which appointed director Gary Coxall as chairman. By February 2016, with Hartlepool in 21st place, JPNG decided to sack
Ronnie Moore Ronald David Moore (born 29 January 1953) is an English football manager and former player. He has taken charge of several clubs including Rotherham United, Tranmere Rovers and Hartlepool United. He played for many different clubs in a care ...
and replaced him with
Craig Hignett Craig Hignett (born 12 January 1970), is an English former professional footballer. He started his career as a striker but later moved into midfield. Playing career Born in Whiston and previously a trainee at Liverpool, Hignett began his se ...
. Pools stabilised under Hignett, ending the season in 16th-place. The 2016–17 season started with Hignett being sacked in January 2017 and replaced by Dave Jones. Form under Jones deteriorated further, with only 13 points gained from a possible 54. With three games to go, Hartlepool dropped into the relegation zone for the first time after a loss at home to Barnet. That result prompted a passionate rant by
Jeff Stelling Robert Jeffrey Stelling (born 18 March 1955) is an English television presenter. He currently presents '' Gillette Soccer Saturday'' for Sky Sports and hosted coverage of the Champions League between 2011 and 2015. He also presented the Chann ...
live on
Soccer Saturday ''Gillette Labs Soccer Saturday'' is a weekly television programme broadcast on Sky Sports in the United Kingdom and Ireland during the football season. The programme updates viewers on the progress of association football games in the United ...
, which resulted in the sacking of Dave Jones. The final round of fixtures meant either Newport County or Hartlepool would be relegated to the
National League The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team ...
. After being 1–0 down to
Doncaster Rovers Doncaster Rovers Football Club is a professional association football club based in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. The team compete in League Two, the fourth tier of the English football league system. The club play their home games at ...
, Hartlepool looked doomed. Substitute Devante Rodney scored two unanswered goals to leave Hartlepool above the relegation zone, however, an 89th-minute goal for Newport consigned Hartlepool to non-league football for the first time after 96 years in the Football League. Craig Harrison was appointed as manager ahead of Hartlepool's first campaign in non-League. By November, off-field financial issues intensified which coincided with a winless run of eleven games. In a statement, Pam Duxbury (then chairwoman) claimed that a number of "legacy issues have consumed high financial and human resources" and that the club needed £200,000 in order to survive. In response to the financial issues, fans set up a JustGiving page which raised just over £85,000, including donations from supporters across the UK. An initiative called 'Save Pools Day' took place on 20 January 2018 for a fixture against
Wrexham Wrexham ( ; cy, Wrecsam; ) is a city and the administrative centre of Wrexham County Borough in Wales. It is located between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley, near the border with Cheshire in England. Historically in the count ...
where supporters from other clubs visited to raise funds via ticket sales and other fundraising methods. The poor run of form resulted in the sacking of Craig Harrison in February who was replaced by caretaker manager Matthew Bates. In March 2018, Hartlepool Borough Council agreed to lend the club £77,500 to help the club during its financial crisis. Hartlepool won three consecutive matches to pull away from the relegation places and finally guaranteed safety from relegation in April. Hartlepool's first season in non-League ended with the club avoiding liquidation when Raj Singh bought the club in April. Hartlepool ultimately finished a turbulent season in 15th place.


2018–present: Raj Singh

Pools started the 2018–19 season brightly, however, six consecutive defeats, culminating in Hartlepool's lowest league home attendance since 1998 forced Raj Singh to sack Bates after 9 months in charge. He was replaced by the experienced Richard Money. However, after only six matches in charge, Money decided the job wasn't for him and switched roles with
director of football A sporting director, or director of sport, is an executive management position in a sports club. The role is well known as a manager role for European football clubs, which are sometime also "sports clubs", offering many types of sports. The sport ...
Craig Hignett Craig Hignett (born 12 January 1970), is an English former professional footballer. He started his career as a striker but later moved into midfield. Playing career Born in Whiston and previously a trainee at Liverpool, Hignett began his se ...
in January 2019. Hignett guided Hartlepool to a disappointing 16th-place finish - the lowest league finish in the club's history. Early in 2019–20 Raj Singh took the decision to sack
Craig Hignett Craig Hignett (born 12 January 1970), is an English former professional footballer. He started his career as a striker but later moved into midfield. Playing career Born in Whiston and previously a trainee at Liverpool, Hignett began his se ...
and replaced him with Dave Challinor. Pools' league form improved under Challinor, however, the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
forced the cancellation of the season after 39 games with league positions decided on a points-per-game basis with Hartlepool placed in 12th. In 2020–21, Hartlepool earned promotion to
League Two The English Football League Two (often referred to as League Two for short or Sky Bet League Two for sponsorship purposes, and known as the Football League Two from 2004 until 2016) is the third and lowest division of the English Football Lea ...
at the fourth attempt via the play-offs. The season was defined by the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
with the vast majority of fixtures being played behind closed doors. Hartlepool finished 4th in the regular season, meaning that they met
Bromley Bromley is a large town in Greater London, England, within the London Borough of Bromley. It is south-east of Charing Cross, and had an estimated population of 87,889 as of 2011. Originally part of Kent, Bromley became a market town, c ...
in the play-off eliminator which they won 3–2. In the semi-final, Hartlepool won 1–0 at
Stockport County Stockport County Football Club are a professional football club in Stockport, England, who compete in EFL League Two, the fourth tier of the English football league system. Formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, they were renamed Stockport Co ...
thanks to a goal by Rhys Oates. In the 2021 play-off Final, Hartlepool played Torquay United at Ashton Gate with Hartlepool taking the lead via
Luke Armstrong Luke Thomas Armstrong (born 2 July 1996) is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for League Two club Harrogate Town. Club career Early career Armstrong began his career with Middlesbrough, making his way up through the ac ...
in the first half. However, Torquay equalised in the 95th minute thanks to a header by the goalkeeper Lucas Covolan to take the match to extra time and then penalties. Hartlepool managed to win the shootout 5–4, which ended their four-year spell in non-league. After a four-year hiatus from League football, Hartlepool won their first match back in League Two, beating
Crawley Town Crawley Town Football Club is a professional association football club based in the town of Crawley, West Sussex, England. The club was founded as Crawley Football Club in 1896, changed its name to Crawley Town Football Club in 1958. The team com ...
1–0. In September 2021, Challinor signed a new three-year contract, however in November 2021 he decided to join non-League side
Stockport County Stockport County Football Club are a professional football club in Stockport, England, who compete in EFL League Two, the fourth tier of the English football league system. Formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, they were renamed Stockport Co ...
. In December 2021, former defender Graeme Lee was announced as the new manager. He was dismissed after only five months, following a run of 11 games with only one win. Hartlepool ultimately finished a turbulent season back in the Football League in 17th whilst maintaining two strong cup runs. Pools reached the fourth round of the
FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual knockout football competition in men's domestic English football. First played during the 1871–72 season, it is the oldest national football competi ...
before succumbing to
Premier League The Premier League (legal name: The Football Association Premier League Limited) is the highest level of the men's English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Fo ...
side
Crystal Palace Crystal Palace may refer to: Places Canada * Crystal Palace Complex (Dieppe), a former amusement park now a shopping complex in Dieppe, New Brunswick * Crystal Palace Barracks, London, Ontario * Crystal Palace (Montreal), an exhibition building ...
2–0 backed by nearly 5,000 away fans. In the EFL Trophy, Hartlepool reached the semi-finals for the first time before losing out on penalties to
Rotherham United Rotherham United Football Club, nicknamed The Millers, is a professional football club based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England, which compete in the . The club's colours were initially yellow and black, but changed to red and white around 1 ...
. In June 2022, Cove Rangers manager
Paul Hartley Paul Hartley (born 19 October 1976) is a Scottish professional football manager and former player who played as a midfielder. He is the manager of Scottish Championship side Cove Rangers. As a player, Hartley won trophies with both Hearts and ...
was appointed as the new manager, but only lasted 3 months after a disastrous start to the 2022–23 season left them without a win after 9 league games.
Keith Curle Keith Curle (born 14 November 1963) is an English football manager and former professional player, who is the current manager of League Two side Hartlepool United. He played as a centre back from 1981 to 2005, notably in the Premier League for ...
was appointed as his replacement on an interim basis before becoming the permanent manager in December 2022.


Recent seasons

Statistics from the previous decade. For a full history see; '' List of Hartlepool United F.C. seasons''


Club identity


Sponsorship

Erreà currently manufactures the club's apparel. The current home shirt sponsor are Orangebox Training Solutions and the current away shirt sponsor is the Prestige Group, a company owned by the club chairman, Raj Singh. Table of kit suppliers and shirt sponsors appear below:


Stadium

The home of Hartlepool United has been Victoria Park since the club's formation in 1908. The ground is currently under the ownership of Hartlepool Borough Council. The capacity of the ground is 7,856. The four stands of the ground are the Brunel Group Stand/Town End (1,599 capacity), the
Teesside Airport Teesside International Airport , previously Durham Tees Valley Airport, is an international airport located between Darlington and Stockton-on-Tees, Northern England. It is about south-west of Middlesbrough. The airport serves the North East ...
Neale Cooper Stand (1,617 seated and 1,832 standing), the Rink End/Simpson Millar Stand - which is used for away supporters (1,003 capacity) and the Longbranch Homes Cyril Knowles Stand (1,775 capacity). The ground was bought by Hartlepools United following the bankruptcy of the local rugby club which had purchased the ground in 1886. The ground was named in celebration of
Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previo ...
's Diamond Jubilee. In 1916, the stand on Clarence Road (the current location of the Cyril Knowles Stand) was bombed by a German
Zeppelin A Zeppelin is a type of rigid airship named after the German inventor Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin () who pioneered rigid airship development at the beginning of the 20th century. Zeppelin's notions were first formulated in 1874Eckener 1938, pp ...
and was completely destroyed. The club attempted to claim compensation from the
German government The Federal Cabinet or Federal Government (german: link=no, Bundeskabinett or ') is the chief executive body of the Federal Republic of Germany. It consists of the Federal Chancellor and cabinet ministers. The fundamentals of the cabinet's or ...
but failed. A temporary stand was introduced and was used until the Cyril Knowles Stand was completed in 1995 in memory of former manager Cyril Knowles who had died in 1991. Furthermore, following the death of former manager Neale Cooper in 2018, the Cameron's Brewery Stand was renamed in his memory. Due to sponsorship reasons, the ground was formerly named as the Northern Gas and Power Stadium (2016–17) and the Super 6 Stadium (2018–19). On 12 November 2021, it was announced that the stadium would be named the 'Suit Direct Stadium' after a three-year partnership was signed with the menswear high street retailer Suit Direct.


Popular culture


Andy Capp

The comic strip
Andy Capp ''Andy Capp'' is a British comic strip created by cartoonist Reg Smythe, seen in the ''Daily Mirror'' and the ''Sunday Mirror'' newspapers since 5 August 1957. Originally a single-panel cartoon, it was later expanded to four panels. The s ...
, which was created by Hartlepool native Reg Smythe, has referred specifically to the team and the Cyril Knowles stand.


Mascot elected mayor

In the 2002 council election, the team's mascot "
H'Angus the Monkey H'Angus the Monkey is the official mascot of Hartlepool United. The name "H'Angus" is a pun of the word hang and the name Angus, and is derived from the monkey hanger legend of Hartlepool. The mascot made his debut on 31 October 1999, during Ha ...
", aka Stuart Drummond, was elected mayor of Hartlepool as an independent, under the slogan "free bananas for schoolchildren". Even though his candidacy was just a publicity stunt, Drummond has since been re-elected after throwing off his comedy image and identifying himself increasingly with the Labour group on the council. On 5 May 2013, Drummond left his post of Hartlepool's mayor after a November 2012 referendum meant that Hartlepool would no longer have a mayor, instead being led by committees.


Supporters and rivalries

In 2003, market research company FFC surveyed fans of every Football League club across the country to find who they consider their main rivals to be. Hartlepool United fans chose Darlington as their main rivals. Additionally, in 2008, 95% of both clubs named each other as their biggest rivals. Between the two clubs, Hartlepool have won 60 games, compared to Darlington's 57 games in the rivalry. However, the two clubs haven't met since 2007 in a League meeting due to Darlington's financial issues and subsequent relegations. Hartlepool's other rivals according to the 2003 report include:
Sheffield Wednesday Sheffield Wednesday Football Club is a professional association football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. The team competes in League One, the third tier of the English football league system. Formed in 1867 as an offshoot ...
, Carlisle United,
Rushden & Diamonds Rushden & Diamonds Football Club was an association football club based in Irthlingborough, Northamptonshire, England. Nicknamed "The Diamonds", the club played at Nene Park. The club's main rivals were county neighbours Kettering Town F.C., Ke ...
(now extinct) and Sunderland respectively. In 2015, a Hartlepool United's Supporters Trust was founded with the intention of "articulating the views of Hartlepool United supporters, lobby the club and provide the basis for some element of fan involvement and influence with the football club."


Famous fans

In recent years the most visible fan of the club has been
Jeff Stelling Robert Jeffrey Stelling (born 18 March 1955) is an English television presenter. He currently presents '' Gillette Soccer Saturday'' for Sky Sports and hosted coverage of the Champions League between 2011 and 2015. He also presented the Chann ...
, presenter of ''Soccer Saturday'' on
Sky Sports Sky Sports is a group of British subscription sports channels operated by the satellite pay television company Sky Group (a division of Comcast), and is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It ...
. Stelling is currently Club President (2018–) and formerly Honorary President of the Hartlepool United Supporters' Trust (2017–2018). Janick Gers, of the metal band
Iron Maiden Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. While fluid in the early years of the band, the lineup for most of the band's history has consisted of Harri ...
, is a season ticket holder in the Neale Cooper Stand. Cricket umpire
Michael Gough Francis Michael Gough ( ; 23 November 1916 – 17 March 2011) was a British character actor who made more than 150 film and television appearances. He is known for his roles in the Hammer Horror Films from 1958, with his first role as Sir Arthu ...
is also a fan of the club and in January 2021 was appointed Honorary President of the Hartlepool United Supporters' Trust. Hartlepool born sportspeople Savannah Marshall and Graeme Storm are also fans of Pools and it has been reported that the actor
Christopher Timothy Christopher is the English version of a Europe-wide name derived from the Greek name Χριστόφορος (''Christophoros'' or '' Christoforos''). The constituent parts are Χριστός (''Christós''), "Christ" or "Anointed", and φέρει� ...
is also a fan but as Timothy is from
Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...
, it is unclear what his connection to the town is. Fellow actor Philip Middlemiss, who is from the town, is also a fan of the club. In 2003, rock star
Meat Loaf Michael Lee Aday (born Marvin Lee Aday; September 27, 1947 – January 20, 2022), known professionally as Meat Loaf, was an American rock singer and actor. He was noted for his powerful, wide-ranging voice and theatrical live shows. He is on t ...
revealed on ''
Soccer AM ''Soccer AM'' is a British football-based comedy/talk show, produced by Sky Sports. First broadcast in 1995, the programme currently airs on Sky Showcase, Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Football at 10.30am on Saturdays during the f ...
'' he was a fan of Hartlepool. On ''
So Graham Norton ''So Graham Norton'' is a British television chat show hosted by Irish personality Graham Norton. It aired on Channel 4 from 3 July 1998 to 1 March 2002. Theme The show was primarily adult-oriented, with host Norton dishing out many sexual in ...
'' later in the same year, he spoke about his support for the club and brought a cuddly
H'Angus H'Angus the Monkey is the official mascot of Hartlepool United. The name "H'Angus" is a pun of the word hang and the name Angus, and is derived from the monkey hanger legend of Hartlepool. The mascot made his debut on 31 October 1999, during Ha ...
toy on the show. It was reported in the media that he was looking to purchase a house in the town. Speaking to Setanta Sports News in 2008, he commented on Hartlepool's recent victory but said that while amusing, the story about him looking to buy a house in the town was not true. In an interview with Talksport in 2010, Meat Loaf confirmed he still followed Hartlepool's results. Following his death in January 2022, the club paid tribute to Meat Loaf.


Fancy dress tradition

In recent years, on the final away match of each season, Hartlepool fans get dressed up in
fancy dress A costume party (American English) or fancy dress party (other varieties of English) is a type of party, common in contemporary Western culture, in which many of the guests are dressed in costume, usually depicting a fictional or stock char ...
in a pre-agreed theme. This has included
NHS The National Health Service (NHS) is the umbrella term for the publicly funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom (UK). Since 1948, they have been funded out of general taxation. There are three systems which are referred to using the " ...
workers,
knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...
s, clowns, penguins, Where's Wallys,
mime artist A mime artist, or simply mime (from Greek , , "imitator, actor"), is a person who uses ''mime'' (also called ''pantomime'' outside of Britain), the acting out of a story through body motions without the use of speech, as a theatrical medium ...
s,
Morris dance Morris dancing is a form of English folk dance. It is based on rhythmic stepping and the execution of choreographed figures by a group of dancers, usually wearing bell pads on their shins. Implements such as sticks, swords and handkerchiefs may ...
rs,
Smurfs ''The Smurfs'' (french: Les Schtroumpfs; nl, De Smurfen) is a Belgian comic franchise centered on a fictional colony of small, blue, humanoid creatures who live in mushroom-shaped houses in the forest. ''The Smurfs'' was first created and int ...
, Stormtroopers, '' Thunderbirds'' and
Oompa-Loompas This is a list of characters in the 1964 Roald Dahl book ''Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'', his 1972 sequel ''Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator'', and the former's film adaptations, ''Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory'' (1971) and '' ...
in recent years.


Records and statistics

The record for most appearances for Hartlepool is held by Ritchie Humphreys, who played 543 matches in all competitions between 2001 and 2013. Joshie Fletcher is the club's top goalscorer with 111 goals in all competitions. The first and only player to be capped at international level while playing for Hartlepool was Ambrose Fogarty, when he played for the
Republic of Ireland Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 Counties of Ireland, counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern ...
against
Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...
in 1964. Hartlepool's largest league victory was a 10–1 win over Barrow in the Fourth Division in 1959, while the heaviest loss was 10–1 to
Wrexham Wrexham ( ; cy, Wrecsam; ) is a city and the administrative centre of Wrexham County Borough in Wales. It is located between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley, near the border with Cheshire in England. Historically in the count ...
in 1962 also in the Fourth Division. Their widest winning margin in the
FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual knockout football competition in men's domestic English football. First played during the 1871–72 season, it is the oldest national football competi ...
was a 10–1 win against St Peters Albion in 1923. Hartlepool's record defeat in the FA Cup was by 6–0 against Manchester City in 1976 and Port Vale in 1994. The club's highest attendance at Victoria Park was 17,264 against Manchester United in 1957. The lowest attendance was 380 in the EFL Trophy against
Rochdale Rochdale ( ) is a large town in Greater Manchester, England, at the foothills of the South Pennines in the dale on the River Roch, northwest of Oldham and northeast of Manchester. It is the administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough ...
in 2016. The record attendance of any Hartlepool game was 59,808 at the Millennium Stadium,
Cardiff Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...
for the 2005 Football League One play-off Final. Hartlepool's highest average attendance during a league season was 9,248 during the 1951–52 season. The youngest player to play for the club is David Foley, who was 16 years and 44 days on his debut against Port Vale in the
Football League Second Division The Football League Second Division was the second level division in the English football league system between 1892 and 1992. Following the foundation of the FA Premier League, the Football League divisions were renumbered and the third t ...
on 25 August 2003. The oldest player is Dimitrios Konstantopoulos, who played his last match aged 41 years and 15 days against
Harrogate Town Harrogate Town A.F.C. is a professional association football club in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, which competes in League Two, the fourth tier of the English football league system. The club is nicknamed the Sulphurites, due to the ...
in the FA Trophy on 14 December 2019.


Club records

As of the end of the 2021–22 season *Best
FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual knockout football competition in men's domestic English football. First played during the 1871–72 season, it is the oldest national football competi ...
performance: Fourth round, 1954–55, 1977–78, 1988–89,
1992–93 Year 199 ( CXCIX) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was sometimes known as year 952 '' Ab urbe condita''. The denomination 199 for this year has been used since t ...
, 2004–05, 2008–09, 2021–22 *Best
League Cup In several sports, most prominently association football, a league cup or secondary cup generally signifies a cup competition for which entry is restricted only to teams in a particular league. The first national association football tournament t ...
performance: Fourth round, 1974–75 *Best EFL Trophy performance: Semi-final, 2021–22 *Best FA Trophy performance: Third round, 2020–21 *Highest league finish: 2nd in Third Division North, equivalent to 47th in the English football league system, 1956–57 *
Seasons A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and po ...
spent at Level 3 of the football league system: 43 *
Seasons A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and po ...
spent at Level 4 of the football league system: 47 *
Seasons A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and po ...
spent at Level 5 of the football league system: 4


Most appearances

As of 29 December 2022


Players


Current squad


Out on loan


Retired numbers


Notable former players

''For all players with a Wikipedia article see Hartlepool United F.C. players''


English Football Hall of Fame

Former Hartlepool United players or managers who have been inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame include: * 2002
Brian Clough Brian Howard Clough ( ; 21 March 1935 – 20 September 2004) was an English football player and manager, primarily known for his successes as a manager with Derby County and Nottingham Forest. He is one of four managers to have won the Engl ...
* 2007 Peter Beardsley


Team of the Year

The following players have been included in the PFA Team of the Year or
National League The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team ...
Team of the Year whilst playing for Hartlepool United: * 1989–90
Rob McKinnon Robert McKinnon (born 31 July 1966) is a Scottish former association football, footballer, who played at both professional and international levels as a Defender (association football)#Full-back, left back. Active in Scotland, England, and the ...
*
1990–91 Year 199 ( CXCIX) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was sometimes known as year 952 '' Ab urbe condita''. The denomination 199 for this year has been used since t ...
Joe Allon Joseph Ball Allon (born 12 November 1966) is an English former footballer. A striker, he scored 135 goals in 361 league and cup games in a 14-year career in the English Football League. Starting his career with Newcastle United in 1984, he f ...
* 1997–98 Jon Cullen * 1999–2000 Tommy Miller * 2000–01 Tommy Miller * 2002–03 Graeme Lee,
Chris Westwood Christopher John Westwood (born 13 February 1977) is an English retired footballer. Career Wolverhampton Wanderers Westwood began his career at Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he scored once against Portsmouth. Reading Westwood moved to Read ...
, Mark Tinkler, Ritchie Humphreys * 2006–07 Michael Nelson, Ritchie Humphreys, Andy Monkhouse * 2020–21 David Ferguson


Hartlepool United Ladies

In 2015, a Hartlepool United Ladies team was launched. In their first season, they finished 1st in the
North East Regional Women's Football League The North East WOMENS Regional Football League is at the fifth and sixth levels of the English women's football pyramids. Current clubs (2022–23) Premier Division Division One North Division One South External links ...
Premier but would remain at this level for six years until they were relegated at the end of the 2021–22 season having finished 10th out of 11. They currently participate in the Northern division (6th tier of English women's football) and are managed by Craig Bage.


Club officials


Board


Coaching and medical staff


Former managers


Honours

Hartlepool United's honours include the following: *Third tier (currently EFL League One) **Play-off runners-up (1): 2004–05 * Fourth tier (currently EFL League Two) **Runners-up (2): 2002–03, 2006–07 **Promotion (2): 1967–68,
1990–91 Year 199 ( CXCIX) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was sometimes known as year 952 '' Ab urbe condita''. The denomination 199 for this year has been used since t ...
*Fifth tier (currently
National League The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team ...
) **Play-off winners (1): 2020–21 * FA Amateur Cup **Winners (1): 1904–05 (
West Hartlepool West Hartlepool was a predecessor of Hartlepool, County Durham, England. It developed in the Victorian era and took the name from its western position in the parish of what is now known as the Headland. The former town was originally formed ...
) *
Durham Challenge Cup The Durham County Challenge Cup (commonly known as the Durham Challenge Cup) is an annual football competition held between the clubs of the Durham County Football Association which was first played in 1884. It is the senior county cup for the ...
** Winners (5): 1908–09, 1909–10, 1956–57, 1957–58, 2004–05


Notes


References


Other sources


Middlesbrough played their first 2 games of the 1986/87 season at Hartlepool's Victoria Park


(archived)
Manager History
from Soccerbase (archived)
Season by Season record
fro
In the Mad Crowd
(archived) * Law, Ed, Hartlepool United, (Derby; Breedon Books, 1989), .


External links


Official website

NewsNow Hartlepool – Independent Hartlepool United news



Hartlepool United Supporters' Trust (HUST)

Hartlepool United player and match database
{{Authority control Association football clubs established in 1908 English Football League clubs Football clubs in County Durham 1908 establishments in England Football clubs in England National League (English football) North Eastern League