Hartlepool United F.C.
Hartlepool United Football Club is a professional association football club based in Hartlepool, County Durham, England. The team compete in League Two, the fourth tier of the English football league system.
They were founded in 1908 as Hartlepools United Football Athletic Company. West Hartlepool 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. 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 was removed due to the merger of West Hartlepool with the town of Hartlepool and the village of Hart – 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, though were relegated in 1994. They won further promotions out of the fourth tier in 2002–03 and 2006–07, having been relegated again in 2006 after losing the 2005 League One play-off Final to Sheffield Wednesday in the previous season. Hartlepool were relegated again in 2013 and ended their 96-year run in the Football League with relegation into the National League in 2017. Hartlepool achieved promotion back to the Football League in 2021, 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’, was elected mayor at the 2002 Hartlepool Borough Council election. The club also receives vocal support from Sky Sports presenter Jeff Stelling. Between 1924 and 1984, Hartlepool had to apply for re-election on fourteen occasions (a record) in the fourth tier of English football due to their consistent relegation battles, however, they were never relegated from this level until 2017. Hartlepool have never won a league title or played at Wembley Stadium. The club is also known for being the one that Brian Clough 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.
In 1905, the amateur team West Hartlepool won the FA Amateur Cup which at the time was considered second only to the FA Cup. Partly as a result of this the opportunity for a professional team arose in 1908, when West Hartlepool Rugby Club went bust leaving their stadium Victoria Ground vacant.[2] The stadium was bought and the current club was founded under the name Hartlepools United Football Athletic Company representing both the town of West Hartlepool and the original settlement of Hartlepool, known locally as “Old Hartlepool”.[3]
The new team joined the professional North-Eastern league and West Hartlepool lost some of their players to the new professional side. 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.[3]
In 1910, the club took over the assets and liabilities of West Hartlepool who had been dissolved that year. In 1920, the Football League formed a third division. This was based almost entirely in the south, as the new division was created by absorbing virtually the entire top division of the Southern League, with Grimsby Town the only northern representative. This was rectified the following season when a Third Division North was created, with Hartlepool as one of the founder members.[4]
