The opponent: Hartlepool United
Well, I get the feeling that we are not much further knowing the exact outcome of the takeover than what we were the last time we met a few days back. Paolo is still off to Villa/Huddersfield/Forest (delete as applicable) if the social networking sites are to be believed, and a bumper crowd is expected at The County Ground today, with some thinking this may be the last opportunity they get to see Paolo beat the dugout in to submission, whilst others will be turning up hoping that 90 minutes of full on support will help sway the gaffer in to adopting our simple little town, further in to his heart. Perhaps some people are going for both reasons? In a stupid and rather overly sentimental way, I am hoping that 5 minutes before kick off, Red Jed and his consortium land their helicopter on the pitch, and out steps Jed with Warren Buffet , Bill Gates and Peter Stringfellow, who then address the crowd with the news that 3 new players are on the way, Paolo has signed a 3 year extension and Matt Ritchie is coming in on loan from Bournemouth. Then I awoke.
Hartlepool United are the visitors today and having done the journey 3 times (twice on the opening day of the season), I can empathise with the long journey the handful of Poolies will have to do. I have to say, 99% of the Hartlepool fans I come across on the internet, and the one’s I have had a beer with on the away days, are a decent bunch and with larger attractions nearby such as St James park, The Stadium Of Light etc, they do quite well to get the attendance they do! I will always remember one rather disgruntled Poolie throwing his bag of chips at our car. This was when Peter Brezovan had possibly the most amazing debut I have ever witnessed. As he threw them he shouted “Fooking Loocky Cooonts” Bless him, bet he saved up all week for those chips.
Interestingly, our first meeting with Hartlepool United wasn’t until 1968, a game which ended 0-0 and was more infamous for Town Legend John Trollope breaking his arm and bringing to an end the run of 368 consecutive games he had played for us. They don’t grow players like that too often nowadays! The modern day town of Hartlepool, which has some 95’000 inhabitants, represents a joining together of Old Hartlepool, locally known as the "Headland", and West Hartlepool. What was West Hartlepool became the larger town and both were formally unified in 1967. Today the term "West Hartlepool" is rarely heard outside the context of sport, but one of the town's Rugby Union teams still proudly retain the name. The name of today’s opponents reflected both boroughs when it was formed in 1908, following the success of West Hartlepool in winning the FA Amateur Cup in 1905, it was called "Hartlepools United" in the hope of attracting support from both towns. When the boroughs combined in 1967 the club renamed itself "Hartlepool" before renaming itself Hartlepool United in the 1970s. The list of famous people from Hartlepool is not the most inspiring, although quite a nice mixture of randoms. Famous gynaecologist Eric Thomas, Dancing bloke Wayne Sleep, one of my favourites is the canoeist that tried to fake his own death, John Darwin, and locally one of the more famous folk is Adam Boyd, who had 2 spells with the club and is probably most famous for having an affair with some tart and the husband walks in to find them at it, so Boyd is out of the window semi naked faster than a rat up a drainpipe.
Either way today, I hope everyone at the game gives it 110% for Di Canio, much like he has since he has been manager of our club.
Flashheart’s Foughts –So still we wait to hear of our fate. Here’s hoping they hurry before it’s too late.
There’s still some that think, or even wish, the takeover’s as real as a Findus beef dish.
There’s nowt we can do about the FA but hope they’ll maybe shit hedgehogs one day.
Less chat about Jed & Co. There’s a game to be won, don’t you know?
We’re at home, at last, on a pitch with some grass. Real football on a surface where balls can be passed.
As players return from their deadly man flu there’s even a chance we’ll fill the bench too.
10,000 strong the crowd should be. Not bad considering our foes will bring 3.
On a playing surface like snooker baize we’ll put in a shift that will truly amaze.
3 points in this game could see us go top with the bonus of making Jeff Stelling strop.
If the boys can fight through their sickness fatigue we’ll be one step closer to winning the league.
By Preston we’ll have forgotten about the FA’s meddles. Instead we’ll be thinking of champion’s medals.What are they saying about us? -“1-1 Poole
Swindon are a good side, a point at their place is a good result-potentially Di Canio's last game before taking Huddersfield job??”
http://www.pooliebunker.co.uk/newbunker/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=48423Hartlepool United Last 6 – WLDLWW (Hartlepool are currently bottom of League 1 on 19 points)
The Threat – Veteran striker Steve Howard is currently lacing his boots up at Hartlepool, it would seem the attacking options for them are some what limited as he is currently their top scorer with 3 goals for the season.
A Warm Welcome TO – The big eared winger Andy Monkhouse makes yet another return to the County Ground. Surely one of Dennis Wise’s signings won’t be running pas the Town End with his hands cupped to his ears again?
The irrelevant stats – Something that stands out is the fact they have not kept a clean sheet for 26 games, never a good start. Although on the other hand, their recent away form has been rather decent, having won 2 and drawn 1 of their last 3 on the road. One of them was away to Pompey though so maybe you can’t read too much in to that.
Head to Head – We have met Hartlepool on 28 occasions and have won 11, drawn 11, and lost just the 6 games.
The Odds – Swindon 4/11 Draw 7/2 Hartlepool 8/1 (odds found on StanJames.Com) One bet I fancy, and I have no idea why, is an Aden Flint goal. Good chance he is going to start and a generous 30/1 with BetVictor to score 1st. Andy Williams is as short as 7/2 with some outlets, that’s more the sort of odds you get on Messi to score 1st!
The Son Says – After mocking his sister’s prediction of a 1-1 scoreline, the son boldly predicts a 3-0 victory to the mighty reds.
The Prediction - I think The Monkey Hangers good run of away form will come to an end at fortress County Ground. Goals from Williams, Rooney and Flint. 9’767 in attendance, 101 from way up north.
And Finally – Beginning at around 1pm on 4th January 1922, the Great Timber Yard Fire was, aside from the town’s bombardment by German forces in 1914, possibly the greatest disaster in Hartlepool’s history. Allegedly seen as far away as Doncaster, it was reputed to have caused about 1 million pounds worth of damage and left over 80 people homeless. Such was the scale of the devastation that, along with donations from other parts of the region, the King and Queen even contributed £150 to the Mayor’s disaster fund and sent a telegram of reassurance to those who were affected. It is believed the fire was started from the spark of a locomotive.
