- Founded: 1881
- Nicknames: The Pool, The Monkey Hangers
Born out of West Hartlepool Amateurs in 1881, the fledgling club graced the amateur game with reasonable success, before a name change led Hartlepool United to be formed as a professional outfit in 1908. In August 1921, the Durham club played their first ever League game and came away with a 2-0 win over Wrexham.
The interesting nickname ‘The Monkey Hangers’ derives back from the Napoleonic Wars. A shipwreck washed up on the shore of Hartlepool with the soul survivor that of a monkey, dressed in French naval uniform for the crew’s entertainment. Unable to communicate (for obvious reasons) the locals, who had never seen a monkey or a Frenchman before, hanged the monkey on suspicion of being a French spy and today a mural to the Monkey is located on the marina. United’s mascot is also called H’Angus the Monkey
In 1965 a young managerial duo of Brian Clough and Peter Taylor took the reins at Victoria Park and stayed for two years before famously moving to the midlands with Derby County. During the rest of the 20th Century, Hartlepool’s on-pitch antics were rather uneventful. After several ownership switchers, the turn of the century brought hope into the Hartlepool fanbase. The future of Four play-off campaigns in five years were accompanied with a 21 game unbeaten streak, earning then Boss Chris Turner the Manager of the Month. Despite being knocking on the door of the second tier for much of the decade, Pools were relegated to League Two in 2006.
Despite a swift return to League One, United failed to challenge for promotion again, dropping into League Two in 2014, then into non-league in 2017, for the first time in 97 years. Last season though, the play-off hoodoo was over for Hartlepool. A penalty shootout victory over Torquay United at Ashton Gate ensured Pools’ revival to the Football League, and they’ll be confident to challenge the better sides in the division next season
League Cup Round One – The Cobblers 1 Wycombe 2
League One side Wycombe battled into the second round of the Carabao Cup with a 2-1 victory at League Two Northampton.
Two moments of quality in the first half from Joe Jacobson and then D’Mani Mellor did the damage and ultimately booked Wycombe’s spot in round two despite a late penalty from Louis Appere.
The Chairboys were without manager Gareth Ainsworth, who missed the tie because of an “important family commitment”.
After a tame opening 10 minutes, things picked up with chances at both ends as Northampton goalkeeper Jonny Maxted held Ali Al-Hamadi’s long-range shot before opposite number Tyla Dickinson saved with his legs from Ali Koiki.
Kieron Bowie was a livewire for the home side and his shot had to be kept out by Dickinson, but Wycombe hit the front with a moment of brilliance in the 28th minute when Jacobson curled a free-kick from 30 yards out into the top corner.
Liam Cross went close to an immediate reply before the visitors doubled their tally thanks to a slick move that ended with Tjay de Barr flicking to Mellor, who finished clinically.
Northampton made a bright start to the second half and, after chances went begging for Cross and Mitch Pinnock, they were back in the game through Appere’s penalty after he was fouled in the box.
However, Wycombe defended well in the time that remained and nearly grabbed a second themselves, with Nick Freeman hitting the frame of the goal late on.
League Cup Round One- Blackburn 4 Hartlepool 0
Blackburn Rovers easily saw off League Two Hartlepool United to reach the second round of the Carabao Cup.
Scott Wharton, Bradley Dack, Tyrhys Dolan and Dilan Markanday scored in a one-sided game at Ewood Park.
Wharton put the Championship team ahead by heading in Tyler Morton’s corner shortly after the half-hour mark.
And two goals in the space of five minutes early in the second half crushed the underdogs’ hopes of a comeback.
The fit-again Dack, making his first appearance of the season, slid in to apply the finish to Tayo Edun’s cross, and Dolan fired into the bottom corner to make it three.
Dack then set up Markanday, who slotted home left-footed for his first career goal.
Wharton’s younger brother Adam, 18, made his first-team debut for Rovers – making them the first siblings to play together for the club since Swedish duo Martin and Marcus Olsson.
Adam Wharton’s inclusion was one of 10 changes made by boss Jon Dahl Tomasson to the starting line-up. Pools, meanwhile, made seven changes.
Promotion-hopefuls Northampton returned to winning ways with a 2-0 League Two victory over Hartlepool at Sixfields.
Sam Hoskins broke the deadlock early on and then Chanka Zimba’s first goal for the club in the second half ensured the Cobblers kept themselves in the top three.
Both goalkeepers were forced into early action as Omar Bogle drew a good save from Liam Roberts, before visiting stopper Nicholas Bilokapic beat away Mitch Pinnock’s drilled shot.
Northampton hit the front after six minutes when Louis Appere cut in from the right and slipped a ball through to Hoskins, who finished calmly under the body of Bilokapic.
Hartlepool continued to create chances as Tom Crawford shot just wide during a good chance to level and Roberts tipped over Luke Molyneux’s long-range effort in first-half stoppage-time.
David Ferguson send an effort wide via a deflection in another chance for the away side and their wasteful finishing proved costly after 62 minutes when substitute Zimba scored with his first touch after United failed to clear Pinnock’s free-kick, sealing all three points
*in the last 20 games
Games Played – 20
Games Won – 9
Games Drawn – 4
Games Lost – 7
Sunny Gill
Stuart Butler and Nicholas Cooper
Fourth Official : Daniel Cook
Referee Sunny Singh Gill will become the first British South Asian to referee an EFL fixture since his dad, Jarnail Singh, over a decade ago.
He will take charge of the Sky Bet League Two game between Northampton Town and Hartlepool United on Saturday and is the most senior referee of British South Asian heritage in the country.
“It’s an absolute dream come true, it really is,” Sunny told the EFL.
“Every time I think about the fact I’m now refereeing in the EFL, it’s a bit overwhelming, emotions start running through my body.
“I get to wear the EFL badge that I’ve wanted for the last 14 years and to be the first British South Asian referee since my dad all those years ago makes me even more proud. It’s massive and it’s important to have that representation.”
Last season, Sunny joined the highest-ranked black referee Sam Allison to preside over the League Two game between Swindon Town and Leyton Orient, in what was a landmark moment for officiating in English football.
The season before, Sunny and brother Bhups Singh Gill also made history by becoming the first pair of match officials of British South Asian heritage ever to preside over a fixture in the Sky Bet Championship.
- Northampton are unbeaten in their last 27 home Football League games against Hartlepool (W21 D6), winning each of their last five in a row. This unbeaten run began in 1970.
- The side playing at home has won nine of the last 10 Football league matches between Northampton and Hartlepool (D1), with the last home side to lose such a fixture being Hartlepool in February 2008 (0-1).
- Northampton striker Sam Hoskins has been directly involved in 11 goals in his last six league (excl. play-offs) matches (7 goals, 4 assists), including four involvements in two games this season (3 goals, 1 assists).
- Hartlepool United have failed to score in their two League
