A look at Hartlepool United’s current four-year spell in the National League

Hartlepool United’s four-year stay in the National League could come to an end on Sunday if they beat Torquay United at Ashton Gate to win promotion back to League Two.

The Teesside club’s stay in non-league has been shorter than their opponents this weekend, and with fewer ups and downs with Torquay having been relegated and promoted, but life has been far from straightforward for the Pools.

Hartlepool’s stay in the EFL came to an end on May 6, 2017, the final day of the 2016/17 League Two season. The Pools hosted Doncaster Rovers, and they needed to win and hope Newport County failed to win.

Just past the half-hour mark of both games, it was looking bleak for Hartlepool with Doncaster and Newport both taking the lead in their games.

There was better news in the 60th minute as Notts County equalised at Newport, but Hartlepool were still in need of two goals of their own.

Youngster Devante Rodney equalised for Hartlepool within 10 minutes of coming off the bench, and nine minutes later he was at it again to give his side the lead. Victoria Park was ecstatic, a mass pitch invasion broke out, but there was still over five minutes left to play.

Hartlepool looked like they had done it, the fans thought they had done it, but shortly before the fourth official put his board up for added time, news from Newport started seeping in that the Exiles had retaken the lead against Notts County.

An 89th-minute goal at Rodney Parade meant that Devante Rodney’s inspired comeback at Victoria Park didn’t count for anything as Hartlepool United were relegated to the National League.

They appointed a new manager after their relegation with Craig Harrison taking the reigns, but he lasted just nine months at the helm and was replaced by Matthew Bates. Pools finished the season in a disappointing 15th place.

There had been concerns about the future of the club, with the club struggling financially. Former Darlington owner Raj Singh completed a takeover in April 2018, although there were still some concerns from sections of the fanbase given his previous affiliation to rivals Darlington, and for the fact they struggled financially in his time there.

Singh did appear to steady things financially at Victoria Park, with talk of the clubs future being in doubt disappearing soon after his arrival, but the upheaval was not likely to help out the on-field side of the game.

The 2018/19 season did not go much better for the Teesside club either. Bates was sacked in November and was replaced by Craig Hignett on a temporary basis before the appointment of former Walsall and Luton Town manager Richard Money, also known as Dicky Dosh.

After just two wins in their first eight games, Pools decided it was time to cash out on Money’s spell, with Hignett returning to the post on a permanent basis. Hartlepool did finish the season with three points more than the previous season, but one place lower in 16th.

The 2019/20 season also did not go to plan for the Pools. Hignett was replaced in October with caretaker Antony Sweeney filling in until a new manager was found. That new manager turned out to be Dave Challinor, appointed in November 2019.

The former Fylde manager managed to guide Hartlepool to a 12th-placed finish, their highest since their relegation. It might have been higher had the season not been halted early due to the coronavirus pandemic and decided on points per game.

Pools finished with more points than Barnet, who ended up in the play-offs thanks to a large number of games in hand. They were also just three points behind Halifax who also made the play-offs, and they would have fancied their chances of making them if the season had been played to a close.

Onto this season, and Challinor’s side got off to a relatively slow start to the campaign, but a fantastic run through the winter put them in contention for the title. Pools battled it out with Torquay and Sutton United for much of the second half of the season before falling away late on.

Hartlepool finished the season in fourth and had to face two play-off games to reach the final. The work was all but done in the first-half against Bromley with Hartlepool leading 3-0 at the break. Despite goals at the start and end of the second-half meaning the score finished 3-2, Bromley never really looked like coming back.

In the semi-final, Hartlepool travelled to Stockport County. There was very little between the sides for much of the game until a late strike from Pools striker Rhys Oates put the Teesside club one win away from a return to the Football League.

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