Hartlepool United live on Sky - here we go again

By Albatross
February 4 2003

Sky have selected Hartlepool United's game at York City on 15th February for live coverage - the kick off will now be 5:35pm. Given our record in televised games, this is not a good thing....

They're the words that strike fear into the hearts of Pools Fans everywhere - "Live on Sky". To say our record in televised matches is poor is something of an understatement.

First up was the first time we'd ever been selected for a live game: Friday 4th September 1998, at Halifax. We lost the game 2-1, but the result got lost somewhat in the scenes at the Shay. A combination of a few idiots, Halifax cramming too many people into an old terrace with no steps, and the police and stewards losing their heads meant that we were "treated" to the sight of fighting and Pools fans being lead away with blood streaming from head wounds and the like after trouble broke out at half time.

It was another year before Pools would again play in front of the Sky cameras, this time in the FA Cup 2nd Round at Hereford. The buildup includes one of the most bizarre things filmed at a Football Ground: several Hereford fans worshipping a swede, before dribbling it down the field and kicking it into the net. Pools lost 1-0, Rune Vindheim taking much of the blame - and before long he was on his way out of the club.

Two years passed before our next Live TV appearance - and it was in the cup again, in August 2001 as we took on Nottingham Forest in the Worthington, the first time a match had been broadcast live from the Vic. Unfortunately, this was on ITV Digital - and with Sky not carrying their rival's Sport channel very few people got the chance to tune in. Pools performed creditably, but lost 2-0.

Then it was on to Bournemouth earlier this season. Terrible weather conditions (thought it was supposed to be better 'dahn sarf!') meant that it was difficult to play decent football; the sending off of Mickey Barron meant that Pools tried to shut up shop for the rest of the game, only to lose 2-1.

With Pools continuing to dominate the division, it's not surprising that Sky want to show us again; it's a shame though that once again we'll be away from home, where we generally try to keep it tight rather than play the good football on offer at the Vic.

Will we be able to finally break our Live TV Hoodoo? You could argue that there's never been a better time: this is quite possibly the best Pools squad ever assembled, we're in terrific form, and York have already lost Alan Fettis and Peter Duffield in the last couple of weeks, with rumours circulating of another player on his way out of the door too. On the other hand, York are at home, still in the top half of the table, we haven't done well at Bootham Crescent over the last few seasons, and no doubt some of their players will want to put themselves in the shop window.

It's going to be three points for York then, but there's the formality of playing the match first: so set your Videos for 5:35 on Saturday February 15th!