Will Hartlepool United get the celebrations going?

By Albatross
April 20 2003

Hartlepool United are promoted for only the third time in their history - but there seems to be more doom and gloom than partying and celebration. A good win against Rochdale in the Easter Monday game is vital if anything like a feelgood factor is to return.

There's almost a feeling of the inevitable: after being in dreamland for most of the season, top of the table for all but two days since September, Pools have reverted to type and look to have blown apart their hopes - our hopes - of finally clinching some silverware. Only Pools could win promotion following a 4-0 defeat that had many fans calling for the manager's head.

Whatever you think though, the title is still there for us to play for: it's still in our hands. However, we need to win these two next games or risk going to Rushden on the last day of the season with everything already settled. The good news is that both of them are at home, and both are against teams in the bottom half: and the first one is against Rochdale.

Dale have had problems of their own this season; ironically, their highlight in the league has been the 4-0 win over Pools at Spotland in December. Their cup form showed they could play when the mood took them; but pressure continues to grow on Paul Simpson following a disasterous season by their recent standards - far from challenging for promotion, they sit in 18th place and in theory could still get relegated - although in practice it's not going to happen.

Recent form is very poor indeed: no win in eight, four defeats in that, and their last two games have seen home defeats to Kiddy and then on Good Friday to local rivals Bury. There's no denying that the players have talent: names like Paul Connor, Lee McEvilly, Patrick McCourt and Clive Platt would have no trouble in walking into almost any side in the division. However it's rarely come together on the pitch, and the loss through injury of Neil Edwards - one of the better keepers in the division, who would undoubtedly havbe played at a higher level if he was a bit taller - has hit them hard. Matthew Gilkes, his 20 year old replacement, has played well enough, but their defence has leaked goals steadily.

The team from Spotland will have had an extra day's rest - but there doesn't exactly seem to be a surge of optimism round the club. On the other hand, our recent form hasn't been great reading either, and they may well fancy their chances of at least grabbing the point that would ensure their safety.

After the debacle against Scunny, the question would seem not to be "will there be changes" as "how many". Henderson must be one of the prime candidates to find himself out of the team, but he was far from alone in playing poorly. The fact that almost all of the players vanished from the pitch without going over to the fans to encourage promotion celebrations says a lot about that.

So, will we blow it well and truly or will we stay in with a shout? One thing without a doubt is that a good performance is not only needed to get the fans celebrating, it's essential. Dale have little to play for, and so I'll go for a 3-1 victory with Humphreys, Tinkler and Lee to score.