Hartlepool United confirm Pre-Season Fixtures

By Albatross
May 26 2004

Hartlepool United have announced their pre-season programme, and it's looking familiar in some ways. Trips to Holland and Scotland, plus games against a couple of local non-league sides; but as yet, no home fixtures for Pools.

For the third year running, Pools will be heading off to Holland for a couple of games. One of our opponents this season will again be TOP Oss - a side we beat convincingly last year; the other is Eindhoven. No, not PSV, but FC Eindhoven who are considerably smaller and last season finished 16th in the second tier of Dutch football - in fact, five places below Oss. These two games will take place on 14th July (Oss) and 16th July (Eindhoven).

There's also to be a tour of Scotland, kicking off on Friday 23rd July with a game against Neale Cooper's former side, Ross County - a game that was apparently agreed as part of the deal to bring Hugh Robertson to our Victoria Park from the other. After playing in Dingwall, Pools then have a game against Inverness Caledonian Thistle on Sunday 25th, presumably this game will be in Inverness although with Caley looking to share with Aberdeen in the SPL next season (two hours drive away!) anyone intending to travel up there had better make sure beforehand. On 27th July will come our annual visit to Berwick.

Other games confirmed so far are at the hosts for our Reserves, Billingham Town, on 20th July, and at Whitby Town on 3rd August.

So far there's no news of any home games for Pools in pre-season - and the list is already looking quite full, although I'd be expecting a less than full strength side to be playing a couple of those games. Six in two weeks would be a bit much to ask our first teamers.... About the only potential gap is the Saturday between the Berwick and Whitby games. This may in part be because Pools are giving the re-laid pitch as much time to bed in as possible; but don't rule out a friendly at the Vic, possibly against a slightly more high-profile side.

Meanwhile, watch out for the Pools Online review of 2003/4 ovewr the next few days.