Hartlepool Say Thanks & ‘C’ England In Salford

It hasn’t been a season that will stay long in the memory for Hartlepool United supporters with the club firmly placed mid-table in the National League and having undergone an unusual round of managerial musical chairs earlier on in the year when Richard Money came in as boss, briefly swapped roles with director of football Craig Hignett and then left the club altogether.

But the bigger picture is that the club is still there at all, hopefully providing a force for good within the local community.

Last season's fixture against Wrexham was designated as 'Save Pools Day’ amidst the crisis engulfing the club and as a thank you to supporters from both teams prices for the meeting on Saturday 23 March have been reduced.

It will be £10 Adults, £5 Concessions and £2 for Under 16’s.

Hartlepool's Luke James meanwhile will be part of the England C squad who take on Wales on Tuesday 19 March at the Peninsula Stadium, home of Salford City FC.

England C is the team drawn from players outside of the Football League, giving them the chance of winning caps and pulling on the Three Lions shirt.

 

A number of those who have had that opportunity previously have gone on to play in the Football League and Premier League.

 

Watford striker Andre Gray is one such player. He appeared six times for England C while with Luton Town.

 

Current boss Paul Fairclough has been in charge since 2003 and has managed to constantly refresh the nature of the squad with young players, not just from the National League but from the divisions below and see how they fare in a different environment, something of interest certainly to prospective new clubs at a higher level.

 

An excellent article by Matt Badcock in The Non-League Paper recently highlights how the England C team has evolved over the past few years to take on a more ambassadorial nature, representing the Football Association at home and abroad.

 

Admission to the game against a Wales side drawn from the ranks of clubs in the Welsh Premier League, will be £10 Adults and £5 Concessions, payable at the turnstiles on the night.