Pain of Pools predicament

Joe Allon in his Hartlepool United days I’VE had better Saturdays I must admit.

While it was a great day for Newcastle United, who will always be my team, watching Hartlepool United – a team I love so dearly after my time there – slip towards relegation from the Football League is devastating.

Their loss to Barnet, coupled with Newport’s win, meant they dropped to second-bottom with just two to play. It’s not looking good.

They’ll probably need to win both of their last two as well, which is worrying because I can’t remember the last time they won two on the bounce.

I can’t believe it’s come to this; 44 games down and this is where we’re at.

I remember when I played and we needed that late miraculous survival to stay in the Football League and at the time I never once felt we would go down. We always had enough and we knew as a team we’d work to get out of it.

I also never imagined at the time that Pools would ever be in that position again, but for the last three seasons they’ve needed miracles to stay up.

The trouble now is there’s no passion in these players. Do any of them care? When I played we used have to wash and prepare our kits before games. There were no flash cars in the car park.

This is the Town’s club and it would be a travesty for the town if the football club dropped out of the Football League. It would have such a big impact. The Pools fans deserve far better than this.

Two games to go. Two games for these players to prove they deserve to play for this great football club. The performances of late have been unacceptable. It’s time to show some passion and pride. Do whatever you have got to do but get those two wins. It might not be enough, but here’s hoping.

At least it was a better day for Newcastle.

After a gloomy week following the Ipswich loss, defeats yesterday for Huddersfield and Reading mean victory over Preston tomorrow night and they’re up.

Brighton losing on Friday still keeps the title hopes alive, but I’ll settle for promotion. I’ll settle for Newcastle getting back to where they belong.