Football Ground Guide: Fans Ground Review, Victoria Park, Hartlepool United FC

Victoria Park, Hartlepool United
League One v Norwich City
Saturday, August 29th 2009, 3pm
Nathan Heywood

Being a Newcastle-based Canary I took the train with my 8 year old son to Hartlepool for the Norwich away game. Whoever said take a jumper is correct! Even on an Saturday afternoon in August it was shirtsleeves one minute when the sun was out but sweaters on the next when it went back in again. The ground is right on the coast and the offshore wind whips right across the face of the Rink Stand incessantly, so a windstopper layer is the order of the day early season and puffa jacket when the days are shorter. However; not as bad as my memories of Grimsby where the clue is in the name.

Only popped into one proper Pub on the west side of the ground, name escapes me, and was OK. The rest seemed, from the outside at least, to fall into one of two categories; either a town centre chain or ‘locals’ joint with, if not menace, just that small northern town that’s been on its knees for too long vibe or a Grandad’s Working Men’s Club (entrance is a ‘door in a wall’) type place where you don’t know if you want to ask the doorman if you can go in – just in case you get welcomed in and then can’t escape again!! I can’t vouch for the size of the pies though as, annoyingly, if you want a drink then you have to go to a separate hatch for a beer as you would for a pie – leaving you with a choice between the two if you don’t want to miss any of the action. Maybe it was a testament to the numbers that Norwich brought (800+) that the issue presented itself; I some how doubt that Yeovil fans will be faced with a similar dilemma.

Getting to the ground is simplicity itself by train with Victoria Park being a short walk from the station and with an average attendance of 4,500 of which 1,000 tops are away fans, you’ll get a seat on the train out again no probs.

My first thought of the ground was ‘not quite the shed it thought it was going to be’ shortly followed thereafter by ‘my god, that’s a terrace, and there’s another one too!’ just a shame that the away fans are all seated by comparison. The stewards were excellent, just enough of a visible presence without being present, and yet on-the-ball when one of the more exuberant NCFC contingent fell over and hurt himself.

My second thought was ‘my gosh we are really close to the pitch’ and I mean really close. The playing surface is ringed by some sand/gravel not sufficiently wide for two people to walk two-abreast along it and that’s it. Declan Rudd and Fraser Forster were almost literally within reach as they performed their Goalkeeping warm-up.

My parting thought is: tidy little ground and a lot to be proud of if you’re a Pools season ticket holder, I may even return as a neutral someday. Especially if they get Darlo or Carlisle in the JPT.

PS

Highlight of the day was as we pulled into the station the drive/guard announces over the tannoy “The next station stop is Hartlepool. C’mon all you Norwich fans, let’s be havin’ you!” I kid you not!