League Two side Hartlepool United will be lodged in many oldies memories as a club that survives relegation out of the Football League annually. Along with clubs like Accrington Stanley, Gateshead and Workington Town, Hartlepool may be considered a bit of a soft touch. Sponsored by an oil company the team should be on the way up but at the moment with an FA Cup Second Round match looming against locals Blyth Spartans, the Pool will be getting nervous. Playing at Victoria Park, the club was founded in 1908, another great north-eastern side formed on coal, iron and resources from the sea. Brian Clough, Cyril Knowles and Len Ashurst are among famous names to have been associated with the team. Clough, of course, cut his managerial teeth here. H'Angus the Monkey, the club mascot was famously voted in as mayor at the town elections in 2002, and three years later the club had its greatest moment, missing promotion to the Championship just! Having joined the new Third Division North in 1921, the club has had many scrapes with re-election and since it is now set bottom of the Football League with only 12 points from 57 and a goal difference of 20,life at the top looks threatened.
Blyth must fancy their chances. Blyth Spartans were founded in 1899 and play in the 7th Tier, the Northern Premier League, Premier Division. The best progress they have made in the FA Cup was when they lost to Wrexham in Round 5 in 1977-8 at St James' Park when over 42,000 turned out. If Newcastle had won the previous round against Wrexham, it would have been the Magpies playing the Spartans, a ground filler. Blyth tried to be semi-professional in 1913 but gave way and set up as an amateur club in 1964. John Burridge, the ever green goalie may be their most famous manager.
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