Hartlepool United Football Club is a professional association football club based in Hartlepool, County Durham, England. The club competes in the National League, the fifth level of the English football league system.
They were founded in 1908 as Hartlepools United Football Athletic Company. West Hartlepool won the FA Amateur Cup in 1905 and after the club was dissolved in 1910 its assets and liabilities were subsequently taken over by Hartlepools United, who were then playing in the North Eastern League. Hartlepools United were elected into the Football League in 1921 and would spend the next 37 years in the Third Division North, at which point they were placed into the Fourth Division. In 1968, the s and the United of the club's name were removed due to the merger of West Hartlepool with the town of Hartlepool and the village of Hart - forming the new borough of Hartlepool. The club won promotion in 1967–68 for the first time, though were relegated out of the Third Division the following season. In 1977, the United was added back to the team's name. They won another promotion in 1990–91, though were relegated in 1993–94. They won further promotions out of the fourth tier in 2002–03 and 2006–07, having been relegated again in 2005–06 after losing the 2005 League One play-off final to Sheffield Wednesday in the previous season. Hartlepool were relegated again in 2012–13 and ended their 96-year run in the Football League with relegation into the National League in 2016–17. Hartlepool achieved promotion back to the Football League in 2020–21, beating Torquay United in the 2021 National League play-off final. However, Hartlepool returned to the National League after two seasons following relegation in 2022–23.
This list encompasses the major honours won by Hartlepool United, and records set by the club, its players and its managers. The player records section itemises the club's leading goalscorers and those who have made most appearances in first-team competitions. It also records notable achievements by Hartlepool players on the international stage. Attendance records are also included.
All figures are correct as of the match played on 5 May 2025.
Honours Hartlepool United's honours include the following:
League Third Division North / League One (level 3) Runners-up: 1956–57 Play-off runners-up: 2005 Fourth Division / Third Division / League Two (level 4) Runners-up: 2002–03, 2006–07 Promoted: 1967–68, 1990–91 National League (level 5) Play-off winners: 2021
Cup FA Amateur Cup Winners: 1904–05 Durham Challenge Cup Winners: 1908–09, 1909–10, 1956–57, 1957–58, 2004–05 Runners-up: 1997–98
Reserves & Youth Division One East League Champions: 2003–04, 2007–08 Runners-up: 2016–17 FL Youth Alliance Champions: 2002–03 Dallas Cup U19 Winners: 2003–04 Third place: 2004–05
Best performances Up to and including the 2024–25 season Best FA Cup performance: Fourth round, 1954–55, 1977–78, 1988–89, 1992–93, 2004–05, 2008–09, 2021–22 Best League Cup performance: Fourth round, 1974–75 Best League Trophy performance: Semi-final, 2021–22 Best FA Trophy performance: Fourth round, 2023–24 Highest league finish: 2nd in Third Division North, equivalent to 47th in the English football league system, 1956–57 Seasons spent at level 3 of the football league system: 43 Seasons spent at level 4 of the football league system: 48 Seasons spent at level 5 of the football league system: 6
Player records Appearances Youngest first-team player: David Foley, 16 years and 44 days (against Port Vale), Football League Second Division, 25 August 2003. Oldest first-team player: Dimitrios Konstantopoulos, 41 years and 15 days (against Harrogate Town), FA Trophy, 14 December 2019. Oldest first-team player (league): Mick Tait, 40 years and 173 days (against Fulham), Third Division, 22 March 1997 Most consecutive league appearances: Ritchie Humphreys, 234
Most appearances Source:
RankPlayerGoalsPosition1Ritchie Humphreys54337DF, MF2Watty Moore4723DF1948–19603Nicky Featherstone46328MF2014–2023, 2023–20254Antony Sweeney44462MF2001–20145Ray Thompson4233DF1947–19586Alan Goad41811DF1967–19787Ken Johnson413106FW1949–19648Brian Honour38436MF1985–19949Micky Barron3744DF1996–200710Gary Liddle36421DF, MF2006–2012, 2019–20, 2020–2022
Goalscorers Youngest goalscorer: Luke James, 17 years and 64 days Oldest goalscorer: Jackie Carr, 39 years and 304 days Most goals in a match (Football League): 5 goals Bobby Folland vs. Oldham Athletic, Fourth Division, 15 April 1961 Harry Simmons vs. Wigan Borough, Third Division North, 1 January 1931 Most goals in a match (FA Cup): Billy Smith (7 goals) vs. St Peters Albion, FA Cup fourth qualifying round, 17 November 1923 Most goals in a game as a substitute: 3 goals Joel Porter vs. Lincoln City, Football League Trophy, 9 October 2007 Emmanuel Dieseruvwe vs. Sutton United, National League, 5 October 2024
Top goalscorers Source: RankPlayerGoalsPosition1Joshie Fletcher111FW1908–132Johnny Wigham1062911931–39Ken Johnson106413FW1949–644Keith Houchen94310FW1978–82, 1993–965Paul Baker93279FW1987–92, 1997–996Eric Wildon892151948–557Tommy McGuigan79350FW1950–58Joe Allon79194FW1988–91, 1995–98Adam Boyd79273FW1999–2006, 2009–1210Ralph Pedwell68164MF1929–34George Luke68205MF1953–59
International caps First capped player: Ambrose Fogarty, for Republic of Ireland against Spain, 11 March 1964. Most capped player: Jermaine Francis with 3 caps for Grenada as a Hartlepool United player.
Managerial records
First manager: Fred Priest, managed 145 matches between 1908 and 1912 Longest serving manager: Fred Westgarth, managed from 1943 to 1957
Club records Matches Firsts First match at Victoria Park: Hartlepools United 6–0 Newcastle United XI, 2 September 1908 First Football League match: Wrexham 0–2 Hartlepools United, Third Division North, 27 August 1921 First National League match: Hartlepool United 0–1 Dover Athletic, 5 August 2017 First FA Cup match: West Hartlepool 1–2 Hartlepools United, first qualifying round, 3 October 1908 First League Cup match: Oldham Athletic 2–1 Hartlepools United, first round, 11 October 1960 First FA Trophy match: Workington 1–0 Hartlepool United, first round, 16 December 2017
Record wins Record Football League win: Hartlepools United 10–1 Barrow, Fourth Division, 4 April 1959 Record league win: Hartlepools United 12–0 Workington, North-Eastern League, 20 April 1910 Record FA Cup win: Hartlepools United 10–1 St Peters Albion, fourth qualifying round, 17 November 1923 Record League Cup win: Hartlepool United 5–1 Bury, first round, 23 August 1994 Record League Trophy win: Hartlepool United 5–0 Bradford City, first round, 3 September 2013 Record FA Trophy win: City of Liverpool 1–5 Hartlepool United, third round, 9 December 2023
Record defeats Record defeat: Hartlepool United 0–10 Middlesbrough U21, National League Cup, 11 August 2026 Record league defeat: Wrexham 10–1 Hartlepools United, Fourth Division, 3 March 1962 Record FA Cup defeat Port Vale 6–0 Hartlepool United, first round, 12 November 1994 Manchester City 6–0 Hartlepool United, third round, 3 January 1976 Record League Cup defeat Crystal Palace 6–1 Hartlepool United, second round, 8 October 1991 Aston Villa 6–1 Hartlepool, fourth round replay, 25 November 1974 Rotherham United 5–0 Hartlepool United, first round, 12 August 1978 Tottenham Hotspur 5–0 Hartlepool United, second round, 26 September 1990 Hartlepool United 0–5 Arsenal, second round, 21 September 1994 Arsenal 5–0 Hartlepool United, second round, 3 October 1995 Crewe Alexandra 5–0 Hartlepool United, first round, 11 August 2012 Record League Trophy defeat: Crewe Alexandra 8–0 Hartlepool United, first group match, 17 October 1995
Record consecutive results Record consecutive league wins: 9 matches, 18 November 2006 – 1 January 2007 Record consecutive draws: 6 matches, 30 April 2011 – 20 August 2011 Record consecutive defeats: 9 matches 28 March 1970 – 19 August 1970 23 January 1993 – 27 February 1993 Record consecutive league defeats: 8 matches 8 April 1950 – 26 August 1950 28 March 1970 – 15 August 1970 27 January 1993 – 27 February 1993 Record consecutive clean sheets: 8 matches, 5 December 2006 – 1 January 2007 Record consecutive matches without scoring: 13 matches, 9 January 1993 – 2 March 1993 Longest winless run: 22 matches, 8 September 2012 – 26 December 2012 Longest winless run (league): 20 matches 8 September 2012 – 26 December 2012 26 March 2022 – 30 September 2022
Attendance records Highest attendance: 17,264 vs. Manchester United, FA Cup, 5 January 1957 Highest league home attendance: 17,118 vs. Hull City, Third Division North, 9 October 1948 Highest League Cup home attendance: 12,305 vs. Aston Villa, fourth round, 12 November 1974 Highest League Trophy home attendance: 7,532 vs. Rotherham United, semi-final, 9 March 2022 Highest home attendance (21st century): 7,784 vs. Leeds United, Football League One, 26 December 2007 Highest attendance (neutral venue): 59,808 vs. Sheffield Wednesday, 2005 Football League One play-off final, 29 May 2005 Lowest home attendance: 380 vs. Rochdale, EFL Trophy group stage, 9 November 2016 Lowest league home attendance: 790 vs. Stockport County, Fourth Division, 5 May 1984 Lowest FA Cup home attendance: 1,267 vs. Gillingham, fourth qualifying round replay, 14 October 2025
Annual awards Club Player of the Year season SeasonLevelNamePositionNationalityAppsGoalsRef1971–7244951990–9145041991–9235301994–95439141997–9843701998–9944901999–200045562000–0144122001–0244452002–03449112003–0435202004–05352162005–0635022007–0835032008–09347232009–1034132010–11348142011–1234612012–1334902013–14445162014–1543712015–1643802016–174No award––––2017–1854902018–1955052019–205No award–––––2020–21541172021–22455122022–234No award–––––2023–245No award–––––2024–255No award–––––
PFA Team of the Year The following players have been included in the PFA Team of the Year whilst playing for Hartlepool United: 1989–90 Rob McKinnon 1990–91 Joe Allon 1997–98 Jon Cullen 1999–2000 Tommy Miller 2000–01 Tommy Miller 2002–03 Graeme Lee, Chris Westwood, Mark Tinkler, Ritchie Humphreys 2006–07 Michael Nelson, Ritchie Humphreys, Andy Monkhouse
National League Team of the Year The following have been included in the National League Team of the Year whilst playing for Hartlepool United: 2020–21 David Ferguson
LMA Manager of the Year League Two Manager of the Year: Danny Wilson, 2006–07
North East Team of the Year Winners: 2002–03
Other awards English Football Hall of Fame
Former Hartlepool United players or managers who have been inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame include: 2002 Brian Clough 2007 Peter Beardsley
Manager of the Month League One Neale Cooper – January 2005 Mick Wadsworth – December 2010 John Hughes – February 2013
Third Division / League Two Chris Turner – January 2001 Mike Newell – January 2003 Danny Wilson – September 2006 Danny Wilson – February 2007 Danny Wilson - March 2007 Colin Cooper – October 2013
National League Craig Harrison – October 2017 Matthew Bates – March 2018
Player of the Month Second Division / League One Adam Boyd – April 2004 Adam Boyd – January 2005 Sam Collins – December 2010 Peter Hartley – February 2013
League Two Dimitrios Konstantopoulos – December 2006 Michael Nelson – January 2007 Luke James – October 2013 Dan Kemp – February 2023
National League Gavan Holohan – April 2021 Emmanuel Dieseruvwe – August 2023
See also Hartlepool United F.C. History of Hartlepool United F.C. List of Hartlepool United F.C. seasons List of Hartlepool United F.C. managers
Notes
References
Works cited