The first of my two outings this pre-season was at the ramshackle Belle Vue ground at Consett. Known as Hillbilly-Land this former steel town set up high in County Durham is the coldest place known to man in winter. And it isn't much warmer in July. Still for my sins I've visited this ground a handful of times with both Pools and Durham City.
This time it was, as is the norm the youth team, but unusually a few have had first team experience plus a couple of pros. Colin Larkin is one such pro with a vast array of lower league experience, a striker who doesn't score many but creates bother in the box. Despite this his name on the team sheet was a surprise giving that he was released by Hartlepool United in May. Apparantly allowed to stay to retain his fitness. Another player who has to prove his fitness is Nathan 'Mr Blobby' Luscombe, ex Sunderland who eats pies the way lesser professionals just play the game they love. He has moobs. Unbelievable.
The game was fairly poor, Consett stubborn and the pitch lumpy and ugly, although the father-in-laws potential hooligan exploit anecdotes were a delight. The only match highlight was reserve team coach and Poolie legend Michael Barron don his playing boots for the first time since he quit in 2008. He came on with 15 minutes left and I was thinking it couldn't get any better than that. Oh yes it could. With 81 minutes on the clock he dashed through chasing a direct ball, let it bounce, drew the keeper and chipped deftly into the top corner from 15 yards. Not a bad finish at all, completely defying his centre-back by trade tag. He'd only scored 3 goals in 321 appearances for United. I just saw him increase his goal tally by 25% some four years after he'd supposedly hung up his boots. Unbelievable Jeff. FT 1-0.
The next game was at the much more plush surroundings of Bishop Auckland's Heritage Park. Bishops have a proud history in non-league's amateur era of the 1950s however have struggled in recent times, and had been in exile for nearly 15 years after leaving their Kingsway Ground. The purpose built HP makes all those years ground sharing at shit holes like Shildon and West Auckland worthwhile. It has a smart little main stand and impressive covered terracing behind a goal similar to Pools Town End.
After tweeting Michael Barron asking if he was going to be wearing the number nine shirt (answer - no), I set off with a Northern League Connoisseur mate to Bishops and were both suitably delighted with our surroundings. Pools lineup was also fairly strong with many first teamers involved, notably Paul Murray and James Poole, although Colin Nish was injured in the warm up. It was a lively game played at a decent tempo, end to end, and although Bishops took the lead Pools class showed and won convincingly 3-1.
Managed to get ourselves snapped twice on HUFC.com with their photos of the match, my good self in grey K-way jacket. We looked a sorry sight behind the goal as the sole contingent of Pools travelling army...
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