Contingent of Hartlepool United fans from Ireland made long trip to Dorking for Blues Brothers fancy dress fun

Hundreds of supporters made the long journey to Dorking in Surrey last weekend dressed as The Blues Brothers in sharp suits, shades and hats.

They included a dozen members of Hartlepool United’s Irish Supporters Club.

The fans all from Carlow, near Kilkenny, have made a trip across the water to a Pools home game every year since 2002.

But this was their first time joining in with the final away game fancy dress tradition.

Previous outfits have ranged from Smurfs and Star Wars Stormtroopers to cowboys and clowns.

David McDonald, 65, who has followed Hartlepool since he was eight years of age, said: "There’s a big contingent of Hartlepool supporters over here.

“We always come over for one game usually towards the end of the season.

"We always looked at the fancy dress away games and said we must do that one day, and the costume this year suited our group.

"We are all from the middle of Ireland and travelled about an hour to Dublin airport and flew to Gatwick early on Saturday morning.”

From there they changed into their outfits in a Travelodge in Crawley before meeting up with other Pools fans in Dorking.

David added: “I was very impressed with Dorking. The people were very friendly and were inquisitive about our outfits and laughing.”

The game ended in a thrilling 4-3 victory to Hartlepool to top off a perfect day for the fans.

David said: “The atmosphere was brilliant and it was a great weekend.”

They, and a number of other Pools fans, stayed the night in Crawley before heading home the next day.

Other notable supporters joining in the fancy dress fun were TalkSport broadcaster and Pools honorary president Jeff Stelling as well as striker Joe Grey’s dad Kris.

Jeff joked that he did not think anyone would recognise him as he sported fake sideburns with his Blues Brothers outfit.

He said: “It has been a tough old season, hasn’t it? But let’s go out with a bang.”