'Everywhere we go they love it' - Hartlepool United fans impress with doctors and nurses fancy dress

An incredible 1,600 Poolies travelled to Scunthorpe on Saturday for the final away match of the season – with large numbers taking part in the fancy dress fun.

This year’s theme was chosen by the club as a salute to the hard-working medics over the pandemic.

It was the first time the tradition had happened in three years due to Covid.

And fans were keen to thrown themselves into the fun.

Three packed coaches left from the Mill House car park early on Saturday morning, with others making their way there by train and car.

Among them leaving from the Vic was ‘doctor’ Davey Pattison, 58, who has previously dressed as a clown and mime artist.

He said: “Everywhere we go to they all love it.

"The first thing the opposition teams do is look in the papers and see who Pools have got for the last game.

"We have all missed it. I think that’s why we got a good reaction this time because it has been a few years.”

David Robinson, 63, and Angela Stuart went in custom-made scrubs, complete with the Hartlepool badge.

David said: “It just brings all the fans together. I think we all look forward to it from the first match of the season; everyone wants to know what the theme’s going to be.

"It creates a party atmosphere and also gets the town noticed with the amount of media coverage we get, especially when we go into London and take over Kings Cross dressed as penguins.”

While David has taken part in the fancy dress in previous years, it was a first for Angela aka Dr Dribble.

She said: “When I saw everyone together I thought they looked fantastic.”

A number of lads raised a smile by going in nurses dresses and girls’ wigs, including youngsters from Hartlepool FC Under 11s.

Louise Jago, mum of 11-year-old Olly Jago, who travelled with pal Grayson Flint, said: “We all made the wigs and dresses.

"Olly said he would hate to be a girl in real life but he was excited for the game.”