Excited Hartlepool United fans secure play-off final tickets as long queue forms outside Victoria Park

A long queue of more than 100 Pools supporters snaked along Clarence Road as tickets for the game with Torquay United went on sale to season ticket holders at Victoria Park on Monday lunchtime.

The club has been allocated around 3,100 tickets for Sunday’s final at Ashton Gate in Bristol when the team hope to win promotion back to the Football League after four years in the National League.

Supporters in the line were confident Pools will be victorious less than 24 hours after the team’s heroics in beating Stockport 1-0 in the play-off semi-final.

First in the queue was Dennis Bates who was actually picking up three tickets for a friend who was out of town in Nottingham.

Dennis, 57, said: “I said I would come down here for him. I will be going to the game.

"I will get a ticket somehow. I’m 100% confident. We will win.”

Also at the front of the queue was fan Ged O’Hare, 67, from Seaton Carew, who was buying a £41 ticket for himself and two friends he attends games with.

He was still ecstatic over Sunday’s win which he watched at home on TV.

“I’m bouncing,” said Ged. "They were absolutely brilliant.

“I haven’t slept all night. I could have been down here at three o’clock this morning.”

He said he was feeling “very confident” about Pools chances in the final.

Christine McCann, 67, from Owton Manor, also bagged three tickets for herself and two friends.

The fan for more than 50 years said: “I’m very, very excited. I can’t wish the week to go quick enough.

“One nil will do. As long as it doesn’t go to penalties.

"With Rhys Oates on fire definitely.

Christine said it would be “absolutely fantastic” to see Pools win promotion back to the league.

She was among 16,000 Poolies at the club’s last play-off final at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium in 2005 which ended in defeat to Sheffield Wednesday after extra time.

"That was sad,” said Christine. “So this will be the icing on the cake.”

Tickets for the final go on general sale on Wednesday, June 16, at 10am.

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