'We're all pulling in one direction' - Jeff Stelling on the new-found unity at Hartlepool under Raj Singh's control

Unity is the order of the day at Hartlepool United - that's the view of club president Jeff Stelling.
Jeff StellingJeff Stelling
Jeff Stelling

The Sky Sports' Soccer Saturday presenter played a prominent role in securing Raj Singh's investment earlier this year, as well as dipping his hand in his pocket as well. It was a move which helped pull the club away from the threat of administration and probable liquidation as well as keep Pools alive in their present form.

Now, with the new National League season in sight, Stelling says there is an air of excitement about what lies in wait for Pools under manager Matthew Bates, which is a far cry from the plight the club faced only a few months back.

Pools' owner Raj Singh.Pools' owner Raj Singh.
Pools' owner Raj Singh.
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Speaking to the club's official website, Stelling said: "Nobody can ever give any guarantees about what is going to happen on the field because that’s football. But the one guarantee I can certainly give the fans is that we’re all pulling in one direction and anything we do will be for the good of the football club and not the owners or individuals.

"Every decision taken will be for the club, which hasn’t necessarily been the case with certain, recent regimes.

"We're all on the same side and, boy, do we need the fans' support to see us through what has been the most difficult period in the club’s history – so let’s all pull together and enjoy it."

Pools have made NINE new signings this summer and a number of those added have caught the eye of punters.

Manager Matthew Bates.Manager Matthew Bates.
Manager Matthew Bates.
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The likes of Liam Noble have dropped from the Football League while signings such as Niko Muir, Andrew Davies and others have raised a few eyebrows.

Stelling can't wait for things to get started on August 4.

"I'm more excited than ever," he said.

"I never thought I would be in the situation where I’ve put money in to the football club, it wasn’t what I'd ever envisaged.

"I'm really excited and I'm going to try and get to as many games as humanly possible – even though I wasn’t a great bearer of good luck when I got to games last season.

"I don’t think I saw us win at home - though I did see us play well quite a few times, mainly away from home at the likes of Macclesfield Town and Boreham Wood where we got good results.

"I'm really looking forward to it all starting again though and I will be there as often as I can."