Hartlepool United frontman unfazed by pressure of playing at home as Pools prepare for first of three successive games at Victoria Park
Hartlepool United striker Alex Reid insists his side can handle the pressure of playing at home.
Having worked so hard to make Victoria Park a fortress under Dave Challinor, Pools have struggled to produce performances and results on home turf ever since they were relegated back to the National League in 2023.
Indeed, Nicky Featherstone's side have won just six of their 18 home games so far this season; what's more, just one of those victories have come against a side in the top half of the National League table, with Pools brushing aside Solihull Moors in November.
In fact, most of the memorable home results this season have been for all the wrong reasons, with Pools losing to Northern Premier League Premier Division side Gainsborough Trinity in the FA Cup before being dumped out of the FA Trophy by Northern Premier League Division One Midlands minnows Anstey Nomads, widely regarded as one of the most humiliating results in the club's recent history.
There had been some hopes that Pools were set to turn their home form around in the wake of American businessman and investor Landon Smith's takeover of the club on New Year's Eve, with Featherstone's side securing back-to-back wins at Victoria Park in the immediate aftermath of the new owner's arrival.
However it wasn't long before Pools were brought back down to earth with a thud as they were trounced 3-0 by relegation-threatened Aldershot Town in their most recent home fixture, a reminder of how much work still needs to be done.
Speaking in the week, Featherstone said that transforming his side's underwhelming home record was a "massive, massive priority" but also admitted that there was no quick fix.
The significance of having a good home record is underlined by the fact that no side in the top nine has won fewer games on home territory than Pools; leaders York have won 12 times, Rochdale have amassed 14 victories while Southend United and Halifax Town, their two direct rivals for a National League play-off place, have won eight and nine respectively. When Pools were last promoted from the National League in 2021, they won 14 of their 21 matches at Victoria Park.
There have been a whole host of explanations for poor recent home form, from the deteriorating condition of the pitch in the North East to the expectations of supporters; while few would dispute that, at its best, Victoria Park can be a formidable place for teams to visit, when things aren't going well the atmosphere can turn against the home side.
Whatever the case, Pools will simply have to improve ahead of a hugely significant run of three home matches in succession, with Featherstone's side set to entertain promotion-chasing Carlisle, relegation-threatened Sutton United and Halifax, who are just four points and one place above them in the National League table, within the next two weeks. If Pools can amass, say, seven or even nine points from their next three matches, then it would serve as a real statement of intent, allow them to steal a march on their immediate rivals and, in all likelihood, propel them into the play-off places for the first time since September. Yet the reverse is also true and an ill-timed dip in form would see their hopes of gatecrashing the top seven all but extinguished.
With a bumper crowd expected for the midweek visit of rivals Carlisle and the new Pools owner back in town having flown over from the States earlier in the week, Featherstone's side could be forgiven for feeling a little pressure as they gear up for the first of three potentially pivotal home matches. Even so, Reid insists he isn't fazed as Pools prepare for one of the most consequential fortnight's of their entire season.
"I personally don't mind the pressure," the experienced frontman said.
"When I was at Oldham, the fans expected results; there were times when I was at Oldham and we'd go in at 0-0 or 1-1, and you're getting booed by your own fans. I'm very used to that.
"Hartlepool's got a great history, Oldham had a good history where the fanbase are expectant and think you should win every game. Even when I was at Stockport, there were very high expectations and a lot of pressure to get promoted.
"I personally don't feel the pressure of the crowd, it's just part and parcel of playing the game. I said when I first signed for Hartlepool that I think it can work both ways, you look at when we came from behind to beat Gateshead in the second half and the fans sort of rallied us on to go and get the win.
"You have to accept that when the supporters don't feel like the team is playing as well as they expect them to play, they're going to make their voices heard. That's part and parcel of being a fan; I'm an Aston Villa fan and if I was at Villa Park and Villa weren't winning 10-0, I'd be disappointed. It's part and parcel of being a footballer."