'I am more than happy to be with our travelling fans' says Hartlepool United superfan Jeff Stelling amid boardroom row
Broadcaster Jeff Stelling insists he is “more than happy to be with our travelling fans” after Hartlepool United urged National League rivals not to treat him as an official dignitary.
He responded after owner Raj Singh wrote to the other 23 National League sides asking that Mr Stelling is not provided with official club dignitary spaces in their boardrooms this season.
Mr Singh also requested that Mr Stelling be seated away from Pools dignitaries and staff at any away games he attends.
It follows Mr Stelling’s resignation as honorary club president after a local consortium’s proposed takeover began to stall.
At the time, Mr Singh had stood down as chairman and announced he would not be funding the club after the end of last season.
Yet he returned after Pools held a vote of season ticket holders.
Mr Stelling responded to the letter on his TalkSport show on Wednesday morning in which he said he was not aware the boardroom situation was an issue.
He also told the Mail: “I didn’t have any intention of asking to be part of HUFC official parties at matches and was unaware of any issue until another club alerted me of the circular.
“It’s no big deal for me as I am more than happy to be with our travelling fans.
“It’s a shame things have turned out like this as my only aim has always been to help secure the future of the club once Mr Singh had announced that he was withdrawing funding.
“As he is aware, I put £100,000 into the club when he first came in to support his takeover, which hopefully shows my only aim is to ensure this club continues for future generations.”
Hartlepool United later issued a statement in response to media reports of the fallout.
The club stated: “For absolute clarity, neither the club nor chairman have asked for other clubs in the National League to exclude or ban Mr Stelling from matches at their grounds.”
It later added: “The letter that the club recently sent to National League opposition simply informed opposition that Mr Stelling no longer held a formal role and considerately asked opposition not to allocate Mr Stelling dignitary places or seating, so as to avoid any unnecessary confusion or embarrassment on matchdays for the benefit of all parties including Mr Stelling.
“Mr Stelling is of course able to attend away matches in any other capacity, as he stated was his intention when he resigned.
"At no point has the club or chairman requested or suggested that be otherwise.”
Meanwhile, Hartlepool MP Jonathan Brash has written to National League clubs himself urging them to treat Mr Stelling with the “respect and courtesy that he has most certainly earned”.
In his letter, Mr Brash wrote: “Jeff Stelling is a Freeman of Hartlepool, one of our most favoured sons, and a football broadcaster and journalist of international renown.
“He has dedicated much of his life to supporting football at every level and especially to championing our club and our town.
“While robust debate and difference of opinion are part and parcel of football, I would respectfully request that Mr Stelling is afforded the warm welcome and courtesy he rightly deserves whenever Hartlepool United visit your club.”
Mr Stelling is due to be at Pools’ first league game of the season at Yeovil on Saturday.