As any football fan that’s been through it will tell you, watching your team get relegated isn’t fun.
With this in mind, spare a thought for Jeff Stelling, who, on Saturday afternoon, watched his beloved Hartlepool United drop out of League Two while live on the telly.
Despite a 2-1 victory at home against League Two title-chasing Doncaster Rovers, an 89th minute winner from Mark O’Brien for Newport County against Notts County condemned Hartlepool to the drop, bringing an end their 96-year stay in the Football League.
Earlier in the afternoon, the news that Hartlepool had taken a lead against Doncaster had brought this reaction from Stelling – who had worn his team’s shirt for the occasion.
SCENES! Hartlepool take the lead against Doncaster, which means as it stands they stay up! Jeff can't believe it! https://t.co/xz7gs21HD4
— Soccer Saturday (@SoccerSaturday) May 6, 2017
However, it wasn’t to be for Hartlepool, and Stelling was clearly left bitterly disappointed as news of Newport County filtered through.
EVEN MORE SCENES! @NewportCounty have taken the lead which means THEY are staying up and Hartlepool are going down! https://t.co/lw3JmnpVH7
— Soccer Saturday (@SoccerSaturday) May 6, 2017
Despite such obvious disappointment, Jeff will have been well prepared for his side’s relegation. Only a couple of weeks ago, he responded to their 2-0 defeat at home to Barnet with an extraordinary on-air rant, in which he called for the manager and chairman to leave the club.
Newport’s win sees them complete an unlikely tale of survival, having been 11 points adrift in the relegation zone in March, it is they, and not Hartlepool, that will be playing League Two football next season.
