A bit about you:
Name: Neil Appleyard
Current home town: Hartlepool
Birthplace: Scarborough
How long have you supported your team? 40 years
Overview of your club:
Favourite thing about your home ground: It's a small friendly ground with a superb atmosphere. The fans are close to the pitch and this can be a little intimidating to some players. There has been many improvements to the ground and our pitch is one of the best playing surfaces in the league.
Favourite match played by your team & why: It has to be in 1972 when we beat our local rivals Darlington. At Christmas in 1971 we were bottom of the old 4th Division and Hereford after their wonderful cup run beating Newcastle United were favourites to replace us. However we went on a fantastic run and our local derby game was make or break. We went 1-0 down but came back to win 2-1 in front of 8,000 fans with over 6,000 from Hartlepool a great game and a superb evening and we stayed up.
Favourite player of all time who played for your club: Billy Ayre a very strong and hard player in the mould of the Norman Hunter school of football.
About our forthcoming match against you:
Your favourite current player in your squad and why? It has to be Anthony Sweeny he has been at the club since he played for the youth team. He is an honest reliable player who is excellent when he meets the fans and a true gentleman.
Player in your squad we should most fear and why? Joel Porter, he has been with for a number of years and this season he has been superb. He is our top scorer and is very quick in thought and can turn a game on its head very quickly. He has scored some memorable goals this season and I am sure he will score even more in 2009.
Player in our squad you most fear and why? It has to our former player Steve Howard. he always does well when we play a team that he is in. He is big, strong and very powerful and he is always a handful for most defences.
Up and coming prospect in your squad? There are a few but the main ones are James Brown who is unfortunately injured and it out for the rest fo the season. The other is Jonny Rowell a young mid field player who is very highly rated by all.
Where do you think you’ll finish this season? Probably mid table or in the top ten.
How do you think you’ll do against us? It will be an interesting game, our home form is very good so I am sure it will be a very exciting match. If I am honest i think the game will be a draw but as Greavsy used to say it is a funnny old game so anything can happen.
Any other comments? We look forward to your first ever league visit to Victoria park and hope that you have a great time and enjoy the delights that Hartlepool as a town and football club has to offer.