Stelling to join fans as Pools row rumbles on

BROADCASTER Jeff Stelling is to join Hartlepool fans on the terraces amid an escalating row with the National League club’s owner.

- By DAMIAN SPELLMAN

Former Sky Sports and now TalkSPORT presenter Stelling joked on Tuesday night that he might have to dress up as a Blues Brother to support the club after Raj Singh wrote to Pool’s league rivals, urging them not to admit him to their boardrooms this season.

The 70-year-old stood down as honorary president in May in protest at the owner's handling of negotiations to sell Pools to a local consortium after talks had stalled, and while he believes he will not be welcome at home games, he will continue to support his team on the road.

Asked about the situation on TalkSPORT yesterday, Stelling, who revealed he was asleep when the story broke on Tuesday night, said: “You know what? It didn’t bother me, I'm not president of the football club anymore.

“It's my football club, I’m a lifelong supporter of that football club and if it came down to the fact that I travelled and stood with the Poolies, the Hartlepool supporters, wherever they are, then that's...

“I'd already bought my ticket - we're away to Yeovil on Saturday - I'd already bought my ticket to be with the fans, so I didn’t get the issue or why Mr Singh wanted to raise it.