I posted when TMH got involved in this so I may as well now they are not. I was talking bollocks then and of course I may be now.
I think we have had the closest of escapes. TMH were in the process of being passed as fit and proper - but look at some of the other people who have passed the test.
On the day of the takeover they asked me to be Club President. I think they wanted to use me to give their takeover an air of respectability, to show they are real football people. They asked if I could be at that Saturdays game - which tells you how much they knew about me ! I didnt hear from them after that day. I don't know what they wanted from the club, but I don't think getting three points from Pompey would have been top of their priorities.
For the record they did not sign Ronnie Moore - like him or not - that was Russ Green. We had talked about Ronnie before any deal was done.
My understanding is the club is still up for sale. And no I can't afford it !
I have told the club there has to be more transparency -its not good enough to put out ' there will be no further comment' but they don't need to take any notice of me. I'm just a fan. And you all know what Ken Hodcroft thinks of the media.
I know some of you will think I am an IOR mouthpiece but not so. Just in this case, for the time being, it may be better the devil you know and they may have done everyone a big favour by pulling the plug on this.

Fully concur, Jeff. I guess we'll never know but at least we know where we stand in regards to IOR.

Well said Jeff! Says it all when a fan is able to shed more light on things than e club itself.

Thing is, IOR could have got some fans back on side by being more transparent - instead I can guarantee the next time the chips are down, or results start going against us it will be Ken and Russ who get the flak - where in this case they MAY have helped us out.

Pools fans don't expect millions spent on the team - we know what we are; but how much more enjoyable it could be for everyone if the club worked with the fans and not against them.

Interesting stuff, cheers Jeff

Obviously they didn't know you were from Rift House!

The rest makes sense.

Fair play, Jeff.

Cheers for that Jeff, much appreciated.

Any chance you can get a consortium going with the Saturday football pundits?....

I just don,t understand why Ken won't communicate more with fans because so many more people who be off his back if he did. Pooliebob is spot on we don,t expect millions ,just something from the club letting us know what is going on from time to time. Great post too jeff I like your honesty.

Ken could have really used this as a PR goldmine, got the fans back on his side, let us know he cared too much to hand us over to just anyone, with the memories of his chat with hornsey still in his thoughts...

Instead we get about 30 words

Will there be any discussion on tomorrow's show regarding pools?? I'm not suggesting bad mouthing folk or anything like that but there's more than just the top clubs to discuss and after what's happened this week it should raise a decent conversation. Chatting amongst yourselves would bring this to the attention of all clubs. When the 5 of yas get going you can create alot of positivity as you all speak passionately.

I know you mention pools every single week but to get all 5 of you discussing events could get the club to actually speak to the fans. No further comment just pisses everyone off, yourself included from what you have said since.

No idea if your allowed to discuss your own topics of football hence the question

Unbelievable Jeff

Couldn't be more in agreement. The"no further statement" stuff Is just plain stupid.

Just shows you what is going on behind the scenes. The fact of the matter is, if we survive we need significant investment to get anywhere near where we should be. The top priority should be securing Ronnie for 3 or 4 years.

Well said Jeff. Being a media man you know how these things work. IOR and the Football Club could have said that the attention now turns to Portsmouth and getting behind Ronnie to secure three vital points and we will issue a further statement when we are in a position to do so. Fans can be assured that recent decisions have been made with their interests at heart and I hope you continue to support us in our endeavours to etc etc etc. But no all we get is the usual wall of silence which is totally unacceptable given the significant backing from fans. Will Ken ever learn?

That's my biggest problem with all of this, why cant we just get a simple statement from ken hodcroft stating IOR's plan concerning Hartlepool utd going forward.

Hi folks, just a little something to cheer you all up. Back in 1972 I was in the army stationed at Woolwich Arsenal and getting stick from various London fans over supporting Pools. On 18th March 1972 Pools were bottom of the old Division 4 and 7 points behind the next team. In those days you will recall it was 2 points for a win. Pools beat Colchester U 3-2 and from the last 13 games the record went...P13 W9 D1 L3 F19 A8 Pts 28. So we beat Argyle 3-2 last Saturday... To not dream is not to be alive. Play up Pools and silence the Pompey chimes and their equivalent of Lawrence (RIP) with that fuckin' great bell.

Not doubting that we can do this and survive. It would be one helluva achievement but not impossible. A point or 3 tomorrow wud do nicely with two home games coming up.

will be interesting to see if there is ongoing reduced ticket prices, i know it didn't improve our attendances that much, but into th r ree last few months it could make a difference with the cro ywd really behind us at home

Some sound words from Sir Jeff - and more than a little commonsense. However, Ken Hodroft has already demonstrated his contempt for Pools loyal fans by failing to acknowledge us when he made his what turned out to be his rather premature 'farewell' comments to the media. Let no-one be under any illusion therefore that IOR's ongoing efforts to keep the club in the FL are purely designed to maintain the clubs current status as a saleable asset rather than loyalty to the players, staff, fans or indeed the town.

totally agree that getting paid plays a major factor. but having a decent manager to motivate the players is a different thing. before ronnie we were dead and buried no doubt about that. and the players he has brought in are decent players not jobs for the boys like under cooper.
the main point of this thread though is why are IOR so silent and showing so much contempt for the fans. is it because we were not happy with 5 yrs of nil investment? 2 lucky escapes from relegation from leauge 1, then relegation? a lucky escape last year and now bottom?.....just a wall of silence. no wonder the fans are pissed off with them.
have they saved us from TMH? we will never know. what are they planning for the future?...we will never know till it happens......totally shocking.

forget the behind the scenes turmoil at 3pm to-morrow and future games. ronnie and the lads need our support and backing, we need as many 3pts as possible......we all have 1 thing in mind......league status.......who knows what IOR have in mind though.

Always the risk with any takeover bid, but clearly there was something someone had doubts over somewhere. Let's just hope that it doesn't affect the players on the pitch. No manager of the month curse to hold us back either. Stating the obvious, but I think its blindingly obvious people just want answers or at least a bit of a further explanation. Impossible to please all of the people all of the time, but it'd be nice to please some of the people some of the time, rather than none of the people none of the time. Mr Stelling clearly wants the same as we all want. for the club to survive and go in the upward curve and not keep going down the slippery side of the slope. However it isn't always as easy as saying he's a famous face he can save us, even if he did rope the other football Saturday guys in with him.

For any American football fan, or casual sports news fan, the club is about as helpful as Marshawn Lynch at giving information.

Cheers Jeff not said as a celebrity but a true fan like the rest of us on here. I'm fully behind Ronnie and the team but not sure what to think about IOR, Ken and Russ. I live away from Hartlepool so don't know the real truth. Please IOR give us an idea of what is going on. There are many pationate supporters here some are bitter and angry as well as passionate, please help us understand we love our club.
If we/you are struggling let us know the majority want to help for the better of our club.

Fair play once again Jeff - even though I read ever single one of your messages in your watered down TV accent

Quick question - you said at the time (mid December) TMH were 'real football people'. What changed that perception?

All this shows how important it is to get the trust sorted and for IOR sins, get behind the current owners and playing staff for the meantime. We're better united, all of Poolies together; no exceptions. We may well go down but let's fight for it. Seen a few youtube clips tonight of Conference games involving the likes of Bristol Rovers and Grimsby losing at some terrible sides with no fans. It put the the living shits up me. The standard is awful, too.

Staying up this season will be a momentous achievement but one we can still pull off, but it needs everyone pulling in the same direction.

My first post on here but I, as with many others, I think the current situation is leading to more and more unanswered questions. If Russ did set up the Ronnie Moore appointment (which was clearly a good decision), who employed Paul Murray just a few weeks earlier and set up the Harrison transfer?

Seems nothing has been learnt by the club over IOR'S tenure in terms of communication with stakeholders or the people who are making decisions at the club, both football and commercial.

Rude. Rift Housers can all trace their ancestry back to the great footballing era of the Norman Conquest. Not like you parvenu pit-yakkers.

How many times have IOR said NO FURTHER COMMENT? they are a PR nightmare? at least the HUFC arm of their business is.

Team finally looks half decent now and balanced, we even have the luxury of a couple of decent players on the bench. Could still do with a couple of more brought as suspensions and injuries and the invevitable Hartlepool bad luck will kick in over the next couple months. I honestly think if we can claw back the points we can p*ss survival. The only doubt in my mind is the off the field problems and how they may have impact on things.