Just been watching highlights and looking back and although we played awesome I will always wonder what would have happened if Super Cooper had remained in charge. In that squad we had loads of winners and very good players Dimmy / Barron / Nelson / Westwood / Humphreys / Porter / Boydie / Effion / Darrell Clarke / Sweeney / Butler / Strachan we also had Young Robbo and young Craddock . We had John Daly who was beginning to look like the player he became thereafter. And the vital piece Tinkler.....Although I have just noticed he never got on and stayed on the bench. I know that was then but it could be again!!!!!!! Poolie Till I die.

One of Hodcfofts biggest mistakes or maybe he realised Pools couldn’t ‘afford’ to be promoted.
I believe Cooper was sacked prior to the Tranmere games ?

Or maybe not.

If I recall correctly we weren't doing too well at the end of that season. We drew and lost quite a few games from March onwards and people were wondering if Cooper had lost the dressing room. Would we have even got the draw at Bournemouth if Cooper was still in charge? I'm not so sure like.

He had personal problems off the field which were badly effecting his work, he was failing to even turn up at times it was a tough call given how much the fans loved him but one that had to be made I think.

That reminds me I have a shirt signed by Cooper and the team just before the playoffs, I'll put it on ebay when I get back and donate the proceeds to the Trust.

On the day Sheffield Wednesday had the big game players , we didn't , simple as that.

Really..... ? ....... till the 'penalty' they weren't all that big game.

We also had Martin Scott, who completely ignored our left flank for the entire first half by pulling Humps inside, allowing SW to attack at will.

We were winning the game after 82 minutes, it was only a highly questionable decision that cost us I’d hardly say our players froze on the day and Wednesday’s rose to the occasion.

I’m sure Humphreys started on the right, Thomas Butler started on the left.

The problem was that nobody started on the left. He put things right at half time and we looked a lot more balanced.

I thought a football game lasted 90 mins like, and did I say we froze? no I didn't did I. The fact we played very well and still got beat says it all. Wednesday had the quality when and were it mattered. If the ball hadn't been in our box, the questionable decision would never have arisen.

Drew Talbot was good at cheating.

I was weird really. We'd gone ages and ages without defeat and were even contemplating automatic promotion, then we lost the FA Cup replay at home to Brentford and our form went right out the window (4-6 anyone?). But we were still 4th with only a couple of games left. Maybe it wasn't really Cooper in charge for that famous Boydy game?

Imagine if he'd stayed and we'd lost to Bournemouth.
Hodcroft would be saying "I think the turning point was that Bournemouth game. I hope we don't ever play Oldham."

Bit like a burglar in court saying' if the old lady hadn't been in the house I wouldn't have needed to beat her up, it's her fault'

8 minutes away from the championshi I do believe was a brilliant day out I was Ony 16 my dad got me absoulutly plastered and said to me " Take all this in son it might not happen again" He was right Aswell, I remember it was a boiling hot day was the best day out I've had in my life, We got on the coach near the taxi rank drove to Swindon stayed the night in Swindon then drove to Wales the following morning my awld man took me out the night before aswell so was hungover to fuck to say the least and was up for our coach leaving at 8 if I do remember, Just imagine if we did go up, I do believe we would of had to do all the ground out aswell to accommodate the Chanpionships needs like make all the terracing seating, I can remember people at the time talking about this. I've only watched the game back once it's to painful to watch it's on YouTube I think.

Spot on...Took me until 2016 to look back at the highlights of that game and even then it hurt like hell but made me feel very proud of the fans players and little Artlepool I am totally totally convinced the good times will come back in around 5-10 yrs . Keep the faith thats all we have now.