"Dear Members

Yesterday’s statement from the club board was one of the most unusual we’ve ever seen from a professional football club. Unfortunately, there is too much at stake for us all not to take it seriously.

The first issue worth considering is why would the owner behave this way at a crucial stage of a takeover deal? The answer probably lies in due diligence itself. Teams of lawyers and accountants are currently going through Pools’ books with a fine-toothed comb and what they find will have an impact on the final price of the club. If the deal collapses many will assume that it was because something unexpected was discovered unless some of the mud being thrown at the potential buyer sticks.

Fans have to decide if they trust Raj Singh, and what he says about the potential buyer, in these circumstances. During the previous takeover attempts HUST was wrongly accused of breaches of NDAs and not having funds – this looks like more of the same old tricks to us.

Next comes the potential buyer. If that potential buyer is Shelley Hammond, as many are suggesting, then we know her well. She was in the consortium alongside HUST for both attempted takeovers last year and was energetic, resourceful, supportive, and full of ideas throughout. Her passion for Pools, commitment to uniting supporters by involving them in running their club, and love of the town all shone through. As far as personal wealth goes, we have no idea about Shelley other than she seems to have done alright. As far as access to legitimate, substantial funds goes we’re very confident that she has what is needed to buy Pools and further funds to take us forward. She is certainly ambitious.

It's worth adding that although Shelley knows that we have a good sum of money available to invest in Pools she hasn’t asked us about the possibility of investing in any current deal. Surely anybody short of funding would ask a previous partner to help?

If you need another opinion, independent of HUST, on the potential buyer have a look at Jeff Stelling’s reasons for resigning as club president.

Finally, we should look at the quite remarkable idea of a vote for fans to decide whether to accept funding from a multi-millionaire who already owns the club. This is nothing more than a transparent attempt to blackmail fans and divide them at a crucial time. We’re being told to say we love Raj or he’ll stop funding the club. It’s hard to understand how any Pools fan can defend him behaving that way.

If the vote goes ahead, and that’s a huge if, how can it be seen as fair? Only fans who bought a season ticket for the last two years can vote – what about the poorer fans, the exiles, fans who work variable shifts, and those suffering ill-health who can’t get to every game? How many of the South East Poolies who do so much fund raising and passionately support Pools at away games down south have season tickets? The only detail we can be sure about so far confirms that the process will once again create a hierarchy of good and bad fans, something which is never healthy.

It also looks like the vote won’t be conducted independently. The club owned by Raj will send the emails and then count the votes to see if the fans back Raj. It’s the sort of arrangement that could easily lead to a 110% vote in favour of the man who organised the vote!

To sum up – we don’t trust Raj, from bitter experience we know not to. We think there is a very credible buyer with the funds that the club needs who can be trusted. The ‘supporters’ vote is just a stunt and another step towards making the club we love into a laughing stock. Let’s see further details and find out if it actually goes ahead before deciding on how to handle it.

These are difficult, turbulent times and all Poolies are finding the current chaos stressful. However, the club statement does say that they’ll continue to try to conclude a deal. That would be excellent news for us all, let’s hope it happens soon.

Never say die!"



Will just add that I've been a season ticket holder for over 10 years - who hasn't renewed yet, for obvious reasons.

I haven't had the club's email yet, but will probably ignore it - because of all the people HUST has listed who won't get a say even though they love Pools. On the other hand, I don't give a toss for the opinions of the shit stirrers and armchair hobbyists who are also weighing in on here.

Most of all, I would love to hear from Shelley Hammond again - she can surely ignore the NDA stuff at this point! Are you in a position finacially to push through a takeover or not? Raj isn't the only person who could run Pools but right at this minute he is the one who could close the club down.

It’s pretty clear that RS is playing games and much as I would like to see evidence of funds, theres enough trustworthy people saying that the funding is there.

I can’t see a way forward other than a boycott and even if that means administration at least the club will be ours again.

Excellent again from the trust--they obviously know more than what they are saying, but their patience is being stretched !

This feels like the last throes of a desperate man who cant accept he has made some awful decisions that have lead the club here, and is unable to step away gracefully.

Another great statement calling this bullshitter out.

So today alone HUSt has come out calling this man out, Stephen Paylor saying raj cost him 20 k last year and did exactly what he is doing now, and then jeff ploughing in 100k not even getting a say, anyone still backing this man is also the problem. Let's call his bluff everyone say no and if we need to start again so be it.

Update - I've got the club's email about voting. It arrived at 12.21 and went straight into Junk Mail!

The deadline is midnight tomorrow.

Yeh the numbers that abstain should (but wont) be counted.

As you are know Mr I, I have never agreed with starting over as i find it rocky route.
However in this case i would wholeheartedly support it, NO self repecting fan who loves
Pools would fall for Rajs lies.

I am a self-respecting fan of Pools and although I wouldn't trust RAJ as far as I could kick him and I would love to kick him right now, he may be the only alternative to keep Hartlepool United going. We have had over a year for a buyer to come forward and although we do not know the ins and outs of the matter, we are still here at this point.
I for one will be voting YES, purely to keep the club going in the hope that we can get a deal over the line at a later date.

Surely we are a better proposition in the league we are in now.

Wasted vote

Our kid said loads of idiots on Facebook begging people to vote for Raj or we won't have a club!

W anchors.

Jeff Stelling has said the people who are trying to buy pools have been doing so for the past year.

"Not once have I been consulted about this even though I am a shareholder. I have not met the would be buyers but I do know they have been trying to buy this club for over a year - not the actions of time wasters.
I will always love this club and wish all our fans the best."

Sometimes, you have to get off your knees and make a stand.

Vote will go through 100% then ST deadline gets extended to end of June as a good will gesture

Skippy stays on and Lenny helps him with the retained list.
Ronnie Moore keeps his Superscout job.
Plus lots of other shite.

Pay on the day up to £25 to pay for promotion.

Town End becomes The Raj Singh Stand

or an excuse some have been looking for to walk away from the club they have supported for years. everyone does there last game as well as there first and feel the situation will push more into the first than the second catogary.

Nothings gonna happen, no one’s coming to the rescue.

How long do you cling to the wreckage…?

No worries though, it’ll just carry on in this weary way watching weary football busy going nowhere, because the belief is no longer there, ……..till fresh blood comes along.