The National League is now populated by clubs that have previously featured regularly in the EFL. In fact, many of those clubs don’t have much recent experience of the National League until recent seasons.
One club that has only recently rediscovered the delights of the fifth tier of English football is Hartlepool United, which has experienced several seasons of turmoil.
Hartlepool have spent most of their existence in the Football League
The north east club have spent most of their existence in the football league. In fact, as of the 2023/24 season, the club has spent 43 seasons in the third tier of the English game, 48 in the fourth tier and only five campaigns in the fifth tier.
For example, United spent from 2003 until 2013 in the third tier of the English game before succumbing to relegation to League Two in season 2012/13. That relegation saw the start of a spiral that would eventually take the club out of the EFL.
Hartlepool then struggled with life in League Two. For the four seasons they were in the division, they finished near the bottom of the table nearly every season. Unfortunately for the club, their struggles at the foot of the fourth tier became too much, and they suffered relegation to the National League ahead of season 2017/18.
Up and down in the National League
The signs were not good at Hartlepool United for their first few seasons in the fifth tier. In their first season, the north east outfit finished 15th place, and then the following campaign saw them finish one spot worse off as United sought to gain some sort of a footing in the National League.
However, the following season was slightly more optimistic for Hartlepool as they finished 12th place in the table. It wasn’t a fantastic place to finish, but that season saw the start of an improvement that would lead to a better season in the following campaign.
In season 2020/21, powered by the 17 goals of Rhys Oakes, United finished in fourth place in the table, booking a place in the promotion play-offs. United won promotion back to the EFL courtesy of a penalty kick play-off final victory over Torquay United.
Once again, Pools struggled with life in the fourth tier of the English game. In season 2021/22, Hartlepool produced a disappointing 17th-place finish in League Two as they flirted with relegation. If that wasn’t bad enough, it was much worse in season 2022/23, as the north east side finished a lowly 23rd place in the table to suffer relegation back to the National League.
Despite a highly impressive goal tally of 25 from forward Emmanuel Dieseruvwe in the following campaign, Hartlepool finished 12th place in the National League table on their return to the fifth tier.
At the time of writing, Hartlepool United are currently in midtable in the National League table having already sacked their manager this season. A challenge for the play-off spots cannot yet be ruled out. They may yet find themselves back in the EFL in the near future.
In need of a few years of stability
Apart from their recent travails in the National League, Hartlepool United have always been accustomed to flitting between the third and fourth tiers of the English game. That was where they were most comfortable.
However, complacency that they wouldn’t suffer relegation from the league set in at the club, and there hasn’t been any stability since. Even when they have had spells in the fourth tier, they haven’t been good enough to maintain their Football League status.
Arguably, because of the club’s history, they should be playing in the Football League. As we all know, though, status is often irrelevant in football. Titles, promotions, and even survival are earned, not just awarded based on a club’s history.
Hartlepool United has experienced many ups and downs in recent years. Perhaps the club needs a few steady seasons in the National League while building a team capable of playing League Two football.
If they slowly build up the team until it is good enough to challenge for promotion once again, maybe they will have enough quality to maintain their position in the Football League the next time they get promoted.
Suppose they win promotion and aren’t good enough again. In that case, United will once again be in a cycle of battling relegation before inevitably suffering the drop back down to the fifth tier of the English game because they are simply not good enough for the league they find themselves in.
nonleaguefanatic