retired_grimmy

Braian Clough received Manager of the Year for League One.

In his 1st season back in management for 10 years, this was more than anyone ever expected. Speaking exclusively to the club website, Clough made a statement.

"I took this position less than a year ago, my aim was to be build a squad capable of challenging for the title next season. I felt we lacked a little quality and aimed to bring some experienced professionals to the club. With Eoin Jess and Dale Watkins, I managed that before the season kicked off. I strongly believe without these 2 players, we would not have been promoted. Dale scored 22 goals in 41 games, joint top scorer with Williams. Jess scored 18 from midfield, which in itself, is a tremendous achievement, which has earnt him the Player of the year award".

"I would also like to thank Keigan Parker. He joined us in January and went on to score 15 goals in 20 appearances, that byme reckoning is outstanding and I cannot wait to work with him again next season".

retired_grimmy

Season 2005 – 2006

Once the realisation and shock had finally cooled, Brian knew that this year was to be probably his toughest ever. He had a squad good enough for League one, but the Championship was to be a whole different ball game.

After a chat with Mr Hodcroft, the chairman, a spending budget of £100k was to be spent wisely and help battle relegation. Clough wasn’t surprised that the purse strings were kept tight but how was he to keep an average team up? Everybody knew they were out of their depth but the Chairman would not budge.
The only way to make some cash available, was to sell the only decent players he really had. Much to the fans dismay Jess was sold to Plymouth for £85k and goalkeeping sensation Provett was sold for £180k to Watford. He also lost back up ‘keeper Dimitrios on a free and let go reserve team player Fox for nothing.

Clough then set about the bargain basement, his number one priority being a 2 new goalies as there were now none in the 1st team squad. Iain Turner was signed from Everton for £80k and Tony Caig was found in the local bar. With the sticks sorted out, he now needed to replace the departedJess. A quick call to Bryan Robson and Artim Sakiri was signed for £70k. He now had a highly experienced playmaker back on the books. Mark Hughes and Keiran McKenna were snapped up after being released by Spurs and the squad was looking slightly stronger. Still not satisfied, he was out hunting for a few more re-enforcements. Alan Stubbs, Mark Rivers, Bjorn and Lionel Morgan were also snapped up after being released from the clubs. In the space of two days, Clough had snapped up 9 new players.

The 1st team squad now compromised of the following:

Keepers

Tony Caig 31 and nearly 300 league appearances, would make a good back up.

Iain Turner 21, 63 professional appearances to his name but would be the Number 1


Defenders

Westwood, Barron, Craddock, Nelson, Robertson and Ross had severed the cull and still on the books.

Alan Stubbs The only new defender, vastly experienced and still more than capable of being a class act. New Skipper.


Midfield

Bjorn 31 year old defensive midfielder. He had been at Werder Bremen for the last 9 years, having made 240 appearances for them. Would battle Tinkler for the holding role.

Mark Rivers Snapped up from Norwich, he would be the new Right sided winger.

Kieran McKenna Still only 19 and regarded by many as a hot prospect for the future. Would provide ample cover for Rivers.

Mark Hughes 21 years old and also a good back up player, one for the future.

Lionel Morgan 22 and an excellent talent. He had been coveted by clough for the last 12 months but a bad injury meant he was unable to sign until now. Would challenge Humphreys for the left of midfield.

Artim Sakiri Age 31, still had a couple of years left. Macedonia international would be the perfect replacement for Jess.

Clark, Robson, Tinkler and Strachan were still also on the books.


Strikers

Parker Signed for £70k in the January transfer window is now the hottest property outside of the premiership. A price tag if £1.5m and attracting lots of interest.

Williams, Watkins, Porter, and King would all be vying for the chance to partner Parker.

retired_grimmy

Worried that his new signings would need time to gel, Clough hastily arranged 6 friendly games in 3 weeks, 5 away and 1 home game. This should get help see how far we still have to go.


2 Wins, 2 draws and 2 losses were to be the outcomes. Only 5 goals were managed and 6 were conceded. This was to prove a real headache for Clough, he had only limited funds available still but really a new centre half was needed. He called up Tommy Miller and packed him off to Scandinavia to begin his quest. The lack of goals did not bother him, he knew his strikers were good enough.


So with the friendlies out of the way, the 1st game of the season was upon us.

retired_grimmy

[b]August 2005[b]

Hull City 3
Hartlepool United 2

Fellow promotion winners Hull City were hosting Pool.
The two encounters previously had been tight and this was to prove the case again.
Pool took the lead after only 4 minutes Sakiri unleashing a 2o yard pile drive into the top corner. Hull then started to take control of the game, forcing Turner into numerous saves. Sam Parkin finally broke the resolve and equalised on 39 minutes with a brilliantly worked team move that included 15 passes. Half time came and clough left things as they were but soon after Nick Barmby, the well travelled former Spurs man, scored a delightful lob to give Hull the lead. That only lasted 2 minutes as Parker headed home a Humphreys corner. Clough made a change, replacing Williams with Michael Nelson, a defensive move that went wrong 65 seconds later. Elliott picked up the ball on the left wing, beat Nelson and fired home from the edge of the box.

It was a case of opening day blues for the second season running.

Hartlepool United 1
Sheffield United 4


Francis gave The Blades a lead after 18 minutes and it wasn’t until the 2nd half Pool had their 1st shot at goal but it went in! Rivers scored his 1st for the club after 64 minutes. Then disaster struck, Stubbs put through his own net with 10 minutes left on the clock, with time running out, Clough gambled and started pushing players forward. It backfired, Sidwell and Paddy Kenny, The Blades keeper, scored the goals. Kenny had the ball in his hands and kicked the ball up field only for it to bounce over the ‘keepers head and into the net.

Two games and two defeats, things were not looking to rosy.

Wigan Athletic 2
Hartlepool United 2

Sakiri and Williams gave pool a 2-0 lead inside of 20 minutes and looked to be cruising. Roberts scored for the hosts midway through the first half and then Stubbs gave away a penalty, Graham promptly scored. A 2nd half penalty miss by Parker cost pool all 3 points


Hartlepool United 6
Ipswich Town 2

Hartlepool seemed to finally find the little slice of luck they needed. Williams ran the game from start to finish, scoring 4 and setting up two for Stubbs and Parker respectively. Bowditch sandwiched a brace after Robertson was dismissed for 2 bookings.


Hartlepool United 0
Notts County 0

League cup game, Clough played his reserves and thy conquered 2-1 on penalties. A dull game.


Sunderland 2
Hartlepool United 2

Local derby and a dramatic game ensued. Kevin Kyle got the hosts off to an excellent start, 2 minutes on the clock when he headed home an Arca corner. Williams snatched an equaliser against the run of play on 42 minutes, taking his tally to 5 goals in 2 games. Parker scored halfway through the 2nd half and Sunderland began to exert all of the pressure. The backline held out brilliantly until 85 minutes, Piper slammed home from 15 yards.


Hartlepool United 1
Preston 2

A home defeat in which proved to be Humphreys last game for the club. It was he who gave pool the lead on 38 minutes, a terrific cross come shot flew into the bottom corner. Lynch and Jackson earner Preston the points in a one-way 2nd half.

August had finished, Humphreys joined Sheffield United for £375k, an offer too good to turn down.

The same day, Jobi McAnuff signed from Cardiff for £140k.

shannon2007

Well done on the promotion, good luck on getting that new job :thup:

retired_grimmy

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Peacemaker7:
Well done on the promotion, good luck on getting that new job :thup: <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Cheers PM, it's a nightmare

retired_grimmy

September 2005

Hartlepool United 2
Burnley 0

A goal in either half from Parker and Sakiri settled this game. Hartlepool dominated from start to finish.

Reading 3
Hartlepool United 1

Parker opened the scoring on 20 minutes with a well worked goal.
Pool were destroyed by an explosive 25 minute 2nd half hat-trick from Dave Kitson

LEAGUE CUP 2nd Round

Hartlepool United 2
Portsmouth 2

Parker and Morgan had given Cloughs men the lead only for reserve keeper Haig to throw through his own net and give Pompey a lifeline. They dually equalised with 4 minutes to go, Yakubu pounced on poor defensive work. The game went to Penalties, Pool winning 2-0.


Hartlepool United 1
Queens Park Rangers 3

A second successive 3-1 defeat in the league had Clough thinking of new tactics. [b]McAnuff[/] got Hartlepool’s only goal.


Stoke 0
Hartlepool United 0

A dull game, with only 3 shots registered between both sides. Clough’s 5-4-1 seemed to stem the flow of goals conceded on the road.


October 05

Hartlepool United 1
Coventry City 1

Parker opened the scoring on 28 mins with a well worked team move. Graham Barrett equalised on the stroke of half time.


Crystal Palace 2
Hartlepool United 1

League leaders Palace fell behind after only 10 minutes, Williams scored a screamer from the edge of the box. Palace then showed their class scoring to without reply in the 2nd half.


[b]Hartlepool United 4/b]
Rotherham United 2

Parker 2, Williams and Sakiri put Pool 4 up inside 60 minutes. Late consolation strikes from Dion Dublin and Michael Proctor were not enough for Ronnie Moore’s merry men.


LEAGUE CUP 3rd ROUND

Hartlepool United 3
Nottingham Forest 1

Brian Clough’s old team took the lead on 33 minutes, new signing Lee Miller scoring a dream debut goal. It only lasted 3 minutes before Pool were back level, Williams hitting straight back. 2nd half goals from Sakiri and Parker settled the tie.


West Ham United 0
Hartlepool United 2

After a dull 1st half strike duo Parker and Williams settled this game. Two fine individual efforts.

retired_grimmy

November 05

Hartlepool United 1
Norwich City 0

The 1st home game of November extended the unbeaten run to 4 games. Lionel Morgan netted a stinger from 18 yards to secure the points.


Plymouth Argyle 4
Hartlepool United 1

Hartlepool’s unbeaten record came tumbling down with an emphatic defeat and bottom of the table Plymouth. A late consolation from Williams was Pool’s one and only effort on target.


Hartlepool United 2
Wolverhampton Wanderers 0

Brian Clough’s men bounced straight back from the defeat at Home Park to see of Wolves. Williams and the on loan Aaron Lennon netting the goals in a one sided game.


Hartlepool United 4
Everton 1

A fine team performance shocked title chasing Everton. Parker started the rout before McFadden equalised. Lennon 2 and Nelson finished off the Toffees.


Hartlepool United 1
Leeds United 0

A dull game until 3 minutes into stoppage time, Jobi McAnuff snatched the points in an evenly fought contest.


Millwall 1
Hartlepool United 3

Tinkler, Parker and Sakiri put the game beyond any doubt, Hearn netted a late goal for the lions/


Unbeaten in 4, Cloughs men were looking to end November on a high in the League Cup

LEAGUE CUP 4th ROUND

Hartlepool United 0
Aston Villa 3

The premiership opposition rang rings through the Hartlepool defence and had it not been for Turner, it could have been more.


December 05

Gillingham 1
Hartlepool United 3

Parker and Tinkler had Pool 2 up before Danny Spiller bought the Gills back into the game. Williams netted 15 minutes from time to secure a 5 game unbeaten league run.


Hartlepool United 3
Swindon Town 0

The fine run continued at home to fellow promotionees Swindon. Sakiri 2 and Williams knocked in the goals. Sitting pretty in the top half of the table, the press speculation of how long it would last was beginning to mount.


Watford 1
Hartlepool United 1

A closely contested game saw Watford take the lead with only 10 minutes left, Bouazza scoring a fluke from 40 yards. Clough took off Tinkler and threw on the tired Williams and he struck with 30 seconds remaining to snatch a point.


Hartlepool United 0
Derby County 0

Boring game

Hartlepool United 0
Hull City 0

Another boring game.


Ipswich Town 2
Hartlepool United 2

Ipswich were to host the last game of 2005 and were certainly looking for payback to avenge the 6-2 loss in Hartlepool.
Sakiri gave Pool the lead after 18 minutes, scoring from 15 yards out after Lennon’s cutback. Bowditch equalised 10 minutes later and the scores were level at the halfway stage. Parker had Clough’s men back in the lead on the hour mark to continue his good scoring record. Bowditch again equalised soon after for a share of the spills.

retired_grimmy

January 06

10 games unbeaten had seen Cloughs men sitting in 8th place going into the new year.

Sheffield United 2
Hartlepool United 2

Lester and Sidwell had given the Blades a 2-0 lead going into half time but Pool showed great character and fightback with 2 goals from Parker sharing the honours.

West Bromwich Albion 3
Hartlepool United 0

Bad day – don’t want to talk about it.

Hartlepool United 0
Wigan Athletic 0

An evenly contested game finished goalless with little separating either side.


Hartlepool United 2
Sunderland 0

Goals from Parker and McAnuff either side of half time bought 3 welcome points to Victoria Park.

Preston North End 1
Hartlepool United 0

Another close encounter went the way of the home side. Lynch scored after 30 minutes and Pool never look liked scoring from then on.


FEBRUARY 05

Burnley 1
Hartlepool United 1

Parker scored after 13 minutes with a brilliantly worked counter attack. Derbyshire levelled the game 5 minutes before half time. The game drifted away after the break.


Hartlepool United 2
Reading 0

Parker and Porter secured the win with goals straight from the training ground.

QPR 2
Hartlepool United 2

Morgan and Sakiri put Pool up after only 18 minutes before 4th place QPR decided to spoil the Hartlepool fun. Rowlands and Pembridge scored after the break and were unlucky not to add to their tally.


Hartlepool United 1
Crystal Palace 1

Two goals in two minutes shared the points. Derry opened the scoring for Palace before Morgan levelled straight after. Palce were now 15 points clear at the top.


Hartlepool United 1
Stoke City 2

Dean Marney was signed from Spurs for £300k and marked his debut for a 25 yard beauty. Sadly that was the only ray of light in this one sided game. Stoke scored on half timer and then a penalty was conceded by Stubbs, Brammer finished it off.


MARCH 06

Coventry City 0
Hartlepool United 1

Sakiri scored a late winner in this smash and grab victory. Coventry were by far the better side for 90 minutes and were left cursing several misses.


Rotherham United 0
Hartlepool United 1

Parker netted the only goal of the game after 18 minutes. Soon after Lennon was sent off and Pool saw out the game with 6 in defence.


Hartlepool United 3
West Ham United 0

Parker 2 and Sakiri pen showed too much class for the struggling West Ham side.


Norwich City 2
Hartlepool United 2

City were 2 up inside 30 minutes before late goals from Parker and McAnuff shared the points.


Hartlepool United 1
Plymouth Argyle 1

Quashie opened the scoring after only 15 minutes with a 20 yard free kick. Parker was bought down in the box by the goal scorer 10 minutes into the second half. The fouled man netted from the spot.

retired_grimmy

APRIL 06

Leeds United 3
Hartlepool United 0

Three 1st half goals were enough to sink Brian Clough’s 6th placed team. The fellow promotion hopefuls were just a class apart on this day.


Hartlepool United 1
Gillingham 1

Another draw for Hartlepool was good enough to keep them in the promotion hunt. Darren Byfield scored after 77 minutes to give the visitors the lead, Lionel Morgan struck a late equaliser. A game where both ‘keepers were in outstanding form.


Hartlepool United 0
Millwall 0

A very one sided game for the visitors, they were unlucky not to take all the points. Pool keeper Iain Turner was in supreme form, thwarting everything that came his way.


Everton 5
Hartlepool United 1

Already promoted, Everton proved too strong for Hartlepool. Bent, Kilbane, McFadden and a Vaughan brace showed how big a gap the premiership would be. Parker’s consolation was little solace for Clough’s amateurs.


Swindon Town 0
Hartlepool United 1

A Keigan Parker penalty two minutes into the 2nd half condemned Swindon to relegation a year after they arrived with Hartlepool. A very sad afternoon for the Swindon fans. Clough could only sympathise with the home crowd, it was a feeling he knew all too well.


Watford 0
Hartlepool United 0

The home side were very fortunate to come away with a point. Hartlepool turned up knowing a win would leave them on the verge of securing a play off place. However, young Jim Provett, the ‘keeper sold by Clough in the summer, was on hand to deny his former team mates.

MAY 06

The final game of the season……..

Derby 0
Hartlepool United 0

Needing a win to secure playoff status, a dull game ensued. Derby had nothing to play for and just soaked the game up, playing 5 in the middle. Brian Clough’s men just could not break down Derby’s resilience.

There was an anxious wait, the Sunderland score came through, Pool had filled the last playoff position. The fans were going wild.



PLAYOFF SEMI

Having drawn both games this season, it was to prove a tricky, well fought tie over two legs.

Hartlepool United 2
Wigan Athletic 2

The third draw in succession was played out. Wigan twice had the lead, Graham and Ashton scoring the goals. Again, Pool showed their spirit and tenacity with goals from Williams and Parker before the latter saw red for two bookable offences.


With Parker suspended and a difficult away trip, Clough went with a 4-2-3-1 formation, hoping to break on the counter attack.

Wigan Athletic 0
Hartlepool United 2

This was another strangely equal game, both sides registering 11 shots, 4 on target and 7 off. It was Hartlepool that made the chances count, Clarke and Watkins, two unlikely heroes, were the match winners.