A Letter To Ken Hodcroft

Vital Hartlepool member Jackystache has written this letter about the current state of HUFC.

Dear Ken,

I'm struggling to understand why you are staying so quiet in a time of much discontent. A time when the man you placed in charge has lost virtually all faith of the (non season ticket holding) paying public.

On Tuesday against Gillingham there must have only been approx 300 paying Hartlepool fans (at most) if you discount the season ticket holders, away fans and free tickets to schools etc.

I'm struggling to understand why the fans that do bother to attend have been allowed to be roundly criticised by the man in charge. Is this being filtered down by yourself? is it good business sense to lambast the paying public?

I'm struggling to understand where Hartlepool United go from this point. The crowd attendances are at their worst for 10 years, the apathy towards the club from fans is at its lowest since the dark days of the mid-nineties and I have witnessed many a dark day in my time, far more despondent than the relegation season of 2006.

I will not accept comments aimed towards fans from the DOS that 'some fans believe we should be world beaters' or that 'some think Jose Mourinho will just walk in and turn us into a Champions League side'. Those comments are distasteful and are far far removed from the realistic views of the majority of fans.

I do not believe the discontent is about money being spent by the club, the recession or anything else. The fans know we don't have money, we know times have been hard of late, it has NOTHING to do with that.

And further more, the fans aims are realistic. All we wish is to have hope. Hope we can survive on a shoestring, hope we can compete on a shoestring, hope of being POSITIVE, and always aiming for better.

That is all we wish.

Mr Hodcroft, you have often had poor relations with the fans, despite some of the sterling work that has been produced.

I ask you this. At a time when the club (in certain ways) has tried building bridges with fans via the schools/community type of schemes etc, why do you stay quiet, aloof, and do nothing to entice your paying customers back to the Vic?

We are in crisis in more ways than one and if you think I mean a change of DOS/manager will be enough to placate the fans then no, it requires a bit more than just that.

Communication, and listening to the paying customer is what is required. You have lost a lot of paying customers who are not going to be enticed back that easily. Time to have a rethink and build bridges.

Alienating the paying customer is a very bad business strategy any which way you look at it.

Regards,

Jackystache

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