Tomorrow, Victoria Park welcomes supporters back for the opening match of another National League season and, I have to admit, I cannot wait.

For supporters, this time of year brings a genuine sense of anticipation. There is excitement about seeing the team back on the pitch, optimism about what the months ahead might hold and the belief that, together, we can create something special.

It will be my first opening day as custodian of Pools and I feel incredibly privileged to be sharing it with you. Since taking stewardship of this remarkable football club, I have come to appreciate that Pools is about far more than football. It is built on loyalty, pride and an extraordinary connection with its town and its supporters.

As we prepare for the season ahead, I believe there is genuine momentum around the club. Momentum is not created by words. It is created by people who care, who work hard and who share a common purpose.

We have strengthened our football leadership, appointed a Head Coach and coaching staff who share our ambition, invested in recruitment and performance, launched an Under-21 Development Squad and rewarded talented Academy players with professional contracts.

Together, those decisions reflect our commitment to building a football club that competes today while planning for tomorrow. An enormous amount of work has gone into reshaping our football department, strengthening recruitment and assembling a squad capable of moving the football club forward.

While football will always be judged by what happens on the pitch, I have been equally encouraged by the progress taking place across the wider club. Our commercial and operations teams have embraced new challenges with energy, professionalism and ambition, strengthening existing partnerships, welcoming new businesses and driving higher standards and creating opportunities that will strengthen the long-term future of Pools.

Last month, Pools was represented at Fanatics Fest in New York, introducing the club to new audiences and beginning relationships that we hope will create further opportunities for the future. Our identity will always be rooted in Hartlepool, but our ambition should never be limited by geography. We will continue looking for opportunities that strengthen the football club while always remaining true to the community we proudly represent.

Closer to home, we have launched United in the Community, a new identity that better reflects the ambition of our charity and the work it delivers across Hartlepool. I have always believed a football club’s responsibility extends well beyond the final whistle. Through United in the Community we have the opportunity to support local people, inspire the next generation and strengthen the connection between the club and the town it proudly represents. That responsibility will remain central to our vision for the future.

The last six months have been an incredibly busy transition period for all, and I commend the work done off-field as much as that on-field. Over the coming weeks and months, we will continue developing our commercial and off-field operations as we move into the next phase of that plan.

One of the greatest privileges of becoming Owner has been seeing the people behind this football club. Across every department are individuals who care deeply about Pools and who come to work every day determined to leave the club stronger than they found it. Much of their work goes unseen, but it has been fundamental to the progress we have made and they deserve enormous credit for the momentum we are building together.

Across every area of the club, from our football department to United in the Community, there is a shared determination to raise standards, embrace new ideas and leave Pools stronger than we found it. More than any individual appointment or initiative, it is that collective commitment and buy-in which gives me pride and confidence for the season ahead and, indeed, the longer term.

I also want to personally thank our sponsors, partners and volunteers. Your continued belief in Pools allows us to be ambitious, invest for the future and continue building the football club we all want to see. On behalf of everyone at Pools, thank you for standing alongside us.

While there is every reason to feel optimistic, none of us should mistake momentum for achievement. We remain at the infancy of what we are building together, but that should excite us because there is still so much potential to unlock. I believe we now have stronger foundations and a clearer direction for the future. Together, those give me confidence that we can continue moving Hartlepool United forward.

Tomorrow, another chapter in the story of Pools begins. One of the first things I recognised when I came to Hartlepool was that this football club is always at its strongest when everyone pulls in the same direction. Owners, staff, players, volunteers, sponsors and supporters all have different roles, but we all share the same badge and the same ambition.

My hope is that we continue building that together, with supporters remaining the heartbeat of this football club and the players representing the badge with the pride, commitment and determination it deserves.

Thank you for believing in this football club, for continuing to hold us to the highest standards and for standing behind the people who represent it every single day. We will continue working tirelessly to justify that belief.

Let’s enjoy the season ahead and continue building the future of this remarkable football club together.

Up the Pools.

Landon Smith
Owner & Chairman
Hartlepool United Football Club