Two Hartlepool United fans at Hartlepool College of Further Education stepped up to help repair the beloved Centenary Wall at The Prestige Group Stadium.
The Wall was damaged by fierce storms last October and the Club knew it holds deep emotional significance for supporters.
Two members of the brickwork team at the College, Lee Boyd and Andy O’Brien, are huge Pools fans and they meticulously replaced the damaged brick slips, ensuring the wall was restored to its former glory.
John Cartwright, head of business growth and skills at the College, said: “Through our partnership with Hartlepool United, we were happy to be able to carry out some repair work to the Centenary Wall.
“The brick slips are full of people’s sentimental memories, with tributes that are cherished by so many, so it is fantastic to see the restoration near the away entrance at the ground.
“As well as installing many new slips, Andy and Lee were able to clean some of the undamaged brick slips and secure them all back on the masonry wall. It looks great once again.”
The project received additional support from Intaglio Creative, who generously provided replacement bricks free of charge. Director Kevin O’Brien, based in Merseyside, and his Hartlepool-rooted family played a key role in facilitating this donation.
The restoration is testament to community spirit, ensuring that the Centenary Wall continues to stand as a cherished memorial for generations to come.
Rose Stoker, Hartlepool United’s Commercial and Operations director, expressed her delight at the Wall’s restoration and praised the collaborative effort with the College.
Rose said: “We’re delighted to restore our Centenary Wall back to its former state following a horrible accident with heavy weather conditions in October.
“The Centenary Wall holds huge emotional and sentimental significance to the Club and fans alike – as a place with the names of many fans, former players and managers recorded for families and supporters to pay their respect since 2008.
“Our strong partnership with the College has enabled us to rebuild the Wall smoothly and efficiently.
“Also, a huge thank you to Kevin from Intaglio Creative, who approached us immediately after the damage to offer their services to replace all damaged bricks, free of charge.
“Whilst Kevin is based in Merseyside, his wife’s family are from Hartlepool. The team have done a fantastic job and we’re glad to have repaired such a valuable and treasured display amongst supporters. We would like to thank everyone involved for their hard work and endeavour.”
The beloved brick slips on the Centenary Wall fell victim to the ferocious gales that arrived during Storm Babet. Many of the brick slips had been brought crashing down when gusts of up to 50mph hit the region along with up to 80mm of rain.
