Long-term Pools fan Richard Hegarty snapped up the 1000th Season Ticket for 2019/20 on Friday afternoon and Chairman Raj Singh presented it to him personally to mark the milestone.
A retired education advisor, Richard has been a Season Ticket holder for the last ten years but has been a regular both home and away for the last 60 years.
Listing the likes of Watty Moore, Ray Bilcliff and Norman Oakley among his favourite Pools players over the years, the Bishop Cuthbert resident still remembers his early trips to the Victoria Ground.
“If I am going to be totally honest, when I first started coming we used to go in to West Rugby Club and then climb over the fence in to the Town End!” he smiled.
“The early memories are of the very heavy ball, old-fashioned strips, muddy pitches and the old wooden stands – they were the good old days, though I won’t tell you about the toilets back then!
“My biggest memory is probably when we got promoted in 1968 – I was at Exeter on the Saturday and then went on to Swansea on the Monday night when we clinched promotion.
“I remember that I wasn’t well at all when we set-off on the Friday night and had to get off the bus to be sick – but it wasn’t going to stop me going even though it was such a long way.
“Pools supporters are the best in the country. I go to a lot of away games as well and they’re outstanding – the loyalty, the noise and, let’s be honest, the tolerance.
“We’ve never had the greatest of successes during the 60 years I’ve been watching but people still stick by the Club and the team so hopefully this is the year we get some more reward.”
As a senior, Richard was able to take advantage of the Club’s brilliant deal for Over 60s – meaning he paid just £150 for his 2019/20 Season Ticket, which works out at just £6.52 per game.
Sales have been fast and furious since the Club made Season Tickets available last month and we’ve reached four figures two days earlier than we did last summer.
“I always look forward to the new season,” admitted Richard, whose Grandad Tommy and Great Uncle Dick both played in the very first Pools team back in 1908.
“I was talking to someone the other day, debating whether we could get promotion or where we’d finish so the anticipation is growing and I am always optimistic that it will be our season.
“We’ve signed some good players but I would still like to see another couple of additions and hopefully another striker but the ones who have come in look great.
“People online on the websites and Facebook seem very positive about things and what is happening at the Club so hopefully we can have a really enjoyable season.”
Our Early Bird prices for Season Tickets remain in place until Friday 5th July so make sure you take advantage of some great deals and join the passion in 2019/20.
Click here for all the information you need on buying your Season Ticket.