Hartlepool United are delighted to announce that Blackburn Rovers are heading to the Suit Direct Stadium for a pre-season fixture. The fixture will take place on July 20th (7.30pm KO). The former Premier League champions finished eighth in the Championship last season, narrowly missing out on the play-offs.
Based in Lancashire, Rovers have a long history of playing at the top of the football pyramid, winning the Premier League in 1995 and the League Cup in 2002. Their aspirations of Premier League football have led them to part company with manager Tony Mowbray, with a new man at the helm likely to be in place by the time they roll into Hartlepool.
Recent history between the sides shows a handful of players that have featured for both. Former Pools loanees Tyler Magloire, Tom White, and Eddie Nolan have both been on the books at Blackburn, while former Pools player and manager Craig Hignett played for Blackburn in their League Cup win.
Pools are unbeaten against Blackburn, though both previous fixtures were in 1974. The Pools side, led by Ken Hale, drew 1-1 at The Victoria Ground after Malcolm Moore’s goal, and the side were 2-1 victors in the reverse fixture thanks to strikes from George Potter and Kevin McMahon.
Ticketing details will be released in due course, along with the rest of our pre-season fixture schedule.