The Hart of Our Club (HOOC) 1908 Blog

The Hart Of Our Club (HOOC) 1908 - #HUFC



The first blog of Making sense of wanted to discuss a big, ambitious, something that is a phenomenon and out of this world. So, we chose The Hart Of Our Club1908 (HOOC1908), as it’s the talk of the terraces, the town, and of that distant land of London. A truly remarkable story of how a small group (19) of committed and passionate friends create a movement that has touched so many people’s hearts and minds. This is more than being a fan, its being part of an extraordinary group of people who have created community on the terraces and in the seats.

How did it start? well we talked to one of the current drivers behind the scenes Paul Shears who said for me “Going to away games for over 30 years where he experienced an amazing feeling of camaraderie, togetherness and shared passion. Then you would bump into one of the lads at the mid-week game and they might not speak and have their heads down”. We decided to try & create in association with the football club a better fans experience on home match-days, trying to create the away game atmosphere at home.

Trustee John Pearson convinced me to come on-board with this Movement as this was really an evolvement of John’s hard work and dedication for the fans and club over the years placing us and keeping us firmly on the Football Map way beyond the annual fancy dress last away game of the season that some of you will know of John through. We have 3 Trustees & 16 Committee Members that input into the creation and the birth of The Hart Of Our Club 1908. This also involved taking over a disused space at the corner of the ground, developing a disused club house, bar and a community space, all in one that we run on matchdays as our base in association with the football club.

The immediate plan was to get the bar up and running so fans from all over the town could come and meet up and be together before & after the match rather than be spread all over in different areas of the town. Paul said, “We are solely funded by Sponsors & Fans individual monthly contributions into the HOOC1908 Community Interest Company (CIC) Bank Account where individuals have kindly set up monthly direct debits & standing orders to help our fund grow, where we spend solely back into the community trying to make a difference and also in association with the Football Club enhancing the Fans Match Day Experience. Our Trustees & committee members work endlessly in the community and bring new people & business interest into the ground”. HOOC1908 is starting to get the recognition it deserves lots of voluntary hard work has paid off, and the “away days” atmosphere is firmly being established at “home”.

The “Hart Of Our Club 1908”, beats loud, being heard far beyond the ground on match days. It can be felt during the week, with people talking at school, colleges, in their workplaces, in the street and obviously across social media. Hartlepool has recently become some Crystal Palaces fans second team, as Hartlepool have been the fans that made the biggest impression from visiting away fans at Selhurst Park for years.

Making sense of main ambition is to share an understanding in how we create wellbeing and positive mental health, this group of people are doing this on weekly by Mattering, creating value in people’s lives. That feeling of “if I don’t turn up, I’ll be missed and l’ll miss out on something special. Going to the match is a chance to celebrate being part of a community, being someone, being seen and valued. This is demonstrated by people celebrating, cheering, singing, hugging, and laughing together.

Riding on the back of Promotion back into the Football League and the birth of the Hart Of Our Club 1908, we have experienced the whole community coming together to make a difference, we have seen the difference we can make to each other’s lives. The Hart Of Our Club 1908 has demonstrated what we can do for each other, the experience generated by each other for each other. Paul said “We all feel we have a huge extended family these days…as young poolies are always in contact about what’s next for HOOC1908 & CLUB1908 & the next match, plus much more.

What have HOOC achieved (in addition to creating an amazing atmosphere and community) so far:

• HOOC1908 provide the ball boys and girls on a match day, taken from the Youth Alliance and local schools on rotation.

• We bring back past players and legends into the bar before the game for a brief Q&A to let them know their service to the club is recognised, appreciated and not forgotten, they then go up into the directors box, to enjoy the Clubs hospitality.

• We have re-located the foundation foodbank at the ground which was greatly appreciated by Keith Knobbs (Hartlepool Legend & Community Lead for HUFC community programme).

• We held a Christmas party for local children’s charities.

• The dementia support group and a veterans group are both also extremely pleased with their new surroundings.

• We are currently providing a covered shelter and enclosure for the people with a disabilities.

He said we also have 2 North West Corner Representatives within the HOOC1908 committee although they form part of a separate group, they are firmly behind our vision likewise we are theirs, them being with us and us being with them though acknowledging their own identify and belonging, this is respect in action look at the impact these guys have made in the stands and the electric atmosphere they create.

What’s next for the HOOC? Paul says the group have numerous up-coming Projects for the community fundraising working with different groups. “We now have school children, boys & girls, and non-football fans (if such a thing exists?) wanting to become a supporter, and more importantly part of the “Hart” movement” the message is being heard loud and clear in the community and what’s not to like about that!

The Club is firmly back on the map and the fans have come together and stayed together like I have never witnessed previously…..Together we are making a difference. Tears swell, hearts beat there is no stopping this group, the club and magnificent town and Supporters of Hartlepool United.

It was an honour to meet Paul, to witness the community of fans in actions and hear the ambition of a focused group of people.

#HartlepoolUnited #hartofourclub #HOOC1908 #HUFC #Poolies

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