Football is the heart in the town of Hartlepool, people of all ages play the sport at grass roots level and beyond.
With several youth teams and academies in the town there is plenty of teams for young children to learn the game and eventually turn professional if they are dedicated.
Here are ten footballers born in the town of Hartlepool that turned professional:
10) Ryan Brobbel
Although born in Hartlepool, Brobbel started his career with Middlesbrough, progessing through their ranks but never made a debut for the first team.
He spent a season out on loan with York City in the 2013/14 season, then was loaned to Hartlepool United in 2014/15.
The winger played 17 times through the season and following the season he was released by Boro.
His career somewhat fizzled out and he dropped out of the professional game playing for Darlington, Whitby Town and now over in Wales with The New Saints.
9) Matty Dolan
Similarly to Brobbel, Dolan started his career with Middlesbrough and joined Pools on loan, this time in the 2013/14 season - scoring twice in 24 games.
Dolan went on to have a successful career in the lower leagues, playing for Bradford City and Yeovil Town.
Now at just 28, Dolan has played for Newport County for four years now and has made a great name for himself in League Two.
8) Michael Brown
A tough hard tackling midfielder, who played for many teams at the top level, Brown went to High Tunstall Secondary school and played for the county.
He was scouted by Manchester City, who signed him and he went on to make his debut in 1995 - was loaned to Hartlepool United in 1997 and played six times scoring once.
Brown played over 100 games for Manchester City, then dropped down a level, playing four and a half seasons with Sheffield United.
He went on to play for Tottenham, Fulham, Wigan, Portsmouth and Leeds - Brown dropped down to League One, as his career was coming to an end, with Port Vale in 2014.
After a very successful career Brown retired in 2017 after a stint as player-manager at his final club.
7) Andrew Taylor
The first player to never actually play for Hartlepool United, Taylor started with Middlesbrough in 2005 and went on to become a member of their squad.
A left back by trade, Taylor played 145 games across six seasons, he moved to Cardiff in 2011 and then to Wigan and then Bolton with a few loans in there.
After the 2018/19 he was released by Bolton and was linked with a move to Pools as they needed a left back but the move never happened and he decided to retire at just 32 years of age.
6) Jonathan Mitchell
Like Taylor, Mitchell has never played for Hartlepool United, he started his career with Newcastle United.
A goalkeeper, he never played for the first team and signed for Derby in 2014 - Mitchell has only played five games for the Rams only in the cup games.
Still at Derby as of this season, he has spent time on loan including this season, where he made the most appearances for one club being Northampton Town's first choice this season.
5) Bryn Morris
Morris has also never played for Pools, like a lot of players in this list he started his career with Middlesbrough.
During his time with Boro he was involved in the England youth team set ups, playing up until the under 20 side.
He played three games for Boro and after a series of loans he moved on to Shrewsbury in 2016 - he played 43 games in two seasons.
Morris moved to Portsmouth in 2018, but could not quite break into the side and spent this season with fellow Hartlepool lad Mitchell with Northampton Town.
4) Harry Chapman
A winger, Chapman rose through the ranks at Middlesbrough, never playing for Pools and played four cup games for Boro.
Success has seemed to follow him wherever he goes his first loan spell with Barnsley in 2014 brought the EFL trophy and promotion to the Championship via the play offs.
In a fourteen game spell the following season with Sheffield United he won League One and was runner up with Blackburn on loan next season who signed him permanently in 2019.
In 2017 he also won the World cup with England Under 20s, after playing for the Under 18 squad previously.
Still with Blackburn now, Chapman has found it hard to break into the side but surely has made an impact on loan at Shrewsbury were he found the net seven times.
3) Steve Fletcher
The first player to start his career for their home town club, Fletcher made his breakthrough in the 1990/91 season - playing 41 times and scoring six goals.
Fletcher was a strong target man type forward and in 1992 he moved to Bournemouth where he would go on to be a club legend and record appearance holder.
He had 19 seasons for the Cherries in his lengthy career and even now has a stand named after him - he still works at the club following his retirement in 2013 as a first team coach.
Born in Hartlepool, made in Bournemouth.
2) Peter Hartley
A commanding, natural centre half, Hartley made his debut for Sunderland in 2006 and that was his only appearance for his first club.
In 2009, he rejected a contract and decided to sign for his home town club Hartlepool United.
He played for four seasons with Pools and was a vital part of the defence, becoming captain in 2012 and that season scored along with James Poole to spell out the name of the club.
After Pools' relegation to League Two in 2013 he signed for Stevenage to remain in the division and then to Plymouth Argyle, Bristol Rovers and Blackpool.
He made a name for himself with Motherwell despite just playing 48 games, becoming captain.
Hartley was released last year, due to injury problems and signed for Jamshedpur over in the Indian Super League - where he still plays.
1) Adam Boyd
The only player born in Hartlepool who would go on to be a true club legend with his home town team during his two spells.
Playing for St. Francis and going to Manor College of Technology secondary school Boyd signed for Hartlepool at the fairly old age of 16 in 1998.
He quickly progressed to the first team and played 173 games and scored 60 goals, 29 of those came in the 2004/05 season were Pools had their best ever season and almost got into the Championship in the play-off final.
But after this season he picked up an injury and found himself out of favour, moving to Luton Town and then Leyton Orient.
He returned home in 2009, but was not quite the same player and lasted three seasons until he was released and he did not play for another professional club.
Comments