Victoria Park Saturday, April 15th, 1989 k/o 03:00   Fourth Division Attendance: 2,355       Hartlepool United 2-2 Tranmere Rovers
1988 /89

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One word sums this sombre day up Hillsbourgh. I had to find my own way into football as my familly werent followers, so although my first game was Tranmere and my passion from 1988. From 1984 to 1987/8 Liverpool were my first team indeed i had a season ticket in 1985/6 or 86/7? and travelled to a number of away games with them including the 1987 Littlewoods cup Final against Arsenal at Wembley. The swing came in the summer of 88 and in my eyes i had a realistic chance of getting a ticket for the ill faited Fa cup semi but chose to go to Hartlepool instead. The first memory of the day was the coaches being stopped and searched for booze on the outskirts of the town and i remember people saying how over the top strict the yorkshire police were although looking back geographically it must have been the teeside bobbies they did find one can smuggled up someones sleeve and we were told the coach driver would receive a heavy fine as a result. The next memory was being stopped from taking my camera into the ground and having to take it back to the coach. Ironically this visit in terms of the ground was my favorite visit here situated in an open terrace with good views of the ground on a sunny day the opposite end from the current horrible away end (one of my least favourites) Steel and Muir ensured a share of the points i remember being stood at the front of the terrace next to a fellow supporter Andy Davies when a passing policeman brought up the conversation saying a stand had collapsed andy said has anyone died to which i replied don''t be daft it won''t be that bad... The coach journey home was completed in utter silence from the Rovers fans with just the unfurling events being relayed by the coach radio. R.I.P the 96