Hartlepool United FC is an English football team from the town of Hartlepool County Durham. The club was founded in 1908 as Hartlepools United Football Athletic Company. They applied to join the Football League on a number of occasions; however their proximity to Sunderland, Newcastle United and Middlesbrough led to these applications being rejected. In 1921 a Third Division North was created with Hartlepool as one of the founder members. Hartlepool spent most of of the subsequent years fighting against re—election and by the late 1950s playing in the newly created fourth Division.  Their fortunes improved dramatically under the management of Brian Clough and in 1968, the season after Clough's departure, they managed to finish the season in 3rd place winning promotion to the third division for the first time in their history - they lasted only one season however before being relegated once more.  In 1968 the "s" and the "United" were dropped from the team name of "Hartlepools United". The appendage of "United" was finally restored in 1977.More years fighting relegation followed but the twentieth first century saw an improvement in the club’s fortunes.  They reached the play-offs three times in succession (1990-2002) before winning automatic promotion in second place in 2003. Against all expectation they  continued to challenge for promotion, reaching the play-offs again in 2004 and 2005 before relegation in 2006 took them  back into the basement, now known as League Two. In 1 January 2007 the club equalled the all-time Football League record of consecutive wins without conceding a goal in route to promotion to Division One where they remained until 2012-13. For the next few seasons Hartlepool were involved in relegation battles before relegation to the National League at the end of the 2016-17 season. After four years they returned to the Football League via the play-offs.  The club survived only two seasons before they were once again relegated to the National League during the 2022-23 season. Hartlepool play their home games at Victoria Park, which is situated on the town's Clarence Road.