Hartlepool Chair Calls On Clubs To Ban Jeff Stelling From Boardrooms As Row Escalates

The broadcaster Jeff Stelling’s conflict pinch Hartlepool United has escalated, pinch nan chair, Raj Singh, penning to nan different National League clubs asking them to prohibition nan erstwhile Sky Sports presenter from their boardrooms.

Stelling resigned arsenic honorary president of Hartlepool successful May successful protestation astatine Singh’s handling of negotiations complete nan waste of nan club, which Singh had put connected nan marketplace much than 2 years earlier.

Singh appears to person deed backmost by seeking to guarantee that Stelling is denied hospitality astatine Hartlepool’s distant matches, which statesman astatine Yeovil connected Saturday.

“You whitethorn beryllium alert from media sum that Jeff Stelling has resigned arsenic Honorary President of Hartlepool United Football Club,” Singh wrote successful a missive sent past week and seen by nan Guardian. “As Chairman of Hartlepool United Football Club I would kindly and considerately inquire that Mr Stelling is truthful not provided pinch charismatic HUFC dignitary spaces successful your Board Room, aliases equivalent, for immoderate Hartlepool United fixture astatine your location ground.

“In nan improbable arena that Mr Stelling independently attends immoderate Hartlepool United fixture astatine your location ground, I’d further petition that you see to spot Mr Stelling separately to immoderate HUFC dignitaries aliases staff.”

Stelling resigned aft it became clear that a consortium’s projected takeover was not progressing. The group led by nan section businesswoman Shirley Hammond is understood to person grown disappointment that talks person stalled.

“I cognize this is only an honorary role, but it is nan champion measurement I felt I could protestation against nan curen of nan statement trying to return power of nan club,” Stelling said erstwhile he resigned. “Supporters person been near successful an intolerable position pinch a perceived threat to nan early of nan nine should they not support nan existent owner.”

Singh has since projected holding a ballot among season-ticket holders complete whether he should enactment successful charge, though that has yet to return place.

Stelling is simply a lifelong Hartlepool instrumentality who often utilized his position arsenic big of Sky Sports’ unrecorded scores and results programme, Soccer Saturday, which he presented for 29 years until 2023, to beforehand nan club. In 2016 he was appointed arsenic nan club’s honorary president successful spot of Peter Mandelson, who was MP for Hartlepool from 1992 to 2004.

Singh saved Hartlepool from liquidation erstwhile buying nan past League Two nine and investing £1.8m, but nan nine person struggled successful caller seasons. The Teesside-based care-home proprietor put nan nine up for waste aft their relegation from nan Football League astatine nan extremity of nan 2022-23 season.

Singh declined to comment, but a Hartlepool spokesperson told nan Guardian: “Since Mr Stelling nary longer holds immoderate position – honorary aliases different – successful nan club, but has indicated his volition to be distant games, nan nine has informed different clubs successful nan convention that he is not attending connected behalf of Hartlepool United Football Club.”

Stelling declined to comment.