Hartlepool United fans reveal the fancy dress theme for their last away day of the 2024/25 season, which is a trip down to Rochdale.
Flat caps is the fancy dress theme for the National League game, which will take place on Saturday the 26th of April.
Hartlepool currently sit 11th with 56 points from 43 games played, Rochdale meanwhile are in the playoffs, sitting 5th with 67 points.
Our fancy dress theme for our final away game of the season has been revealed ⚠️
We’re asking supporters to join us wearing flat caps at next week’s fixture at Rochdale 🧢
— Hartlepool United FC (@Official_HUFC) April 17, 2025
CLUB STATEMENT:
Hartlepool United would like to update supporters on the theme of this year’s fancy dress outfit for our final away game of the season.
It’s that time of the season again, and 15 years on, there is still the appetite amongst Poolies to have a good time and show other clubs what our fans are about.
Supporters have travelled to Walsall, Bristol Rovers, Brentford, Charlton, Crawley, Tranmere, Barrow, Plymouth, Dorking, Carlisle, Cheltenham and Scunthorpe across the years in fancy dress.
Costumes have included Where’s Wally, Oompa Lumpa’s, Morris Dancers, Storm Troopers, Smurfs, mime artists, Blues Brothers, Bob Marley, penguins, clowns, thunderbirds, doctors and knights.
Supporters have always added colour, fun, enthusiasm and anticipation to our final away games of the season.
Cost and availability are always a consideration and for this season, a flat cap army will be cheap, cheerful and bring a sense of nostalgia back to the terraces, whilst helping charity shops around the town raise some much needed funds.
What goes on below the cap is open to the imagination, from Andy Capp to Peaky Blinders, Catherine Cookson or Likely Lads.
If supporters could don a flat cap at our fixture at Rochdale on April 26, it would continue to celebrate a fantastic Poolie tradition.
Like many fans across the country, Hartlepool have kept up with the tradition of going to away games in fancy dress, but having previously a big impression in previous years for travelling in large numbers while in matching fancy dress, every season everyone wants to know what the theme is.
ongoing for over 15 years and garners national attention. The tradition involves hundreds, sometimes over 1,000 supporters donning matching outfits, creating quite spectacle on their away days.
Notable past themes include:
2025: Flat caps for the trip to Rochdale, evoking nostalgia and supporting local charity shops.
2024: The Blues Brothers (black suits, shades, trilby hats) for Dorking Wanderers.
2023: Cowboys and cowgirls at Stockport County, chosen via a fan poll after initial cancellation due to relegation.
2022: Doctors and nurses at Scunthorpe United, honoring the NHS post-pandemic.
2019: Medieval knights at Barrow, tied to St George’s Day.
2018: Clowns at Tranmere Rovers.
2017: Mime artists at Cheltenham Town.
2016: Star Wars Stormtroopers at Plymouth Argyle.
2015: Bob Marley-inspired outfits at Carlisle United, though warned by Kick It Out against “blacking up.”
2014: Thunderbirds at Plymouth Argyle.
2013: Penguins at Crawley Town.
2012: Smurfs at Charlton Athletic.
2011: Oompa Loompas at Charlton Athletic.
2010: Where’s Wally? at Brentford.
2009: Morris dancers at Bristol Rovers.
The tradition, often organised by fan groups like The Hart of Our Club 1908, was paused in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Fans, including veterans like Ron Harnish (participating since 1987), embrace the event for its camaraderie and positive reception from host clubs and locals.
Despite occasional setbacks, like the team’s relegation or a 5-0 loss as Stormtroopers in 2016, the festive spirit persists, with supporters and players mutually celebrating the occasion.
This year’s flat cap theme at Rochdale, continues the legacy, with fans encouraged to share photos and videos to keep the tradition’s visibility high.
Social media users gave their reaction as Hartlepool fans reveal fancy dress theme for the last away day of the 2024/25 season…
@durhamchris1983: Clearly running out of ideas now
@hufc_paul: Clearly running out of ideas 🤣
@adam_garrington: That’s absolutely bobbins. 🤦♂️
@paulkeay: Fancy dress peaked with the Smurfs on the London Underground or the Penguins at Crawley.
@OllyP80: Think this is class tbh. Can’t wait to walk through Rochdale town centre as a peaky blinder
@BLewis2023: Jesus lads couldn’t of you thought of anything better
@Smudger_14: What a load of dross! How long did that take you to come up with? 💀
@dp60rdy: Must of had your thinking cap on to come up with that idea 💡
Andrew Byers: Think people are forgetting the costs of going to the game in fancy dress, ticket, food and drink 🤷. This helps keep costs down and easy for everyone to get involved, I suppose
Toby Cummins: Only fools and horses would of been better like
David Jones: I thought we would of put more imagination in to our last game fancy dress then just flat caps;
Jason Lee: Like that, I’d love to wear and look like those back in the old days. Give me a top hat
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