League 2 Football Side Outline Political Position

English League 2 side Hartlepool United have entered into the spirit of today's election by suggesting: "Maybe it's time for a political change in Hartlepool?" in a statement on their official website.

The club posted the message yesterday, encouraging fans to vote and setting out its own position, which seems to suggest support for either the Conservatives or UKIP

"To-date we have had a Conservative candidate (Richard Royal) and UKIP (Phillip Brighton) attending games and showing current and future interest in the Club and potential support from a political point of view," the statement reads, before going on to criticise the area's incumbent Labour MP, Iain Wright.

"The current Hartlepool Labour MP has failed to support the Club on many occasions (as has the Labour Council).

"The MP failed to recognise that his immediate comments on certain issues regarding player transfers did not benefit this Club but, in the Club's opinion, were made for political gain."

Wright spoke strongly against the club signing convicted rapist Ched Evans when rumours suggested a deal was possible last year, saying Hartlepool would become a "pariah" if it took on the Welshman. Locally-born Wright is season ticket holder at the club.

The statement adds that fans can find details of other parties elsewhere on the site including the SNP, "but we assume they will have no influence over English football – but then again who knows!"

The club is owned by Increased Oil Recovery (IOR), an Aberdeen-based oil company. A report in the Sunday Times in 2010 highlighted Hartlepool United as one of 22 British clubs whose owners were based in 'tax havens' to avoid paying tax in Britain.

The full club statement can be read here