Hartlepool United

Exclusive: New Hartlepool United owner Landon Smith eyed Pools pride for 16 years

Hartlepool United’s new American owner Landon Smith was given a hero’s welcome at Victory Park yesterday before revealing he first learned about the club almost two decades ago via an internet deep-dive.

by
The Non-League Football Paper Team
18 January 2026

New Hartlepool United owner Landon Smith

By Paul Fraser

Hartlepool United’s new American owner, Landon Smith, was given a hero’s welcome at Victory Park yesterday before revealing he first learned about the club almost two decades ago via an internet deep-dive.
The 40-year-old, from Iowa, has spent his first full week at the club since officially taking over the National League outfit from Ray Singh on New Year’s Eve.
With the USA’s Stars and Stripes flag waving in the wind in one corner, Smith was paraded in front of a packed Victoria Park.
Thousands of stayaway fans returned to watch the televised Altrincham game following previ...

Continue reading...

Access all our premium content from as little as 14p per day!

Already a subscriber to our website? Login

Read our latest news on any of these social networks!

Tackle the News

- Sign Up for our weekly Non-League Newsletter

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.

Your subscription has been successful.

More in Hartlepool United

Nicky Featherstone to leave Hartlepool United manager role at the end of the season

Hartlepool United owner and chairman Landon Smith thanked Nicky Featherstone for his “commitment and contribution” as manager after the club confirmed he will leave his role at the end of the season.
Boreham Wood 3-0 Hartlepool United: Matt Rush fires Luke Garrard’s side to victory

A superb second-half hat-trick from top scorer Matt Rush handed promotion hopefuls Boreham Wood a comprehensive victory to end Hartlepool United’s play-off hopes.
Scunthorpe United 0-0 Hartlepool United: Iron book a ticket to Play-Offs

By Chris Sumpter SCUNTHORPE UTD 0 HARTLEPOOL UTD 0 Scunthorpe secured their place in the National League play-offs despite being held to a Good Friday stalemate by stubborn Hartlepool United. The Iron lacked the necessary quality to breach a visiting defence that shipped seven goals in midweek. But boss Andy...
Hartlepool United 0-1 FC Halifax Town: Happy Will Harris haunts Pools

White-hot Will Harris returned to his native north-east in style to breathe a new lease of life into FC Halifax Town’s play-off chances.