Hartlepool football clubs are mourning the loss of coach PC Matthew Blades, who died in a fatal collision on the A66, near Middlesbrough, on August 22.
What happened?
The crash occurred at around 3:40 am, involving a marked police vehicle and a Volkswagen Passat traveling in the wrong direction. PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, were among the seven people who died in the collision.
Tribute from FC Hartlepool
A FC Hartlepool spokesperson said: "Matty was so much more than a coach, he was a role model, a mentor, a friend, and someone the children looked up to and admired." The club has lost a truly special person and a valued member of the FC Hartlepool family, with the U10 Reds team, which he coached, particularly affected by his passing.
Tribute from Seaton Carew FC
Seaton Carew FC also paid tribute to PC Matthew Blades, who had recently joined the club as a coach and was preparing for his first season with the brand-new U7 Seahawks team. The club's flags are flying at half-mast as a sign of respect, with the club standing alongside PC Blades' colleagues and friends within the police service. As of August 24, 2026, Hartlepool United is currently 5th in the National League, with 6 points from 3 games, and a recent form of LWW, having scored 4 goals and conceded 2, with a goal difference of +2, and are 3 points behind leaders Southend, with their next fixture away to Harrogate Town on February 16, 2027.
