And so, it begins again.
Another season of ups and downs, trials and tribulations, ecstasy and agony. Hartlepool United head into the new campaign with a sense of cautious optimism - an impressive recruitment drive, a manager with previous experience of building promotion-winning sides, and a mostly promising pre-season suggest good times ahead.
However, the dark cloud over the club refuses to dissipate completely.
The rift between the passionate fanbase and owner Raj Singh has grown exponentially since the final game against Forest Green Rovers. Singh - who has held control of the club since 2018 - called a controversial ballot in which he demanded season ticket holders cast their vote on whether he should step back into the role of chairman. And he won with 63% of the count, a number that has entered Pools folklore since.
Multiple PR missteps have exasperated the issues too. From club statements being released without a media officer in place, to a public spat with beloved club icon Jeff Stelling, and alleged stadium bans against the likes of BBC Radio Tees' Rob Law, the Hartlepool Mail's Robbie Stelling, and former club captain Micky Barron, the tendency for self-destruction has been there for all to see.
But despite all that, the on-field prospects look positive.
A high turnover of players in non-league is nothing new. It happens most seasons, due to the short lengths of contracts. But there were concerns when key players did not re-sign - Mani Dieseruvwe being a prime example. The striker netted 39 league goals in his two seasons at the club, and fans were pessimistic that he could be adequately replaced.
But two quality signings may have put pay to that idea. Danny Johnson and Alex Reid arrived at the Prestige Group Stadium with excellent pedigree. Reid has good knowledge of the division, having spent time at Oldham and Wealdstone and is a proven scorer at this level. Johnson has had a standout pre-season, showing his predatory instincts in the six-yard box. Jermaine Francis is also one to watch, given his pace and trickery in his showings so far - he also netted against Pools last season for Braintree.
At the back, Jay Benn looks a coup. The right wing-back - who made the move from Lincoln City - has shown a tendency to bomb down the wing and cross from the byline, which has been a rarity for full-backs here. Besart Topolloj brings promotion-winning experience on the opposite side from his time at Bromley, and Cameron John looks a smart bit of business. Reiss McNally is a very strong signing at centre-back, with Pools supposedly beating Carlisle United to his signature, while Maxim Kouogun turned down a new contract at Scunthorpe United to join the club. A keeper finally arrived two days before the start of the season - Harvey Cartwright joined from Hull City, with previous loan spells at Wycombe Wanderers and Grimsby Town. And it all began with Brad Walker's return to the north-east in June.
But arguably one of the best bits of business came not with a signing, but a re-signing. The future of Nathan Sheron was up in the air post-season, with fans universally wanting him to stay after a superb debut campaign in the midfield. And the news of his two-year contract was received as enthusiastically as expected - the 27-year-old was a top contender of Player of the Season, and will be a key cog once again. As will fellow candidate Tom Parkes, who has been named as captain following the departure of Luke Waterfall.
There was another change of manager, and a controversial one at that.
News broke that despite Anthony Limbrick still holding the role of Head Coach, the club had approached Boston United for permission to speak to Graham Coughlan. Which went down very badly with supporters - not because Coughlan would not be a good choice for the role, but because Limbrick was still there. And thus, another PR misstep.
Boston - predictably - rejected the approach, after Coughlan had masterminded a great escape from relegation at the end of the term. Ironically, their worst game in the second half of the season came at Pools, when they were handed a 4-1 beating amid an excellent run of form.
Nevertheless, Limbrick was removed later that week, and Simon Grayson was installed as his successor on the same night. Reaction was mixed, given the nature of the Australian's sacking, but Grayson has proved to be affable and, more importantly, flexible in deploying tactics. He has stated that he has no issue with changing formation mid-game - something which fans will be pleased to hear.
An opening run of fixtures gives the team something to build upon.
For the second season running, Pools open their campaign at Yeovil. They did the double over the Somerset side last term, and will hope for more of the same here. Home games against Braintree, Woking and Boreham Wood before the end of August gives the team the chance to get a solid points return, while tricky away trips to Altrincham and Southend will provide a litmus test for Grayson's burgeoning side.
The trip to Roots Hall in particular will be pivotal to the season as a whole. For the last two seasons, the Bank Holiday Monday fixture in August has derailed a promising start. At Chesterfield two years ago, Pools were two goals up inside seven minutes before talisman Antony Mancini limped off injured. The Spireites won 3-2 with a stoppage-time winner and romped to the league title, while Pools - who were the league leaders at the time and had outplayed their opponents prior to Mancini's injury - deteriorated to finish 12th.
Last year, it was Woking - in eerily similar circumstances - who stopped Pools in their tracks. A double from Joe Grey put the visitors two goals up, but this time it was Jack Hunter's sending off that turned the game. And once again, the hosts won 3-2 with a stoppage-time winner. Simon Grayson will be looking to snuff out any suggestion of a repeat at Southend this year.
The League is as northern as ever this year.
A healthy northern contingent will be welcomed by Pools fans, after some punishing campaigns that have included distances of over 10,000 miles in total. The likes of Gateshead, Carlisle, York, Rochdale, Morecambe - provided they are rescued from the clutches of stubborn owner Jason Whittingham - Halifax, and Altrincham provide light relief for Poolie vehicles everywhere. However, the quirk of the fixture list is that the majority of those away games are midweek, something which hasn't been lost on supporters. Nevertheless, these games - with Scunthorpe, Boston, Solihull, and Tamworth also within respectable driving distance - are a nice change from the southern-based campaigns of years gone by.
There is always a catch though.
Truro City will be celebrating their first-ever season in the fifth tier, and the first Cornwall-based club to do so. Former Pools manager John Askey - in charge for the aforementioned Chesterfield collapse - guided the Tinners to glory last season, and the club have now gone full-time. The distance between the two stadiums is (according to Google Maps) a monstrous 445 miles - around seven-and-a-half hours. Pools will host Askey's men in November, while the return fixture will take place in March.
With the likes of Yeovil, Eastleigh, Forest Green, Aldershot, and the usual London contingent still around, long-distance travelling will still be on the agenda.
Pools have the capability to finish in the play-offs.
If a keeper is added to an already-strong squad, a top-seven berth is the minimum that should be expected. From that point onwards, Poolies everywhere will hope the lottery of the play-offs favours them. As Dave Challinor's side proved in 2021, anything can happen!
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