Jeff Stelling, the Sky Sports presenter, has been named as Honorary President of Hartlepool United.

Hartlepool-born, Stelling has become part of weekend football folklore as he hosts Soccer Saturday, where he never holds back his support for the club and the North-East.

Stelling, who replaces Peter Mandleson in the role and was at recent games at Fleetwood and Wycombe this season, said: “When I was standing on the terraces as a seven-year-old I never dreamt that one day the Club would ask me to be Honorary President.

“It’s sort of an impossible dream really but it’s fantastic and I really appreciate the fact that Russ and the Chairman have offered it to me – I am very grateful indeed.

“I was at the recent game with Wycombe with a lot of my family and they’re all just as pleased and as proud as I am about the news.”

The club’s Chief Executive Russ Green explained: “Jeff is the highest-profile Pools fan ever and he’s the only person for the job.

“His name is synonymous with Hartlepool and he is held in high esteem by everyone in football so we’re very proud that he has accepted this role at the club.”