The 2016-17 campaign delivered ultimate heartbreak for Hartlepool United, as The Monkey Hangers finished a devastating 23rd in League Two, ending their 96-year status in the Football League. Despite the consistent form of top scorer Pádraig Amond, whose 14 goals proved vital, the season was defined by a cruel final-day drama when an 89th-minute winner for rivals Newport County sent Hartlepool down in a painful, unforgettable chapter.