The summer and season ahead for Hartlepool United

Hartlepool at Nottingham Forest

Hartepool United vs Southend

The first home game of the season at Victoria Park, a tie against former ‘Poolie’ Phil Brown and his Southend United side. Southend came off the back of a 1-0 win over Plymouth Argyle and a 1-0 defeat to Yeovil in the League Cup the previous week. I arrived in the ground somewhat optimistic and also nervous – I noticed I was also a lot more superstitious than I normally am on matchdays, which was quite weird. Watching where I was stepping and everything along those lines felt weird, I’m rarely like that.

I arrived at a filling Victoria Park with hope. I took the atmosphere in with every breath, returning ‘home’ and loving every moment of it. The pitch was in it’s usual pristine condition as I walked down the stand, watching the players train under assistant manager Craig Hignett’s demand. My friends and I arrived to our usual position in the ground, in the Niramax Stand to the right of the away supporters and just a few feet off the halfway line. I couldn’t wait for kick-off.

The game didn’t get off to the best of starts for Hartlepool. After just five minutes, Freddie Eastwood scored the goal from a piece of play which resulted from a poor and inexperienced clearance from young left-back Darren Holden. My heart was in my mouth. It was the first time I felt like walking out of the ground before full-time in years. I couldn’t see it getting any better – and I was right.

Moments after this, Pools captain Tony Sweeney was taken off due to an injury and replaced by Simon Walton – Neil Austin took the armband. Pools tried and tried but were forcing it too much, instead of being patient and working our way into the box, we tried to force the ball in there and it just didn’t work. James Poole, who had a good first-half, came the closest to scoring after his half volley came close to catching out the Southend g0alkeeper Daniel Bentley.

There was a very entertaining event just before half-time, where Neil Austin was involved in a scrap with a Southend player. An obstructive bit of play from Southend left three players on the ground kicking the same ball, with viciousness sure to result in someone getting hurt. Austin and the Southend player ended up kicking each other furiously and caused everyone of the outfielders to sprint over to the touchline just a few feet away from the technical area and a massive brawl took place.

Just afterwards, when things seemed to have calmed down, Neil Austin and Jack Baldwin were seeing the ball out for the goalkeeper to collect when Southend striker Barry Corr went in with a shove on Jack Baldwin. He received his marching orders, a spicy end to the half and we seemed sure of an entertaining second period.

It was the same old story for Pools in the second half, lacking that end product despite efforts from Luke James, Simon Walton, Steve Howard and James Poole. Pools dominated the second half but lacked that finishing touch. James Poole was my personal man of the match and he was a great positive in the game. Another frustrating afternoon for myself and other Poolies, Hartlepool remain bottom of the league via goal difference (-4) and Southend are currently placed in 4th, just shy of the automatic promotion places in Sky Bet League Two.

Expectations from the season

Well, after a worrying start, I’d now take a top half finish. We lack that finishing touch which Rochdale and Southend had, so I’m hoping this week that with the funds from the sale of Peter Hartley (who completed a move to League One Stevenage FC for an undisclosed five figure fee on Wednesday), we can bring in some firepower and we’ll be firing on all cylinders for next Saturday’s derby game away to York City.

We do have quality in our ranks. Players such as Scott Flinders, Jack Baldwin, James Poole and Luke James are players who can drive Hartlepool to success this season. I expect them to thrive in our current difficult situation and help us climb the table because Hartlepool United being bottom of League Two is unheard of in recent years. We do have players, who, when playing at the best of their ability, can be game winners.

Steve Howard, Jon Franks and Jack Compton can all help win games by themselves when on top form, so hopefully these two (league) games have been a blip and we’re back to our usual self next Saturday, because this start is really concerning. It’s worrying, I don’t know what to think after last season.

What do we need? Experience. We have many players under the age of 23 – Luke James, Nialle Rodney, Brad Walker, Christian Burgess, Darren Holden, Jack Baldwin and Jordan Richards are just a handful of names, so maybe in the transfer market Cooper and Hignett can look for experienced players who can help the young team progress up the table.

Players such as Matty Bates, who was been training with Pools following his release from Bristol City due to injury, I would welcome him with open arms. A fully fit Matty Bates would be Championship standard at least, so I would love it if we used our money from Hartley’s sale to sign him.

Where do I think we’ll finish? Well, I’m hoping we’ll achieve a play-off finish. But at the moment, I just want to see my team climbing League Two because I’m very worried about how we’re currently doing, so hopefully by Christmas, we can see where we are and reassess our aims for the season.